For those who can't afford to use central heating this year - How are you going to cope?

[mama2moo]

We have 2 dd's - 3yo and 20mo and already owe money to our suppliers. We are going to have to be careful with not using the heating too much but our house is feeling cold already!

We have bought thermal vests, fleece pjs, fleece tops and extra duvets.

What else can we do?

TBH Im dreading it. By the 3rd week of every month we are skint at the moment.

Just thought of another one - if you have a big old fashioned hot water cistern in one of your bedrooms - or anywhere in house for that matter - its worth fitting louvre doors to its cupboard instead of solid. Even if its insulated warm air will waft through the gaps and it looks nicer/is safer than just leaving doors open.

[always banging head on things cos doesnt look where she's going emoticon]

I have a really thick fleecy scarf that I wear around the house and tuck into the top of my jumper - makes so much difference!

You can buy foil underlay from Wickes for not very much money - it's made a lot of difference to our wooden floor (not original wooden floor - one you fit yourself) - I wonder if it would be possible to pop it under existing carpet too? That would probably help with heat loss through the floor?

This is a very inspirational thread - thanks all.

Can any of you very practical people recommend something I can use to cover my letterbox? It's very odd - quite small, on a very narrow wall, with one side completely flush with the wall - so I don't think one of those brush covers would fit. I'm thinking of something I can glue along the top that will hang down over it, but it needs to be sufficiently heavy to do a proper job of blocking out the draught. And I don't want it to look too rubbish. I'm inordinately crap at all forms of DIY. Any ideas?

Ormirian beat me to it, but an early menopause is great for keeping (too) warm and you also save on 'sanitary protection'. (There are downsides)

Would someone be kind and link to a curtain and curtain rail that I can hang over my front door? I am very rural and don't drive, so I can't go to look around big shops. I would have to order it. Thank you.

Ablative - untried and untested, but hopefully helpful: possibly velcro on a fleece panel over the letterbox. Light enough to allow usage, yet able to stop draughts.

We always use snake draught excluders in doorways. Discarded school woolly tights stuffed with the same are a good makeshift option. Heavyweight drapes/panels also stop external door draughts.

Dehumidifiers are a cheap way of getting some dry warmth about, as long as temperatures don't drop low enough to stop them working... and dry clothes beautifully too.

Electric blankets are essential in deep winter, add a fleece/quilt under the sheets, remember to turn the blanket down when in bed to avoid overheating.

Over the odd fortnight of seriously wintry weather we've had these last few years, it's cheaper to keep the heating on continuously than the usual cycles.

Velcro!!!!!! I have been wondering how to fleece line my curtains but so that I can take it off. Why didnt I think of velcro!

Velcro fleece on your letter box is a great idea.

After reading the comments I think we will have the heating on a constant low when it does get cold enough ie snow!

I am so mad at dp. Just because he has a cold he wanted the heating on last night! I went mad!

Brokenwing here are a couple of drapery arm suppliers:
one and two

And there are some slightly different designs of drapery arms/portiere rods here, to fit over different types of door frames.

What would you all say is an acceptable waking-hours room temperature for healthy adults (very broadly, from older teenager to retirement age)? Assuming a sensible approach involving layers and warm jumpers, good health, etc.

Ablative, if you get a plastic letterbox brush, you may be able to take a sharp knife to it and cut off the end, to allow it to fit against the return wall.

I had to modify mine for a larger than average slot, so I'm reasonably confident this is possible.

I have dragged my electric steamer out from the back of the cupboard. Last night in twenty minutes I cooked salmon, potatoes and three types of veg with a cupful of water and using one plug socket.

Why have I disregarded that piece of kit? Normally I would have used the oven for the salmon, a pan for the potatoes and another pan for the veg! [hshock]

We have central heating but are loathe to put it on yet and when we do, it's a burst in the morning, then evening. We both work at home some of the time and it's the sitting still in front of a computer all day that makes me cold. Poor circulation means I often arrive at the 'hands too cold to type' point (or 'mouse hand' as a colleague called it - it's true, the other one rests more on warm legs!). But daytime heating would be a slippery, expensive slope and, mostly, we resisted last winter (got very cold!) and hope to this.

Things we've done, in a drafty period-single-glazed house, are:

• Fit a draft excluder product around windows and doors (thin spongy stuff, very cheap).
• Fit curtains, with blackout lining throughout, including front and back door. Expensive altogether but not much extra for the thick lining.
• We're adding thicker underfloor insulation (old house with boards and voids beneath). Carpets would help too but style choice and expense is against them, so sticking with rugs.
• We need to look into temporary double-glazing, the plastic kind, for now.

Other thoughts:

• My best Christmas present last year was fleecy-lined slipper-boots, so much warmer than just lots of socks!
• Going out for a run, followed by hot shower keeps me much warmer for an hour or more afterwards.
• Porridge and soup do make a difference. Don't eat cold things.

Oil-filled heaters can be incredibly expensive. I bought one for a room that doesn't have a radiator, as, for a year or two, it's cheaper than fitting one but I did the sums and it guzzles electricity, so could not possibly be left on for more than 3-4 hours a day.

