I can't be this cold all winter!!

[coffeetofunction]

I've had to put the heating on because I'm so cold my legs and feet are painful. However I keep looking at the smart meter and know it's unaffordable to do this daily.

Heated throw and hot water bottles have not help. I have socks and slippers on, a jumper and cardigan....

** properly cold here today, I have been dressed up on jumper and thick socks and using my heated blanket and it hasn't been enough,it's been 16 degrees indoors and that's too cold for me.

Could you look into using something underlay on the windows to keep in the heat? Or possibly the screens used for cars in the summer? Or camping roll mats? Or even cardboard and newspaper would probably make a difference.

Martin's money has some guides on ways to keep warm and also lists all the energy benefits available so you can make sure you are getting everything you're entitled to.

You can add tights under trousers which I find helps a lot. MM also recommends a hot water bottle in a sleeping bag, if sitting down a lot that might help. Are you able to make hot drinks? If you make up a flask of tea you won't have to keep reboiling the kettle.

If cold in bed it helps to put things under as well as over you so put a blanket under the sheet. Electric blankets will also make a big difference.

Our town has implemented a "warm hub" in the community centre which is open daily, there might be something similar near you?

I hope you find some options that help.

One dehumidifier in a central location or move room to room on a daily basis helps to keep the air dryer and better at holding the heat than a damp room. One of the cheaper appliances to run. I live in a single glazed 4 story house and we are comfortable

Layering and closed doors are your friend. You want to get into one room, shut the door, and layer up under loads of blankets and layers of clothes. It's not sexy but do like your grandma said and put on a vest, wrap a blanket round your shoulders. It is amazing how much difference it makes, because you are trapping the air between each layer, and it'll warm up.

You can't see your breath and 16 degrees. 16 degrees is not warm, but it's the sort of temperature where people will say 'ah, you've no tables inside? Ok, yes, we'll have our sandwiches out here, it's quite mild'. So you need to think like that: what would you be wearing if you were sitting outside on a chilly-but-not-cold spring day? Would you, when you sat down, want to wrap your coat over your legs? Would you be gratefully accepting a blanket over your knees? Do that then. It's not elegant but you really need to nest.

I work full time and very hard. I’m not saying others don’t by the way. I know we are all in the same boat.

But what once felt like a slow development of depression regarding the cost of living crisis, now feels more like despair. Something alien to me. I can’t remember ever feeling like this before.

DH and I earn decent wages, we have no entitlement to any benefits quite rightly, but we also have an extremely big mortgage and other outgoings. We used to live comfortably, but now I am worrying about being able to afford bills; food; and other essentials.

I’ve cancelled everything I can cancel e.g. Disney + and phone contracts etc. But it’s not going to be enough. I haven’t put the heating on yet. We are waiting until our fixed rate expires and will try to sell our house.

I feel sad that I can’t give my son what I want to give him. I’d have loved to have been able to buy him a car. I can’t even afford the trainers he likes anymore. He goes to a nice school (not private) and most of his friends come from wealthy backgrounds. I feel sad I can’t do for him what his friends parents do for their children. He doesn’t complain though. He understands we do our best. Some people are struggling to feed their children so I guess it could be worse.

I don’t know why I’m saying all this. I feel pretty crappy tonight knowing what’s coming tomorrow with the BOE. It feels like however shit I feel now, it’s going to get way worse. I’ve recently started to imagine the peace that would come from not being here anymore. I love my family to pieces and wouldn’t do anything to hurt them, but life just seems so hopeless at the moment. The world doesn’t feel very nice. Im sorry to be so down, as I say, just having a rough night.
Perhaps others will take comfort in knowing that they aren’t alone.

We’re in Manchester, it was absolutely torrential outside today, my DC were soaked when they got home from school. DH put the heating on for an hour to dry their uniforms and shoes for tomorrow and it cost £1.80 in gas!
We won’t be putting it on in a hurry again, we have a log burner and we’re planning on using that to warm the house as much as possible.
It’s currently 9° outside and the high for tomorrow is only 11°

Have you tried your university/college hardship fund? It could be worth it even if it just affords you a couple of hours heating a day.

I’m beginning to feel grateful for the hot flushes! Ban you wrap the base of you chair with cardboard to insulate the backs of your legs and feet? It does make a difference

It’s quite depressing isn’t it?

