Alternative Heating - Heat The Person (not the home)

Sometimes we heat an entire house when all we need to heat is ourselves. A recent survey came back with a number of suggestions around this logic:

There are definitely some options that surprised me. However, for some of these options, there is a large cost in buying the item.

Layering

This nearly feels like the old fashioned advice given by my parents. But it works. Outdoor pursuits retailers recommend layering and the same principle will follow through to any of us. There are basically three layers:

The Baselayer

This locks in the body heat

Thermal longsleeved top

Thermal leggings

Cost £4-6

The Midlayer

Locks in body heat

Traps any heat coming out of the Baselayer

Fleece jumper

Cost £5-8

The Outerlayer

Additional layer of warmth

Padded jacket

Jumper

Cost £13-15

Eat Regularly and At Least One Hot Meal Per Day

The NHS advises that if we eat regularly and have at least one hot meal per day, this will help us to stay warm.

If you are struggling to afford food, there may be an initiative run by the local council. There is also the option of a food bank. In most towns, there is at least one food bank. The food bank is not a long term option but it might help as an immediate fix.

Use Slippers

If your feet are cold, it is difficult for the rest of you to stay warm. Covered slippers with a hard waterproof sole will keep the feet warm and dry. Wet socks cause cold feet.

Cost £4-8

Use Thermal Socks and Change Them Throughout the Day

Thermal socks are designed to keep people’s feet warm outdoors so they will help the person to keep warm feet indoors. Change the socks once throughout the day as the feet sweat, the socks absorb the sweat and cool the feet down.

Put Your Feet Up

Your feet will cool with the contact that they make with the floor which is the coldest part of the home.

Walk Around

This gentle exercise can raise the heart rate a bit and keep you war. Try to do this one per hour. Not too strenuous as you will sweat and this cools you down.

Get a Money Makeover

MoneySavingExpert have a Money Makeover tool that claims to potentially save you £1000’s. The link for the Money Makeover is https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/family/money-help/ . There’ll be a review of that in the coming weeks.