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.

Ooh, thanks Murder. Thats look like it could really help in our house. Our damp problems are awful in the winter.

Stewiegriffinsmom, I am going down Ikea. Brilliant idea re hanging fleeces at windows.

You need to invest in merino wool long johns and undershirts! They wont feel the cold if they are wearing a wool base layer. Merino does not itch. It costs a little, but it will be worth it!

I read the word 'merino' and know it will be you quint [hsmile]

My mum says that ordinary cooking, aluminium foil works as a radiator reflector.

Also tuck curtains in behind radiators.

Try to use your oven as efficiently as possible. Draught excluders everywhere! They are easy to make. I put cardboard covered in tinfoil behind the rads, and never have them blocked by furniture. Don't have your bed against an outside wall. The curtains are really important, you lose masses of heat through the windows. Do you have a Wilkinsons near you? they have loads of cheap insulating stuff. I wear a body warmer/gilet during the day, my granny said it is important to keep your kidneys warm!

I am not on commission! Honest!

This may sound silly, but wear a hat in the house when you are on your own, it really helps.

Always wear socks to bed.

CH is probably the cheapest heating option. Apparently if you keep it set permanently low (say 17'C) it is cheaper than it firing up twice a day.

QuintessentialShadyHallows, could you link to where the OP could buy some?

I'm wondering where she would actually find the spare cash to do so, as most merino is £££.

I have a big thick blanket thing (faux fur), would like to put it on leather sofa but it slides down the whole time as sofa is not against a wall, any bright ideas how to make it stay?

And where's the best place to get a really big cheap fleece blanket? Want to avoid Ikea if at all possible.

We dont have a thermostat either so usually put it on when we feel cold (hence the bill last year!)

I will try the normal foil behind the radiator. And, I am going to fleece line my curtains.

Thanks again everyone

You need a dehumidifier, (not an electric one). I'll see if I can find one and post a link.

Re fleece for curtains - Im going to have a look on Ebay and see if I can get it cheaper by the metre. Luckily I have been trying to teach myself to sew on my mums machine so should be able to do something!

Dunelm Mill for massive lovely microfibre blanket :)

I hang spare curtains on the window side of my thinner curtains, if that makes sense. They hook to the bottom of the curtain tape. Make sure your poles are up to it .
I had a fireplace sorted out (there was one but it was useless and half bricked up) and burn wood. 80% of it heats the air above my house but one room is warm. I have storage heaters but they have to be on high to do anything and I cannot afford that. So I don't.
Hot water bottles. I am starting to stock up and will get into the habit of filling them with the dregs of the kettle when I boil it in the evening.
Blankets, more blankets and eiderdowns.
Door curtains and draught excluders. Close doors
Soup
If possible, use your time cunningly. So if it's freezing and you're at home, batch cook. It'll warm the place up and save electricity - 3 things in the oven is better than one.

Does your boiler have different heat settings? We have no thermostat and so just leave the heating on constantly on 1 out of 5. That combined with turning the heating off during milder periods means that our heating bill is only about £200 for the whole winter.

www.dunelm-mill.com/shop/home-furnishings/blankets-and-throws/

Just to say I second remembering to open all the windows on dry days- without the heating on it is easy for the house to get damp.

And primark and hawkshead have good cheap fleece blankets.

If your damp is really bad it might be worth investing in a dehumidifier?

I think your house would feel warmer if the air was drier (plus it's more healthy all round). I bought a small one recently for our understairs cupboard, as well as sucking moisture in it puts a bit of warm air out & the cupboard feels & smells hugely more pleasant.

Mine's 60w & only suitable for small spaces but you could look at something like \link{http://www.amazon.co.uk/Delonghi-148110002-DeLonghi-Compact-Dehumidifier/dp/B000BP81DW/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top\this} which has a lot of really good reviews

Lynette I'm under a seriously soft blanket as I type [hgrin]

I sewed 2 cheap fleece blankets together to make a fleece sleeping bag.

Lots of sex in bed always works fabulously :)

Yes to tealights - cheap ikea ones work great at heating up living room.

Hot water bottles a go go. On the sofa / bed / anywhere else you're sitting.

If you're having a bath shut the shower curtain whilst you're in
There. V hot and steamy!

Wear a hat or headscarf - quite a lot of body heat is lost through the head. And thermal socks. Have baths/showers in the morning so you're not going to bed with wet hair.

forget throws, duvets are cheaper and warmer on the sofa