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Keeping warm this winter

Hi scope friends
The winter is here and the temperature has really dropped. Wanted to start a thread of tips and hints on keeping warm and cosy in this weather without breaking the heating bills. If anyone has tips or hints to share please post below
Recently I have learnt how to layer properly my clothes for the first time and buying cheap and thin layers. This is better than buying thick clothes because the air pocket between clothes also keeps you warm.
Oats are great to eat for breakfast with warm milk will keep you warm all day if you have a good portion
Having a nice warm home cooked meal in the evening will help to keep you warm too. I know not always easy to cook or make things so I often get fresh asda soup cheap fair price and has nutrients and I'll have that for tea with some bread or a crumpet
I had an idea for a receipe for porridge, tried it this morning and it was delicious. Will share below.
I also found online a way you can make hand warmers at home super cheap. Get an old sock, put plain rice inside and tie the sock to keep the rice inside. Microwave for less than 1 minute, there you go you have a hot warm rice bag to put in your coat pockets for when you leave home
Receipe for chocolate orange porridge
Scottish Oats ASDA £1 for a big bag use a small portion
Dark Chocolate German Hearts £1 for a bag tesco
Mandarins 50p for a small tin asda brand
Milk
Cook the oats in a pan/microwave with the milk. Heat until as warm and as thick as you want. Put in chocolate hearts as many as you'd like the flavour of dark chocolate. Let them melt. Strain the mandarins and put in a seperate container. Use a spoon to put desired amount of mandarins with porridge. Mix all together. Now enjoy
The chocolate hearts are cakey inside with an apricot filling. The apricot compliments the mandarins in the receipe
Please share below any more tips hints and hacks! Let's keep each other warm
Lots of love Birdsnbees xx
The winter is here and the temperature has really dropped. Wanted to start a thread of tips and hints on keeping warm and cosy in this weather without breaking the heating bills. If anyone has tips or hints to share please post below
Recently I have learnt how to layer properly my clothes for the first time and buying cheap and thin layers. This is better than buying thick clothes because the air pocket between clothes also keeps you warm.
Oats are great to eat for breakfast with warm milk will keep you warm all day if you have a good portion
Having a nice warm home cooked meal in the evening will help to keep you warm too. I know not always easy to cook or make things so I often get fresh asda soup cheap fair price and has nutrients and I'll have that for tea with some bread or a crumpet
I had an idea for a receipe for porridge, tried it this morning and it was delicious. Will share below.
I also found online a way you can make hand warmers at home super cheap. Get an old sock, put plain rice inside and tie the sock to keep the rice inside. Microwave for less than 1 minute, there you go you have a hot warm rice bag to put in your coat pockets for when you leave home
Receipe for chocolate orange porridge
Scottish Oats ASDA £1 for a big bag use a small portion
Dark Chocolate German Hearts £1 for a bag tesco
Mandarins 50p for a small tin asda brand
Milk
Cook the oats in a pan/microwave with the milk. Heat until as warm and as thick as you want. Put in chocolate hearts as many as you'd like the flavour of dark chocolate. Let them melt. Strain the mandarins and put in a seperate container. Use a spoon to put desired amount of mandarins with porridge. Mix all together. Now enjoy

The chocolate hearts are cakey inside with an apricot filling. The apricot compliments the mandarins in the receipe
Please share below any more tips hints and hacks! Let's keep each other warm
Lots of love Birdsnbees xx
Replies
Stay warm stay safe.
Can you give details please
Hi, this is a great post. Thankyou for putting it on. I have problems keeping warm, as I am paraplegic. We had a new boiler and some radiators installed this summer. I have started to feel the cold and have a fleece round me...heating bills are a big worry for lots of folk.
Please if I can add. With Winter please be prepared start to plan right now.
Sit down make a list of things certain aspects you need to survive and keep safe, warm.
Be practical be sensible. Create a stocklist of foods you can prepare simply, easily and cost you not a lot.
Cheap eats are in my stores, fridge, freezer are the following.
Porridge, to go with Apples, Pears, frozen berries. Including Dried Apples, Prunes.
Milk if not available use Water add in Yoghurt stir in.
Use your slow cooker over night Oats. Simply add Oats to a slow cooker cover with Milk and water . On low over night just before you go to bed.
In the morning wake up Oats done and if too thick add a touch more water. Add in diced Apples or Pears from the fruit bowl.
To wok Noodles or any Egg Noodle simple Soup. Left over stocks, gravy, add in. With veggies your choice. Snip in to Soup Noodles no need for water.
Separate pan.
Couscous boiling water to cover instant Cereal. Add any fruits of your choice. Stir in Yoghurt and Honey.
Any left overs such as Veggies add in for lunch.
Think of the freezer. Small snacks . Muffins, Potato Cakes, Bread Buns, Pancakes all useful to freeze.
Instant Breakfast toast, with butter, honey if not hungry. Those with some illness or mental health I know myself this.
Top with Eggs scrambled Omelettes I call them.. No need Milk to Eggs beaten add season . Into a pan with Eggs allow to set stir and top on any bread products.
Does not have to be toast or bread.
Use Rice, Orzo as a easy way to fuel up at Lunch time. Orzo is a Rice grain Pasta into anything you have sauces, stocks or jar tomato Pasta sauce, pre boil drain and add.
I use Gnocchi as well. Combine with frozen Spinach. Frozen Spinach a easy standby but is used because it has been proved to cut down hunger and makes you full up.
I do Pasta with Spinach, Cherry Tomatoes with any shape or sauce fills you up. If your full remember no need to eat again. Saves another meal.
I use Tinned Tomatoes Products all of them. Easy to use and for every day.
One simple Breakfast tin of Tomatoes. Two Eggs cracked in to a Pan add Season when set add to a Bowl serve with bread buns.
