NO MORE COLD MUMSNETTERS!

[KungFuBustle]

Right, don't really know how to start this but I'm raging. I see over and over on here people struggling with heating, sitting cold after kids have gone to bed, waking up in cold houses and it makes me want to stamp my feet and scream. Apologies if I'm not articulate or organised. I just want to do something.

No judging, please share anything you feel may help, no matter how small. Also feel free to have a whinge. DS is at school and I'm cold now, and I'm fucking miserable. I don't mean to patronise, some of this may seem so obvious to some, but if one person is a wee bit warmer I'm a happy bunny.

Here goes.

U Switch We might as well be getting the cheapest deal.

Warm Home Discount You may be surprised by who can apply for this. A lot of providers have their own criteria and it's broader than you think.

Which Guide to Free Insulation Self explanatory but also has some information about DIY.

Draught Excluders - I have these on every door now. If you're turning down radiators or trying to save by only heating one room they are brilliant. You don't have to buy them. I cut up old trousers up the crotch. Stuffed with old sheets and sewed up. You can use newspaper at a pinch.

Curtains - Thick lined curtains on windows are great. They are also expensive. If you can forgo colour scheme charity shops have AMAZING deals. They might not fit in with the room but lord they keep the heat in. I've also fixed them over front and back doors. Our kitchen has no heat source but since covering the back door I can no longer see my own breath when I walk in.

Tinfoil - Wrap in round cardboard and whack it behind your radiators. You can buy special stuff for this, but if like me what wasn't an option this is better than nothing. We noticed a real difference. I did downstairs, doing upstairs today.

Builders Plastic - Not cheap but cheaper than double glazing. Tape it over windows and it can keep the heat in and the cold out. I haven't been able to do this but another MNer mentioned it and it seemed a very clever idea on a budget.

Cashmere - I wanted to laugh when someone said this, like I can afford cashmere. Keep an eye out in the right charity shops and you will. I've not been so lucky yet but I know other MNrs have. Real wool jumpers and throws are a great find too. Doesn't matter if it's not our colour (Don't tell the S&B board!) warm's warm.

Candles Heater Instructions in the link. Building mine today. Candles in a room can also give an impression of warmth. I pay £1 for 100 tea lights at ikea.

Slow Cookers - I made porridge in my slow cooker last night. Soon as we got up I had a bowl of porridge in DS's hands and some hot squash. He also gets a hot squash as soon as he comes in from school. Cheap and warming.

Hats - I'm not much of a knitter. But if you want a hat making PM me. They're usually wonky, not stylish, but if you're cold and want one for wearing around the house I'll make you one. I can also make little ones for children.

Crikey, this was longer than I expected. Please share any warm tips you may have. I'm sorry so many of us are cold, and I'm sorry I can't just pay all of our heating bills and we all have warm Winters.

[thistlelicker]

Nice throws for the sofa that you can snuggle up with

[CherryMonster]

instead of having to forgo your colour scheme with the curtains, you can buy cheap lengths of fleece (try dunelm for their cheap blankets, were 99p last year) and sew them into the curtains as linings. helps keep the room lovely and warm :)

[Xochiquetzal]

wear layers, a couple of thin layers will keep you warmer than one thick layer.

[CogitoErgoSometimes]

Heat one room properly - the one where you normally sit - and let the rest of the house be colder. Cold bedrooms are fine as long as you have plenty of blankets Have a hot shower and get dressed straight away with thin layers, slippers etc. Easier to trap and retain body-heat than let yourself get cold and try to warm up again. Keep moving... do things around the house or take a walk outside rather than sit still for too long.

[Turnipsandpumpkins]

Moneysaving expert has a club that is free to join and monitors the best deals around. You put your details in and it notifies you when it is time to switch. Will try and link.

[CogitoErgoSometimes]

Another one... eat 'little and often'. Metabolising small meals and snacks raises body temperature.

[Turnipsandpumpkins]

www.moneysavingexpert.com/cheapenergyclub

[SundaySimmons]

Onesies are great for keeping warm.

Hot water bottles are cheap as well.

[YoucancallmeQueenBee]

Get one of those heated wheat/seed bag things that you stick in the microwave & can then wrap around your neck. I use one in the evening & the difference it makes to my overall body temp is amazing - plus it is very relaxing for tense shoulders. Also quite cuddly for when you go to bed too.

