Winter is coming: Frugaleers keeping warm

[Myturnnow4]

Shall we share our tactics for a toasty, frugal winter?

OUTDOORS
. Clean and store patio furniture, umbrellas, children's summer toys.
. Touch up paint on trim, railings and decks. Use a wire brush to remove flaking paint; prime bare wood first.
. Check around windows and doors.
. Inspect external doors and garage doors. Do they close tightly? Install weather-stripping, door thresholds if needed.
. Wash exterior windows.
. Drain and store garden hoses. Install insulating covers on exterior taps.
. Check sheds for waterproofing, and rot.
. Check gutters and downspouts. Clear of debris if necessary.
. Have chimneys and flues inspected and cleaned if necessary.
. Clean and de-weed patio, drive ways, and paths.
. Clear drains
. Check trees and bushes and prune, cut grass too. Apply bark to borders
. Get grit for paths
. Clean and get spare bulbs for out side lights.
. Service lawnmower
. Sort out indoor plants, making sure they are in the right sized pot.
. Check outside walls for damage, and repair.
. Check roof for leaks and holes.

THE CAR
. Check antifreeze, and screen wash. Have an extra can in the car for when your not at home.
. Check and replace older batteries
. Remember to keep the fuel tank Topped up regularly. (Don't run out!) carry a spare can.
. Check tires and spare tire for proper inflation
. Make sure the car is serviced.
. Check oil
. Ice scraper
. Jumper cables, for older cars.
. reflective triangle to warn other motorists if you break down.
. Blankets, warm clothes, and spare shoes. For you and kids.
. Tourch and batteries
. Gallon jug of drinking water
. First aid kit, check contents
. Carry spare lightbulbs.
. Tissues, and a bag for a bin. Also carry a black bag for when the kids are ill/ muddy beyond all reason.
. Check A/C and heaters.
. Hoover and clean car, also tidy the crap out of it!
. Make sure brakedown, and garage numbers are easy to hand.
. Keep travel calpol, and painkillers.

Your car list reminded me a frugal win yesterday. AA renewal came in at £110. Rung up to cancel, but they offered it at £50 (this reduction included taking the ex off the cover).

IKEA do some lovely fleece blankets for £3 with a pretty frill on the edge, in a few different colours too. I keep a couple on the arms of the sofa/chair so we don't have to go hunting for a blanket when it's cold. I like the idea of using them as thermal backing though so will definitely give that a try!

Our local Asda currently has the reduced bins full of thermal socks and gloves. I picked up a pair of Regatta thermal touch screen gloves for £1 for DP and in Primark 2 packs of thermals long sleeved vests for DS for £2. Can't go wrong at 50p a vest.

Now would be the time to buy a winter duvet if you needed one too, I've seen quite a few reduced in Asda and Matalan.

Collie

Mens thermals would be a "Technical base layer". They love shit like that.

Or just dont mention it's thermal. "I got you these new tops, your old ones look a bit lived in".

The warm home discount, it's worth £140 off your bill if you qualify.

They all have slightly different criteria so it's worth applying and seeing if you get it.

Have been filling in gaps in the extension with trimmed trimmed pipe insulation along with replacing the strips around the Windows and doors. The extension is normally the coldest room in the house....don't know if I'm imagining things but it feels warm already not draught.

Pipe insulation 92p and the weather stripping 14 pound altogether from B&Q. Really easy to fit too. Determined to get energy use down and have a warm house this autumn /winter

wheely is the weather stripping put in the part of the window frame that becomes visible when you open the window? Or is like beading and around the edge of the window pane?

How have you been using the pipe insulation?

I've had some success with attaching my fleece blankets to curtains, but it's not looking pretty. I have some IKEA fleeces lined up on my shopping list.

I bought the extra large fleeces, Primark £10 each and when it gets really cold I use them as a top and bottom sheet. Divine to sleep on and so cosy.

I cant fault the lidl radiator foil,and to say hello, love these threads everyones so nice on them.

Ooh, is the Lidl foil a special offer?

Not as far as I know myturn,I got a few rolls of it last year, and I know I wouldn't spend much on them, as I love a bargain, i think it was about 6 pounds for quite a big roll.

Excellent, I'll keep an eye out for it then.

Radiator Foil Update - it's not something Lidl routinely stock. Wilkos had some in but Amazon beats them on price.

www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B003E1AKFC?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00

I got these in 2012, I took them with me when we moved here and patched them together where needed with brown tape so they fit this house too.

The wall directly behind them is much cooler than above them.

Amazon might not be the cheapest place though.

Ok, Operation Cosy Winter is under way here. I've started with my home office and have lined the door curtain, weather-stripped the window and put foil behind the radiator. Oh, and there's the sausage.

I still need to line the curtain. I have the fleece I'm just not confident that the curtain rail can handle it.

Half a room down...

Like the idea of this thread, will read fully later

£10 rad foil in aldi

Radflex are secured on the rad using these You cut a piece of foil so it fits inbetween the rad brackets and then put the clipbar on each end.

Cheaper clipbars must be available, you need two for each big rad.

Marking my place!

We have a massive through lounge with an open stairway. The entire downstairs is basically one open room, besides the kitchen, so it's a nightmare trying to keep warm here.

I got the foil stuff last winter when we moved in (only back in Jan) but only got around to doing one radiator with it. I also bought the secondary glazing film, but haven't done anything with that either. Ditto the new draught excluder brushes for underneath the doors. I'm rubbish.

You're not rubbish, You have potential to improve.

Just got back from aldi, they had 2 pairs of ladies fluffy, cosy socks for £1.49.

OldBlood brrrr that sounds chilly! Have you got a cosy blanket for the evenings? And have you got windows with curtains? You could attach cheap fleece blankets to them to line them. Hopefully thatll help keep more heat in too.

We had a room like that in our last rental house, bloody cold. It backed onto a single glazed French door which lead to a freezing cold conservatory.

Fun times.

Can you put a stud wall partition up?.

We have high ceilings and big bay windows. I will need loads of fleeces to line the curtains and I fear the weight will bring the curtain rail down. It's wobbly as it is....
We have tried the foil behind the rad thing but it doesn't seem to make a difference. Front room is always bloody baltic

Would the window film help demented? www.wickes.co.uk/Wickes-Seasonal-Secondary-Glazing-Film-6m2/p/210014

When we had a bay window I had to make draught excluders for the window sill. It was so fecking cold!