Our heating goes on for 30 minutes in a morning while dc get up/ dressed. It's about 15-16 degrees in a morning first thing.

After school/ work we put our warm pj's and snuddies and it's usually about 17 degrees.

It comes to something when the positives of work are being warmer than at home.

I've just seen this....
I'm so very sorry youyr feeling so low due to the situations out of your control. If you feel any lower please speak to someone. The cost of living crisis won't last forever, but you not being here will xx

You can’t believe that different places have different weather to you? It’s always colder up north and even colder in Scotland.

Yesterday certainly felt much colder where I am. Actually Tuesday afternoon when I left for the school run was much colder than the morning. My car said it was 8c yesterday morning going to work.

We have had the heating on a little two nights running now. We have a dehumidifier also. We will probably just about be able to afford it wil the govt help and some savings, this year as we have cut usage back as much as possible. By the end of the year we will have cut back about 500kwh electricity and about 2500kwh on the gas.

I'm wary of not using any heating at all, as we lived in a damp flat for a few years which wasn't nice. Particularly replacing furniture and clothes that were ruined by mould which also cost £££.

Can everyone on this thread please stop pointing out to the OP the fact about not seeing breath at 16 degrees? Does it matter? This is just nit-picking.

OP have you applied to your council for a share of the 500 million fund that was set up after the pandemic? Gov.uk will send you to yours if you put in your postcode,

www.gov.uk/government/news/government-launches-500m-support-for-vulnerable-households-over-winter

My council helped a family member in very serious trouble with a new household item and £150, yours might be doing similar.
Good luck.

I think part of the reason it feels so cold yesterday/today because it has been so warm in October.
The temperature hasn't fallen slowly like in a normal year, so we got used to the colder temp.

Depends on the size of your radiators! Basically you ideally want to fill as much of the space/wall behind the radiator without it being visible from the room, so as a guide perhaps the size of your radiator minus about 3-4cm all the way around?

I'm freezing so I'm using my fan heater, I'm on a low wage. Luckily I happen to have built up a big credit with my gas/electric since ex moved out as usage went down but I kept paying the same £200 a month. So I'm chuffing using it. I only heat one room. Jumpers and socks etc just don't cut it in my draughty house.

I'm in the south and it is often colder in my house than it is outside! I don't have a thermometer indoors though so not sure what the temperature is currently in the house. I have a gilet and hoodie on, and wear fingerless gloves at my desk.

Hi OP! We live in a new building and I still didnt put the heat on Its 23 degrees now- I think its because of the new double glazing windows and doors. İf you can afford to change them I really recommend it OP! I know its extra cost but its worth it Because I used to pay much more for heating before.
Take care xxx

If OP is worried about the cost of this year's heating bill, I'd imagine they're not going to be able to stump up for new doors and windows...

I put the heating on for about 20 minutes late morning today, the house and I both feel warmer and I've not used as much has.

I'm very grateful for all the helpful tips from here

@coffeetofunction OP, maybe just heat only 1 room and stay there with your kids x I know its hard with the kids but I know someone who does that x

We've now set the heating for 75mins in morning, set a fraction lower than usual. DH came home last night, immediately said it's cold in here and reached for thermostat. He soon walked away when I reminded him of the bill. So many of us are going to be in the same boat.

Trying to be careful here as its only going to get colder and harder to keep house warm, so trying to save it for when really needed.

Layers are your friends - much more effective that one thick jumper/joggers.

Tights under trousers, two pairs of socks

Please please please kill the mould in your sons room. Places like B&M sell the killer cheaper. Move all the furniture away from the walls and check behind, it will hide behind wardrobes etc. If there’s room try and keep them a few inches away from the wall to allow air flow. Don’t just open your sons room but open every room in the house for 10mins in the morning. Sounds silly but blasts all the damp unhealthy air out. Then is healthier and cheaper to heat. Try and use the boiler for short 20min spells.

but please please kill the mould. Every morning take a towel and wipe the condensation off windows. Otherwise it only dissaplears once it’s made it’s way into the room atmospheres heated throws take about an hour to feel properly warm and you can throw another blankets over the top of them

Also I have a thermometer inside the house and one outside. Sometimes I gain heat when it’s a sunny day from one side, but realise not everyone has that.