Gilets are great as well. You can wear them indoors without feeling like you are wearing a coat & they make a massive difference to your warmth - particularly the down filled ones.

[AugustaProdworthy]

Wearing layers, wearing slippers, hot drinks,
I remember as a child getting dressed in front on a tiny fab heater as we had no CH and we could have that on in the mornings, or trying to get dressed under the bed covers ( didn't have duvets back then )
Good thread.
Wish I'd got more tips!

[EduCated]

Change your clothes when you come in from outside. If never realised how cold your clothes get, but I've found it makes a real difference and I warm up much quicker.

Cheap Primark leggings under pyjama bottoms, and their fake Uggs as slippers.

[UriGeller]

2 squares of fleece, about 12". Sewn at opposite sides to make a stretchy tube makes a nice neck warmer, better than a scarf as its less bulky and doesn't have trailing ends.

Im wearing a layer for my arms under a vest thats made from tights with the crotch cut out (don't laugh) and heel and toes removed, put on upside down, head through the crotch hole (be quiet at the back!) arms through the legs, thumbs through the heel, fingers through the toe. The sleeves won't ride up either.

[CrappyDiem]

Hot water bottle in your bed 30 minutes before you get in. Plus one on your lap under a cheap ikea fleece throw when you are sitting down.

[KungFuBustle]

Anyone who laughs gets sent out Uri .

That's clever and cost effective.

[MarcelineTheVampireQueen]

Some of those are great thanks!
I would say that unfortunately a lot of people would be in my boat, cant pay for oil. Cant get it by the month until you pay for a full tank upfront first. Just started a new job but don't get paid till the end of the month. Benefits stopped. Itsbbad timing more than anything else.

I make sure ds is warn but by Christ im frozen, and its not helping the arthritis! I am working from home now wearing gloves and still frozen! No one should be like that! !

Now im off to strap two hot water bottles to my feet!

[ColdTeaAgain]

In my case, I have calculated that its much cheaper to have my gas fire on rather than the radiators so now we use that instead of central heating when we're in the lounge. The gas fire cost us about 12p an hour, obviously this prob varies depending on what you have.

A small 2kW electic fan heater is enough to warm our bedroom up when we go to bed, 15mins at full blast cost about 8p and thats enough to warm the room up significantly.

Keep doors shut to keep heat in the room you're in, sounds obvious but of lot of people forget!

[NewBlueCoat]

If anyone is near me, I have some (truly hideous sadly) full length, fully lined curtains going free. They are incredibly good quality, just relics from the 70s and 80s! If ou are handy with a needle, or want them to hang behind doors, then PM me and come and collect (am Kent/Surrey border, but drive down into top of Sussex on school run so various collection points possible!)

[ColdTeaAgain]

*electric!

[KungFuBustle]

You're right Marceline. No one should be cold. I hope your new job works out well for you. DH has arthritis, I'm making him the plant pot heater for where he sits.

[PeterParkerSays]

Keep adding extra layers until your hands and feet are warm. If they are cold, you're not wrapped up enough.

You'll also need to add extra layers at night / in the evening as it's colder than in the day - use your dressing gown as a long cardigan over your day clothes for example and bring out all the blankets etc you have e.g. if you have sleeping bags stashed away to take camping, get them out and use them to sit in on the sofa / lie out on the bed.

[RevengeWiggle]

A fleecy blanket between the bed sheet and mattress makes the bed really warm.

[thethreeblondies]

I leave ironing DD's school uniform till the morning, they love leaping quickly in to the "warmed" clothes (and means they move a bit quicker!)

[starsandunicorns]

Wear knee length socks primark has a pair for a couple of pounds and they are warm yy to wooly hat around the house fingerless gloves too we have a old duvet that lives on the sofa

[SicknSpan]

Wear a scarf. So obvious but I find that if I feel cold, as soon as I put a scarf on I don't need to do anything else- nice and toasty.

We haven't got electric blankets here (drat) so before the kids get into their pj's, I warm the clothes up with my hairdryer- only takes a few seconds and they are lovely and warm and the boys look forward to getting into them!

[SicknSpan]

Plus tights under leggings or jeans.