Have you put the heating on yet?

[Coolcoolcool]

It’s so cold. Our house is 15 degrees, less at night and dh is still refusing to put the heating on till at least November. We have wee ones and even with loads of layers, I wfh and I’m freeeezing! His fam down south aren’t putting theirs on till Jan 🙄 and he’s trying to compete. But we stay in Scotland…
Have you put yours on yet??

Posters who set your house to 20oC, does that mean you are comfortable wearing short sleeves all winter? Have you thought about setting to 18.5 or 19oC and putting a jumper or cardi on?
Our house is normally set to 17.5 over winter but going to try 16 this winter and log fire on as much as possible.

I put a 750W convector heater on for a few hours today while I was wfh. My boiler has been off for six months, electric shower, wash hands in cold with antibac, add a hot kettleful of water to wash up.

I'm a single mum working part time with benefits to top up and there's no way in hell I can afford gas prices.

I've used £11 worth of gas this month (gas cooker and standing charge).

Can't keep this up indefinitely though. I am cold and miserable. Going to buy up some hot water bottles and keeping the DC in fluffy slippers and dressing gowns.

Same here - there are definitely other ways to save money than sit in a freezing house. We are very frugal by necessity but anything below 14 degrees inside does get a bit miserable.

I put mine on today for the first time, the thermostat said 15.5 but it was colder in my office. I was working with a duvet and DH had a coat and scarf on. Both of us were considering gloves and we decided enough was enough!

Thank you for the replies, I have convinced dh to let us put it on 17 for an hour in the morning & evening.

@OakTreex I’m so aware of my privilege of this being a debate that we are able to have as a family, it makes me so mad for you and others who cannot afford heat. What a fucking mess. I’m so sorry.

@Unusualllly my god it never occurred to me to wear a jumper or cardigan.
Mine is at 20 WITH an Oodie on. I feel the cold and my house is north facing. My house would be too hot for you and your house would feel very uncomfortable to me.

Sorry to hear things are so tough. I find that one thing that helps me stay warmer is a fleece pyjama top as an extra layer in the daytime. When it was absolutely freezing when the kids were little (-27 and ice on the inside of the windows!) they kept their fleece pyjamas on that they had worn to bed and put clothes on top of them! Really helps to keep the heat in.

It's 12 degrees right now and I'm about to put the heating on for an hour, even with a blanket wrapped round me I'm miserable.

I've had the heating on for a few short blasts this year and I'm hoping for a mild winter.

No, but I'm in London where it isn't that cold yet. I must admit that I got cold working from home today so I stuck the electric heater on for a while, but our office room is so small that having it on for only 30 minutes was enough to keep the room warm all day (with the door closed). If you have an electric heater you could do the same? No point heating the whole house if it's only one of you in one room.

@OakTreex I’m not sure the age of your kids but I used to put my boys in long johns when they were younger. They loved wearing them and kept them cosy. I got cheap packs from Asda.
DS1 still loves his long johns now and he’s a young adult!

Not yet. House is about 17 degrees so is OK with a jumper on and a blanket for reading or watching TV. Below 16 and it will be going on. Usually I would have whacked the heating on by now, but it is not as bad as I thought at this temperature.

Oh, I only just realised this is Scotsnet! I am in Wales 😅 Sorry!

Yes - NE Scotland and it’s really chilly. I know we’re lucky to be able to afford it.

Yup have had it on for a few hours over the last week or so. Tonight when I got in from work it was 16.5 and freezing so it’s on and now at 30 which is comfortable with a jumper on.
can’t stand being cold, also one wage household but will cut back on other things if need be. My estimated increase for next year is approx£500 so with the 400 off the increase will be nana if I don’t go daft and waft about in a vest top.

Not the heating but the fire has been on near constant, it's 18.8 degrees in the living room and upstairs feels OK.... The kitchen/dining room however is bloody freezing.

Yep, me too. I'm in Yorkshire. It's flipping freezing though!

Yes we have. We were trying to hold out to October but we wfh and the house was freezing!! We have the gas fire on tonight...

30!? Is that a typo?

Yes
Heating went on at the weekend and that will be it until Spring
Would cut down on a lot of stuff before I would be cold

Ooh, I've been waiting for the annual MN heating thread! No, we've not put it on yet, and hoping for motivation to keep on with the big jumpers/blankets. It is fucking freezing but I know once I crack, that's it.

I'm in Ireland and I started my fire yesterday ☺️

I’ve had the day from hell, my DD pissed the bed so I had nowhere to dry the electric blanket & mattress protector so in my upset, I just thought ‘I do t actually care anymore about keeping the heating off, I’m absolutely sick of it, I’m sick of have 60 layers on & a freezing wet nose & I do t want to sleep in a wet bed’ so I put the heating on for 30 mins….

I was pleasantly surprised- my smart meter at this time, still is only £2.86. If I’m cold, I will put an extra oodie on & take steps to get warm but if I’m miserable, I’m putting it on from now on.

I'm in Scotland. Ours has been on for a bit every day for about a week or so now. I'm more perturbed by the fact you seem to be suggesting your DH wouldn't let you put the heating on. It's your house too, you don't need his permission. I wouldn't have thought twice about just doing it.

yes. it comes on in the morning for 90 minutes and again in the evening.

I've been lighting our fire and putting the kids heater on low in the evening and early morning. Gona dig out electric blankets this week