Preparing for a very frugal Autumn/Winter anyone?

[caughtupinthismoment]

It maybe a little early but its no harm being prepared.
I'm going to learn from my mistakes last Autumn/Winter

My clothing for the cold weather wasn't up to scratch it just wasnt warm enough. this year I'm going to outlet winter stores to buy thermal fleeces hat scarf gloves ect I also need to wear proper footwear converse dont cut it feet like icicles and wet most of winter. My dd was kitted out properly all snug waterproof just forgot about myself.

Im going to stock up on the meters before the winter sets in. I plan to be snug and warm with a hot choc in hand instead of trapsing to the shop for the meters.

This year I shall be making more hearty comfort food such as stews soups, broths and casseroles. I do make them but not so often.

Im going to bulk buy dried goods cans ect to get us through the winter. I tend to go out to buy fresh every other day/ week but there more expensive in winter so i'm going to buy seasonal and keep loaves in the freezer and long life milk just in case.

Im defo not spending lots on xmas this year cutting back drastically most people seemed to forget I existed at xmas and they didnt seem to appreciate all the effort I went to making hampers for them.

Xmas and Bday presents for my Dd are going to be things she needs. She has enough toys and Im sick of plastic tat that seems to break when I accidently stand on it as she has so much.

I'm going to start saving now so that I can have a nest egg incase I need to use it. seemed to be skint most of the time and january bills were hard.

With our filled stomachs of homecooked food and Our thermal clothing we will be able to venture into the unknown (wink) i.e long walks to jump into the crisp snow and to crunch on the autumn leaves to collect pine cones and such to decorate and we will come home to a warm house freezer and cupboards full to snuggle by the fire with a hotchoc and a family film.

Can you not even use a heated airer overnight then? I thought that is what they were designed for? I'd never use a washing machine or tumble overnight for that reason and also due to noise for neighbours (can hear everything)

What about your floors could you get rugs in charity shop & save some heat that way ?

Yep I have rugs in my place

What about doors & windows do you have lined curtains everywhere ? I have 3 windows with no curtains at all need to get my act together soon.

I have curtains at all windows apart from in front room (the draughty bay) but only because my custom made curtains from my old place are being altered, I shelled out for thermal lining! Also need a new rail putting up but yes I am on it. In dd's room there is a blind aswell as the curtains. Will def think about door curtains too I think for the doors that go to outside.

I put a curtain across our front door last year it made a big difference as hall was cold before that.

Does anyone have one of those rlectricity use age checker things? How do they actually work? I looked at a few on amazon, they are about £30, but I suppose we would save more than that if we used it!

I just noticed argos have thermal liners prob a bit more expensive than making them though...

I buy thermal lining from dunelm at £5 per metre

You don't need one Pink. Just make sure nothing is left on standby, turn lights off when you're leaving a room etc. It's £30 to tell you to do this and you can spend that £30 on something else.

I am def going to line some curtains with old fleecey blankets but will replace with new ikea ones.

Does anyone have a quick cheap & easy way to insulate a gable wall on inside ? DDs bedroom is v cold in winter so am moving her bed to warmer wall & want to try to insulate the cold wall without spending money I don't have. Was thinking of hanging a quilt on the cold wall ? Would this be mad ?

I'd be careful incase it's damp. If it's your house, you could try thick wallpaper?

ipaintstore.co.uk/index.php/thermalmix.html You could try this insulating paint additive.

I want to use it but dh won't let me.

True although that would involve paying someone as no way DH would manage it :) I don't think it's damp it is our house. Really it needs proper insulating - modern semi d but can't afford whatever it cost !

The energy companies also have a fund for people on benefits and will give them money towards their bills, it's called The Warm Home Discount www.gov.uk/the-warm-home-discount-scheme

They don't tell people about this though, you have to ask.

Oh, and this is useful www.gov.uk/energy-grants-calculator

Looks good but I'm not in the UK. We have some similar grant schemes but you have to spend thousands to avail in the first place.

Currently sewing a blanket into the middle of DDs curtains & feeling very smugly thrifty thanks for the tip !

Marking for ideas :)

Aired the winter duvet today. Washed the fleecy bedding. Removed and replaced the window sealant, the blinds don't waft in the draught now!

You can put old duvets under the bottom sheet if its got room or you use flat sheets.

I want to do this with our summer duvet this year.

Some great tips here, thanks! I'm going to do some sums later to see if we can overpay our council tax a bit next year. We can be guilty of spending money just because it's there so that could help.

I put my clothes maidens outside if it's dry. If it starts to rain, it's much quicker to grab the maiden than it is to get washing off the line. In Autumn/Spring when the heating is off or not on much it does help a bit with drying plus it reduces the damp in the house so helps prevent mould.

We hang fleece 'curtains' at the exterior doors (wooden - rented house) and use excluders at the bottoms to keep the heat in.

Try and close your curtains before it goes dark. Heat starts leaving through the windows quickly. Which reminds me, I need to try find some curtains for the three windows in our living room :S

Can't think of anything else right now but I am going to put the blankets in to wash soon while it's still (supposedly) summer!

Serf, I'm going to start using my clothes horse at the back door. I'm fed up pegging out the washing for it to rain 5 minutes later.