How are you preparing for autumn/winter?

[magicalkitty]

With mortgage rates going up, and gas/electric costa, I wondered how people are preparing for another long winter.

The gas and electric rates may have dropped marginally, but with no £400 this year the costs will likely be more than last year.

I have built up around £300 credit with energy company for winter in prep. Last year we had the heating at 15c for 3ish hours a day, but not sure if we can manage at that temp again. The combined bill was still £230 per month in the coldest months though.

I have oodies, electric blankets, fleece bedding etc. I wear thermals for about 6 months and fingerless gloves inside.

Any specific recommendations for door curtains?

I found some thermal window film in the summer, which will go on my living room window, which is big and loses heat at a rate of knots.

I have continued to regularly buy tins of baked beans & toms tthroughout the summer to build up a good stock (and get extra points offers from Sains whilst price matching). Also make regular trips to farmfoods to buy tinned / dry goods on offer and enough to last 3-6 months (also use the money off vouchers). Picked & froze tonnes of blackberries and also cooking apples from the neighbours.

Get that credit back from your energy supplier and stick it in savings! You aren’t pre-buying energy so all you’re doing is giving the interest you could have earnt on it to the energy company. You can get 5%+ now!

I have my credit over summer built up but best thing I found rhY worked last yr qas not being the house so ill be back to 5 days in the office (have to have an annual pass anyway just for 3 days) going to cinema after work or gym cuts down how much I heat in the evenings. This allows me to use money that I didnt spend on weekdays for the weekends where I might not go anywhere and still remain on budget.

Could you let me know what you bought, please?

Just picked up this zipped fleecy cardigan for wearing at home as a long cardigan in winter. I have a fake oodie but this is better as you can unzip if you get too hot and isn't too dressing gown-like that it looks like you're not dressed. Snuggly.

Our primary cost outside of essential bills is food so we're working on meal planning, buying meat in bulk and freezing portions, and only going to the shops once a week. If we run out, we run out. All of those little trips add up.

I wish I could say the rest we were saving for a rainy day but in reality it's to feed the gas and electric this winter.

I've been overpaying my gas and electricity over the summer to build up a little cushion because in the winter our gas use is so high. I've also filled up the freezer with meat and veg and apple sauce from our garden. I've not got any Xmas presents yet though.