I wfh - How to cheaply stay warm this winter?

[User5512]

I work from home. With the energy price so high, and cost of living going up rapidly, how can I cheaply stay warm during the day? Ideally, I don’t want to use central heating until 4pm. It’s already costing a bomb to keep the house heated between 4pm and 8pm (when kids are at home).

Im wearing a jumper, but can’t layer up more as I have to attend meetings on zoom.

I attend meeting in big fluffy hoodies, I've noticed a few people wearing gloves and scarves in meetings too recently. If anyone ever comments on it, I say my employer is welcome to up my salary to cover the heating bill if they want.
On a practical note, heated throws cost pennies to run. I layer up with thermal leggings and a couple of normal blankets over my lap, fluffy socks over my normal socks, and that keeps me warm enough.

Layers. Thermals under my jeans.,
I wear a beanie and it's not uncommon for people on my online teams mtgs to be the same. I've had meetings with loads of different people from different organisations and all those at home are wrapped up

I have fingerless gloves, hot water bottle for my feet and fluffy throw on my lap (can't be seen in teams meetings)

Heated gillet for the win here - mine was cheap from amazon to test the concept 3 years ago but is still going strong. It works from a phone battery charger, which I charge overnight on it's USB thingy.
Don't underestimate the power of insulating underneath you as well as on top - sit on a blanket or two draped over the chair. The plug in heated seat warmers work well too.

Basically warm the core, and the rest of your body should be able to keep warm enough.

I wear ski thermals under my work top, and have a wool blanket that I fold around my lower half, that can't be seen on Zoom.

If it's really cold, with a hot water bottle on my lap. Toasty 😊

I've been doing pretty much everything advised on here. Proper Oodie and layering.
Went into work yesterday as a one-off wearing 'good clothes ' (tailored jacket and dress) and Everyone I saw said 'you look amazing'....they couldn't say 'you've lost weight' because of the place we work in but it's extraordinary how video calls and warm clothing can make you gain/lose weight

We bought some smart valves for the radiators that we can control with our phones. We installed them in each room and they turn on and off the radiators from the phone. So I only hear the office and then the rooms we are in. It has saved loads.

This could have been written by me. Thermal layers under your jumper. Electric heater is much cheaper. Heat yourself or your space rather than house. You can get small electric throws that cost pennies to run. Fingerless gloves if not on meeting. Fleecy jackets you can take off when on calls.

Hot water bottle and relocate to warmest room often upstairs if you're not already. Hat or earband plus slippers. Anazing how much heat we loose through head and feet. Obv coat etc it's not ideal but last week I just got under two duvets!

I’ve had a heated throw for years but I’ve just bought a heated poncho, it’s an absolute game changer for WFH, it sits on my chair and when it’s really cold I pull it around me.

My sheepskin house boots (Celtic) keep my feet toasty warm all day. They’re not cheap but OTOH I’ve had them for several years - they’re machine washable and this year I invested in some new sheepskin insoles - £15 - and they feel like new again.

I use hot water bottle for my feet, blanket for my legs and then hold my warm laptop battery when my hands get cold. It's my nose that suffers. Isn't Tory Britain an inspiring place to be?!

Definitely a heated throw, it saved me a fortune in heating costs last year 😊

Loads of good ideas here in terms of layering, hot water bottle, heated throw etc. I find the most effective is to do a bit of exercise if I get really chilly - not till I’m sweating but just to get the blood flowing, I have a mini trampoline to jump on. It’s just so hard to keep warm if you’re completely still and even if you can warm up body parts, you still end up with cold hands and face I find. Alternatively, oil filled radiator on low and just heat the room you’re in slightly to take the chill off.

My colleague sits in a sleeping bag. I usually wear oodie type things and onesies. And yes, I will turn my camera on wearing these infront of v senior people/ government officials - if you’re good at what you do people don’t care what you wear.

I wfh and set the timer so the heating is spread throughout the day: an hour or 2 in the morning when we’re waking up, an hour between 2.30-3.30 (so it’s warm for when the kids come home) and then a couple of hours in the evening around their bedtime. This way you don’t have to go for long stretches with the heating off and let the house get that cold

I also work from home and our house is bitterly cold during the day and we can’t afford the heating on. I use a heated throw which I have over my lap/legs. It’s amazing. I really couldn’t manage without it. I’ve also brought a black crew neck oddie (no hood) which make it look look
Im just wearing a black jumper during online meetings. It’s brilliant.

*Genuinely don't understand this competitive austerity. If you are working from home then you are presumably saving money on travel costs, lunches, pet/child associated costs etc etc and if you aren't then this should be factored into your salary/expenses.

Just put the fucking heating on - if you were working in an office would you play these ridiculous games of wearing three layers and using shivering as a competitive concept? No, you'd demand appropriate heating to enable you to do your job.*

@BearPunter

Do you "demand appropriate heating " from yourself? 😂👌🏼 You're so out of touch.

Love this thread. I've bought some of the thermal leggings already.

I use a heated blanket, keeps me so warm when I'm working!

I have a small electric heater that is so cheap to use from home bargains. I also dry my washing in the room I work from using a heated maid from Argos, this warms up the room nicely and drys my washing. I also have a oodie they are so warm

I WFH in a large draughty Edwardian house, and have the heating off.

I wear tights, plus leggings, plus jeans, sock & slipper docks "below desk" and layer up on top.

I have a single "desk duvet" I sit under from the waist down, and two hot water bottles - one for my feet and one for my lap. I use a pillow in two pillow slips for a footrest, and slip one hot water bottle inside the outer slip to keep it in place.i can poke my feet into this envelope too if needed. I'm considering draping a blanket over my mesh chair so I don't lose heat from the seat & back too.

They say heat the person not the home.
I also work from home alone all day. I was going to buy a plug in oil filled radiator when I remembered I have one of those lakeland heated airers. So I have that on in my little office. Also obviously warm clothes and a little old lady blanket on my lap. Works a treat.

Thermal base layers
Wear real wool socks and jumpers (not acrylic/ polyester)
Hot water bottle (you can get ones that your feet slide into too)
Electric throw - maybe ask for one for Xmas ?
Keep the door closed
Flask of hot drink to sip all day.
I also use a small electric oil radiator in my office instead of heating the whole house and it's very effective.

I also WFH and so do all of the teams I work with. No one bats an eye lid if someone is sat in a big fleecy hoodie or a is wearing a scarf. Some of my colleagues will wear a dressing gown in between meetings.

I have a heated foot pad under my desk, I wear a thinner scarf rather than a thick bulky one and fingerless gloves. I find if I can keep my feet, hands and neck warm that's half the battle to me being warm. I've also swapped to wool socks.

Thick joggers, I don't really like the fleece lined ones so I sometimes wear tights under them. A thermal vest as a base layer, a long sleeved t shirt and a jumper. I do have a heated gilet but I find it's too bulky to sit in.

A fleece throw round the back of me also helps and I just pull it down for meetings.

Hot drinks, even if it's hot vimto or fruit teas and a hot lunch.

Heated blanket, warm clothes and heated dryer (drying clothes in the same room).