THREAD.
Ok, as friends will know I live a very frugal life and need to save money whenever possible. Here’s some cheap tips to prepare your home for winter.
Ok, as friends will know I live a very frugal life and need to save money whenever possible. Here’s some cheap tips to prepare your home for winter.
1. Check your windows and doors for any gaps that need to be filled. Don’t fill essential air vents though. Use filler, newspaper, rags or anything that you can find. If in rented accommodation report any repairs that need doing.
Bubble wrap is your friend here. Yes I hate plastic but I reuse my pieces every year. Cut pieces of bubble wrap to the size of your windows, spray the window with water and place the bubble wrap on the window flat side down.
You can use cling film, but I don’t find it as effective.
Who cares what it looks like you will be warmer.
If you have any kitchen foil and cardboard, measure a piece of cardboard to the size of the back of your radiators. Stick some foil onto it and place behind radiator. Foil reflects the heat back into your home. You can buy silver insulation rolls from Lidl etc for £5
These are easier to use but £5 is a lot of money. Same method applies. The heat is then drawn into your home instead of into the brick and then outside.
Make one of these. I use one every year in my living room, for larger rooms you need more than one. Use unpainted ceramic plant pots and unscented tea lights only. There’s plenty of tutorials on YouTube 
They don’t cause carbon monoxide poisoning, but as with any use of candles be safety aware and have adequate ventilation in your room. They do bring the temperature of your room up by a few degrees.
I place mine on a baking tray and use a loaf tin. These are a life saver for me.
Wear layers. Layers are much better than a really thick jumper. You can take a layer off if too hot and it’s much more comfy.
When it gets really cold don’t be afraid of wearing a hat and gloves indoors. You loose a massive amount of heat through your head. I wear fingerless gloves they work best for me.
If you can, use a hot water bottle to keep warm and bring a blanket downstairs. Keep doors shut and use something at the bottom of your doors to keep the heat in
If you can put up a door curtain on your outside doors and living room doors. I need to do this this year because they really help to keep the heat in.
Use a blanket downstairs an encourage any children to do the same.
Fill a flask of hot water or tea or coffee to drink throughout the day. This will save boiling a kettle or pan and saves money. A good tip all year round tbh
If you have a dryer or an oven, use these for heating whilst they are in use. I always do this. I open the oven door once I’ve finished with it to let the heat out. Obviously you can’t do this if there are little children around.
Keep your feet covered and if possible dress for the weather. Not always easy I know. Snuggling up to a dog or cat helps as well
Use thick curtains in winter and keep them shut as often as possible. I know that many of us can’t afford thick curtains but this does help.
If you can eat warm foods. This is very hard I know as food, gas and electric is scarce. If you have friends and family local sit together. I do this.
If you can’t keep warm at home and need to save money on electric, if you can visit your local library, if you’ve got one a local Ikea. Free brews and WiFi at IKEA if you join up to their friends and family scheme. Ikea is my winter office.
Try and cook one pot meals. Saves in energy. @BootstrapCook has plenty of amazing recipes that you can access. If you can cook extra so it lasts a couple of days. This will save energy.
For example a bean spag Bol can be made into a chilli the next day. If you can cook veggie stews, soups, corned beef hash without the corned beef. It’ll last a few days
Use one room during the day, heat that one room. You can heat bedrooms for half a hour before bedtime. That’s if you can afford to do this.
Here’s the film we made last year
I also make my own washing powder and I’m going to attempt soap again this year.
I’d love to try a sun oven but atm they are too expensive and are only on sale in the USA.
