Staying Warm For Less
By TheIrishClog
@TheIrishClog (985)
Ireland
February 27, 2012 10:12am CST
Although it's not nearly as cold here as it is in many other countries, as a cold person with cold hands, feet and nose, I'm sitting here today shivering.
We have no home heating oil at the moment as we simply can't afford it. We usually light the open fire in the sitting room with scrap wood and burn a good quality coal that lasts and works out to be the best value. This heats the sitting room for us. An extra blanket on the bed keeps the bed warm and the rest of the house will do fine until summer.
When we do have oil, we don't use a whole lot of it. The heating might be on for 2 hours per day when we're home to up the temperatures a little. Last year however, we had our oil stolen from the tank at the back of the house, which broke our hearts and the bank as well. It was awful because we couldn't afford to fill it back up. This year we put €200 worth in it, but when that ran out we simply couldn't put more in as bills were coming in hard and fast and for us, electricity and rent are more important!
Today, to delay lighting the fire as long as possible, after still feeling quite cold despite moving around and doing the housework, I decided to boil the kettle and put a hot water bottle under my feet on the ground. Ingenious you say? I know! :) lol
So here I am, using the leftover water for a nice hot cup of tea and toasty feet and I'm gradually starting to warm up all over.
How do you warm up for less or use your heating conservatively?
6 responses
@IrishGal77 (260)
• Ireland
27 Feb 12
Hi TheIrishClog,
I also feel the cold easily and all it takes are for my feet to be cold and I am cold all over. I really don't like having cold feet! When at home I spend most of my time in the sitting room, there is a gas fire but I'd just as soon as put the gas heating on and completely heat downstairs as there's not a whole lot of heat out of the fireplace. I monitor the amount of gas I use and usually it's not on any more than 3-4 hours a day (unless it's less than 5 degrees). I bought fleece blankets for the beds and extra duvets, fleece pyjamas and bought insulating tape for the windows as some were draughty. Same goes for the front door; I bought and put up a curtain and rail and it's surprising the difference it has made. I'm lucky here because on sunny days the sitting room and kids bedrooms upstairs get a lot of sunlight and are therefore warmer than the rooms out the back. Hot water bottles are a great invention so they get used a lot today. I bought those fluffy socks from Dunnes Stores and sometimes wear a normal pair of socks and one or two of the fluffy ones along with slippers indoors. A hoodie or dressing gown over my pjs works for the evenings when I'm sat here online.
I am disgusted that there are people out there who would do such a dreadful thing though I have heard several people say the same (about the oil). It's shocking. Some people have no conscience. Roll on the Summer I say!
IrishGal77 :)
1 person likes this
@IrishGal77 (260)
• Ireland
27 Feb 12
Oh and also meant to add....my landlord agreed to isolating the downstairs heating from the upstairs which is great and I have noticed savings since this has been done. I also put the heating on timer during the really cold nights (when it gets less than 5 degrees for me). Probably wouldn't bother putting it on at night only I do for the kids. I can always remember being warm in bed at night when I was little. I know it's possible to turn off certain radiators when not in use, I haven't done this and wonder how much of a difference it would make.
1 person likes this
@TheIrishClog (985)
• Ireland
27 Feb 12
Hi IrishGal :) We need to get our landlady to agree to reseal the windows as the rubber seals around the windows insert where they close are gone on most windows and I'd also like to get a new layer of insulation into the attic. We've got a leak under the en-suite though, which is going to result in the ceiling coming down soon, so we've just quoted her a rent deductible rate for my other half (a plasterer) to do the work of replacing it, so I can't imagine her being too keen to fork out for anything else!
I've some furry Penney's socks on over my normal socks here, that and the hot water bottle really seem to have done the trick :)
@cutepenguin (6430)
• Canada
10 Mar 12
On cold days, I bake something in the morning and that warms up the kitchen nicely, while also providing us with some nice snacks.
I wear a lot of wool...if I could knit socks I would knit wool socks but I have a wool hat and fingerless mittens. Wool is pretty useful here because the cold is a damp cold because we're near the water.
I too wear a lot of layers if necessary. A hot water bottle sounds like a great idea. I would also do something like fold up a towel or a blanket on the floor so the floor is warmer.
1 person likes this
@TheIrishClog (985)
• Ireland
11 Mar 12
My man's at work, I'm heading to bed, so I'm going to stick on the kettle now to fill my hot water bottle. Bed's too cold otherwise!
I find the oven's great for heating the kitchen. Great comfort when you're slow cooking a chicken in the oven and it gets nice and warm in there.
@cher913 (25781)
• Canada
1 Mar 12
well i am in canada where it can get pretty cold. my parents had a fire place and my dad used to keep the heat down that way. we keep the heat a little lower and wear sweaters and i also drink a lot of hot soup and hot chocolate during the winter. i also use the furnace to dry my laundry. i pop it in the dryer to fluff it up a bit but have hanging racks to put them on to dry totally.
1 person likes this
@coffeebreak (17797)
• United States
28 Feb 12
Hat's off to you for thinking of ways to get around not having much warmth! I admire you for moving on inspite of it. I wear 2 pairs of socks and shoes...ankle socks and a pair of knee socks. I wear a long sleeve sweater and carrdigan. Or long sleeve shirt with Tshirt under and the cardigan. ALthough not nearly as bad as your situation...I'll do what I can and when I get cold, will bundle under a thick blanket and watch tv for awhile. OR afghan over my lap while at PC. I also find that if I use wrist bands it tends to keep my hands warmer...I guess the veins right there at your arm and hand area has veins close to the upper skin and that blood gets cold and flows cold blood to the hands nad that makes them cold. So either I warp them or wear long cuffs to my finger tips! I hope things get better for you and you have a short winter!
1 person likes this
@TheIrishClog (985)
• Ireland
28 Feb 12
Thanks coffeebreak, I must try the longer sleeves/wristbands idea. I do always have freezing cold hands. They're not so bad today. Looking forward to snuggling with my hot water bottle again tonight, really glad I brought it to bed. Having a warm lunch instead of a sandwich today, so that should help.
@JenInTN (27514)
• United States
28 Feb 12
Wonderful idea the hot water bottle! I use fuzzy pajamas and a big robe. There are of course blankets that we all have as our own too. There is nothing in the world worse than being cold in your home during the winter. A hot water bottle, warm tea, and some warm food...that is the recipe for warm hands and toes...oh..did I mention my thick fuzzy socks? They are a must have too.
Stay warm my friend.
1 person likes this
@TheIrishClog (985)
• Ireland
28 Feb 12
Thanks Jen, made use of the hot water bottle under the duvet last night - so cosy! We normally bring the laptop up and watch a bit of tv online before we go to sleep, I'm usually cold sitting up in bed but there was none of that last night!
