Practical Ways to Keep Warm Without Using Gas and Electricity

Well here’s a blog post that I never thought would be a necessity to write but after it was announced yesterday that the energy price cap in the U.K. will raise a further 80% on October 1st I figured if I could just help out one person by pooling all my knowledge together from years of budget and talking about money saving into one blog post then this is a worthwhile post to write.

Now we all know that shit hit the fan in January this year when OVO Energy failed to read the room and sent out a blog post to it’s customers advising them to do star jumps and cuddle pets in order to keep warm. It was in severe bad taste when energy companies are making massive profits to offer advice to their customers to exercise in order to stay warm because people simply cannot afford their energy bills. But after yesterdays announcement I feel it’s become a necessity for me to sit down and share with you everything I known and can do to try and help. Don’t worry though, it won’t involve star jumps.

Now there’s a hole host of issues that come with this energy price cap rise and if the prediction of a further 51% raise in January is correct then it truly is a terrifying time. The issue of eating, paying bills, where you stand on cancelling direct debits and just paying for what you actually use, lighting your home especially if you work from home all come into play here. And I want to make it very clear I am in no way immune to any of this. We’re an average income household (for our area at least, we’d be considered below average in other areas) and my husband is self employed and therefore works from home. This is going to really hit us. But we’re no strangers to making cutbacks, budgeting and finding alternatives. Though I have to admit, this one is going to be hard. So here’s everything I’ve learnt over the years to practically keep warm without using gas and electricity in the hopes that it can make the upcoming colder months ever so slightly less bleak for you.

1. Seal windows and hang curtains

Windows can be pretty draughty. Over time your house moves which means windows can have gaps where they’re no longer lined up properly. Replacing windows is very costly but there is a super cheap fix in the form of rolls of draught excluder foam that can be placed around windows and doors. You can usually get a decent amount for under £5 and you simply cut it to size, peel the backing off and stick it around the gaps.

If your budget allows then hanging curtains also keeps rooms warmer by blocking out draughts. This is obviously a more costly option though so the main affordable solution is to stick with the foam tape.

2. Put down a rug

If you have living areas that are tiled or have laminate flooring then a rug can prevent heat loss through the floor. They’re also warmer to walk on. Places such as B&M, The Range and occasionally even Aldi offer cheap rugs. Just make sure you’re buying one thick enough to feel the benefit. A large shaggy style rug is usually best and warmest.

3. Stock up on blankets

Blankets are one of the cheapest ways you can keep warm. To really feel the benefit I recommend spending just a little bit more if you can and investing in Sherpa blankets simply because they’re so thick compared to other throws. Again Asda offer a fair few Sherpa blankets all for under £15 with the cheapest designs coming in at just £12.

Blankets are great for when you’re sat on the sofa, for adding an extra layer onto your bed at night or for having over you while you work if you work from home.

4. Buy a high tog duvet

A thicker duvet will ensure you don’t spend your nights shivering. A thick duvet doesn’t have to cost a lot of money. Remember we’re looking for practical, affordable solutions here. You don’t need the best of the best. Asda offer a 15 tog duvet for around £18 (based on a double, give or take a couple of pounds for larger or smaller sizes. Alternatively Asda also offer a 13.5 tog duvet starting at just £6 for a single and going up to just £9.50 for a king size.

5. Cuddle up

Sharing body heat can really make a difference so as much as I hate that blog post from OVO they did actually have a point when they suggested cuddling up with pets or loved ones. If you snuggle up on an evening with your partner and pets the combined body heat will make a difference. Especially if you throw on one of those blankets I mentioned above.

6. Light candles

Now I’m not suggesting that we all sit around a candle warming our hands and hoping for the best. The reality is a few candles aren’t going to heat your whole house. However large candles do emit some heat and they’ll save you from putting the lights on. The warm glow of a candle will also add a more cosy feel to a room. So while this one won’t necessarily keep you very warm I do think it’s a cheap idea to consider especially if it can save you a bit extra rather than turning a light on.

Home Bargains/Quality Save sell large jar candles for around the £3-£4 mark that have a burn time of 95 hours and Ikea sell pillar candles with a 40 hour burn time for just £1.75.

7. Layer up

The days of whacking the heating on at the first sign of a chill in the air are long gone. Luckily I’m a Yorkshire lass who grew up with a firm Yorkshire father who refused to put the heating on until at least the end of November! Light-heartedness aside though and there are a few key layers you should be investing in to keep warm. Primark and Asda would be my recommendations to get the essentials for a fairly low price. At a minimum I would recommend:

• Thick jumpers/fleeces
• Thick cosy socks
• Fluffy/fleece pyjamas
• Long sleeved tops for under jumpers
• Soft touch or fleece lined joggers

If you’re budget allows then there are some other layers you can think about adding in after the essentials such as:

• A dressing gown
• Slippers
• Fleece lined leggings (Primark is your place for these)
• A snuddie (again head to Primark as they have them for all genders and ages)

If you can only afford one item off this extras list then I highly recommend investing in a snuddie because they’re super warm but really practical too with the sleeves meaning you can still get things done, ideal if you work from home.

8. Keep doors shut

Keeping the doors inside your home closed will trap in heat. Basically if your days are open air can just escape all around your home so you really need to be keeping all the doors closed around your home in order to maximise the heat in each room. If you are using central heating or an electric heater it’s essential to keep the heat in the room where you are. Also on a similar note use radiator thermostats to close off radiators in any rooms not being used.

9. Bonus tips if you can use a little electricity

Ok so the previous 8 tips are all ways you can keep warm without using any gas or electricity at all. However I thought I would include a bonus section of tips that will help you stay warm but use a small amount of electricity so here goes:

• Make up hot water bottles – so while you’ll have to boil your kettle for this one hot water bottles stay warm for quite a long time. They’re great for putting under blankets if you’re sat on the sofa or pop a couple in bed about 20 minutes before you go to bed to warm it up.
• Have a hot drink- while you’re boiling the kettle for a hot water bottle you may as well make a hot drink and warm yourself from the inside. Plus holding a warm mug of tea, coffee or hot chocolate feels cosy and warms your hands up.
• Eat hearty warming food – I know this is tricky one and that in a cost of living crisis food and cooking cut backs have to be made but if you can cooking hearty warming dishes packed with vegetables will not only warm you up and leave you feeling full but staying healthy will ward off bugs too. Think stews, soup and chilli. I’m actually a massive advocate of batch cooking in a slow cooker. A slow cooker will cost around 18p to run for the day so is definitely one of the more affordable options, then you can freeze meals in Tupperware and reheat in the microwave. I actually have a blog post on 7 cheap and filling meals to make which all come in at under £1 per portion.

So there you have it, 8 practical ways to keep warm without using gas and electricity and a couple of bonus tips if you can afford to use a little bit of electricity. I really hope this helps some of you out. I am by no means an expert but I’ve been passionate about personal finance for a very long time and I’ve being writing about budgeting and money saving pretty much since I started this blog 11 years ago now so I’ve learnt a lot that I can pass on.

If you are struggling with finances and budgeting please seek help. There are ways to set up payment plans and manage debts. If you’re looking for some more budgeting and money saving advice then I recommend checking out the following posts:

• 5 easy ways to save money this autumn
• 5 things you should do straight after payday
• How to live on a strict budget
• 10 ways to save money on your heating bill

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