Seal up draughty windows with masking tape for the season and any gaps at all in floorboards. That has made the world of difference in our freezing flat! In warmer times we take off the masking tape for ventilation (we too have damp).

Instead of expensive sheepskin boots, get fake ones and put real sheepskin insoles in with thick socks. I got a few pairs cheap on ebay last year.

Two other thoughts:

• construct or place bookshelves, wardrobes and other solid furniture against outside walls, in alcoves or otherwise, they do contribute to insulation.
• merino thermals are often available in half price sales at outdoor shops e.g. Cotswold, sometimes M+S, or on-line. They are good.

Brokenwing, we have a normal curtain pole above our front door and are just careful about how we close the door, so as not to catch the fabric. Its not perfect but when I looked the riser rods cost a fortune and it is still possible to pull the curtain across and close the door while you are out. That said, the riser rods Tianc linked to look cheaper than others I've seen, so I might well look into getting one to now.

If it helps anyone, I have just bought a complete base layer thermal undies set from Sports Direct for £4.00.

One of the best things we've ever bought was a dehumidifier from B&Q (iirc it was around £70 in the sale). It does cost electricity wise, but the difference it makes to the ambient temperature and feel of the house is incredible, it can change a room from feeling chilly and damp to warm and cosy in under an hour. We tend to use it most in the bedrooms, moving it from room to room and it has really helped with the damp we tend to get on all the outside walls and corners.

We do have central heating, but try to use it as little as possible. We have a portable thermostat though, which means we can set the boiler to go off when whatever room we are in is up to temperature. We also turn all the thermostatic valves off in the upstairs rooms during the day and only heat the living room and kitchen, which is where we spend most our time.

We also have draught excluder round all external doors, brushes on the bottom and then the fabric/stuffed draught excluders as well.

I can also highly recommend doing either the 30 Day Shred or Banish Fat Boost Metabolism work out dvds in the morning to warm you up and keep you warm for most of the day - it honestly takes me hours to cool down after doing them! The dcs also like joining in, so it gets them moving and warmed up as well.

Am thinkng of turning the hot water off but what would be the best way?
We have a seperate shower which ds and me and dp use most days. DD1 is a pain and only likes baths, about 3 times a week and dd2 and 3 are little so have a bath, again about 3 times a week.
The hot water is on all day jsut to wash pots with, DP is finnicky and will often do 4 loads a day and often just leave them to soak then refill with more hot later. He does as well like to have a bath some days and will soak for a while with it really high.

Should I only switch it on A Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday for DD's baths or have it to fire up every mornng and over tea time? If there is no hot water then they will have to wait for a bath

We were told it takes less gas to have it on all the time then to have it on at set hours but if all it is really on for is to wash pots I would rather boil a kettle

Ooh have just remembered something - HeatTech clothes from Uniqlo are brilliant (online and if you sign up for their emails, they regularly have free delivery). They are really thin thermal fabric so great for putting on under things that you want to look a bit smarter. Obviously if you're just hanging round the house, you might not care but I thought I'd mention them :o

I have the same dilemma Debs - massive immersion tank thingy run on electricity. No thermostat and it is boiling. It comes on twice a day, no matter what (that's how the timer works, does both am and pm).

I need to work out the same as you: does it take more electricity to fire it up from scratch every second-third day or keep it going all the time?

Sue Mine is pretty new, but rubbish, it does have an all day, 24 hours, twice or off setting. ATM it is set at all day so comes on with the heating at 6am and off at 11pm. we also have a seperate immersion tank just to make us more confused.

Evening all .

Just made myself a cup of coffee with the water I boiled and flasked this morning - it was fine. Washing has been out all day, and it must have been reasonably warm because it's cold but not damp - even the jeans. I try and avoid using the tumble dryer too much, but I do have the spin cycle on the washing machine quite high.

Couple of ideas:

• don't forget if you're cooking with pans to use lids. I've just cooked pasta in pre-boiled water, keep the lid on and it will cook without extra heat.

• just been in Boots and they have nice hot water bottles with covers £12.99 or in Matalan for £6 (also with covers) - Matalan also had some good furry fleece blankets. Matalan was boiling hot actually so if desperate to escape the cold, get in there! Also try Wilkinsons for cushions, throws and hot water bottles - ours was out of stock of covers for hot water bottles but you can order them online for delivery to the shop.

• look on moneysavingexpert for other tips on energy saving, there is usually a thread on there.

Stay warm, people!

Oh and one last thing - I was in Blacks (outdoor shop) yesterday and they have merino base layers, long sleeved, 2 for £70. Bit out of my price range but thought I would mention it.

Me again. Can't stay away .

Uniqlo stuff looks great, have just ordered some long sleeved tops. If you sign up for the newsletter you get a £5 off discount code - it's FIRST if you're interested.

also (italians look away now), you can put the pasta or rice into cold water and bring to the boil together. saves time and energy.
it might akdo be worth it looking at the enetgy cost of the microwave.