I have had this me and why not. Left over veggies night before in the morning.
Veggie Curry, with two Eggs. Who cares it fills you up.
Make Evening meal with Lean Meat with lot more veggies use Slow Cooker if you have one.
Pulses, Beans and if the need to have a cooked Breakfast use Chicken Sausages or Black Pudding low in fat but filling with Beans or Eggs or Tomatoes.
Or use Bread Buns freezer a sandwich Sausage sandwich any one.
The home go on line . Look at AMAZON, WHICH magazine subscribe to that.
If not already do on line shopping. I think the best thing ever.
Lots of advice, guidance, plus AMAZON buy cheap bargains. Thermal socks big packs, T shirts to layer up under a shirt.
Layering up is important. Move about do simple movements walk about, do some house work . Make a room the centre of your home to keep warm.
If using your front room, living room close all doors every time, drafts and windows double check.
Keep your heating on low, heat rises so in my home. On in the morning a couple of hours or more but it is still warm because I keep the doors shut, blinds shut. Use tin foil to reflect heat back into the room behind radiators.
Turn it off . Then back on around afternoon but in the mean time have and do move about, eat small snacks, nuts, fruit. Malt loaf or Soup.
Look on line for your Utility company. Is this working for you. WHICH has a list of the best deals.
I use on line Utility companies because can contact them through on line chat. Discuss options, choices any issues any time of day.
Does help instead of getting tongue tied or hanging on the phone.
Check out Broadband as well. WHICH magazine again.
Your in control threaten to leave ask for Warm Front Grant for Winter . Most companies should be telling you but do not.
I once threaten to leave a broadband supplier got a deal as well on my TV Package. At the time I had one. Ask about combos of Mobile, Broadband and TV. You be amazed.
As some Broad band suppliers have a special unit for our community ask they will not tell you this.
Explain your situation I do on line and on the phone. Not an Oscar winning performance just honesty and being open.
They want your business. Some of them will give you incentives.
One joined recently gave me a number to call for just our community and lots of guidance, tips, and advice. I forget not good on phone do it on line.
Same with Utilities argue on line other week a fixed deal were going to increase. Spoke to On line call centre lovely, pleasant, polite going to put my bill up to another figure so asked can I ask not afford this.
Said on benefits do offer a plan and do have debt advice something else you must remember .
So got a new deal. Your in control.
Also try to eat every four hours, get cold drink hot water from the Kettle. I do not drink tea use hot water to get warm.
If living in rural spots. Have shovel, wellies in the hall. To move away any snow. Bags of Salt for icy paths cheap ones.
One important thing may I add, use this forum to contact the Community we have information, guidance, advice on many aspects of keeping safe and warm.
Please ask the Team or members of our Community Champions we be only too glad to help.
I am one of the Community Champions please ask me if you wish .
Please take care.
@thespiceman
SCOPE Volunteer Award Engaging Communities 2019
Mental Health advice, guidance and information to all members
Nutrition, Diet, Wellbeing, Addiction.
Recipes
That kind of pressure over a couple of hundred quid should not be allowed.
Big problem the Utility companies regarding bills not clear.
I went with a company. Ended up costing me around £220 plus leaving fees.
The bill was so complicated and so clueless was those helping me. I found out costing a lot more.
Just because they said this amount each month not necessarily so.
I did a post on Utility Companies and the billing. The deceiving the under hand tricks they use.
WHICH magazine done a lot of exposure on them.
I was on the books of one company disabled and those elderly all false promises.
Got complaints and got compensation from Energy Watch dog.
Not a lot but these Companies over ten have gone bust this few years.
Advise you to do your home work some research.
Please take care.
@thespiceman
SCOPE Volunteer Award Engaging Communities 2019
Mental Health advice, guidance and information to all members
Nutrition, Diet, Wellbeing, Addiction.
Recipes
I need to move to another elec supplier really. But which one, theres so many out there now. Dont want to go out of the frying pan into the fire, so to speak.
Anybody with a good one, they could recommend? Are we allowed to mention company names here coz I think I did name them in another post......
Scope
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I love the way you write about your cat.
I have a beautiful 12 year old Yorkshire terrier. I absolutely adore him, it’s like he’s got sixth sense when I’m in a lot of pain.
Thanks for writing about your cat it made me smile 😀😀
I am sorry to hear information over load. Never my intention. Sorry about that.
I do understand so much out there. I would suggest buy a note book or a pad write down any thing you see on line.
Or if you have a printer run this off.
I do this make notes or keep some of the information as a guide.
Another ideas use a diary to plan and make some aims, goals. Structure to the day. You need to know we are not going any where.
I would take your time. Look at this website. This something I find I use a lot.
£10 a month would that be too expensive . It is a consumer website and magazine. Worth it because has consumer advice.
You can read at anytime. Often has links, ideas and suggestions to make those choices simple.
https://www.which.co.uk.
Hope that helps.
Please take care.
@thespiceman
SCOPE Volunteer Award Engaging Communities 2019
Mental Health advice, guidance and information to all members
Nutrition, Diet, Wellbeing, Addiction.
Recipes
Just reading all this beautiful stuff about your cats and dogs. Cheering me up. I'm an animal addict. And my tip for keeping warm this winter is a small Tibetan Terrier under the duvet at bedtime. They're like little hot water bottles only much more cuddly. xx
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Little living furry ones I presume...
Scope
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Complete our feedback form to help us to improve your community.
I love Siamese cats, my friend had one and one of her stories was about the time he came in one Sunday lunchtime with a whole roast chicken in his mouth! Someone somewhere was missing their Sunday dinner
Your post about Octopus electric. I got a quote from their website and it beats what my lot want, plus I need to get away from them anyway.
Question is how do I switch? Do I just give Octopus the details and they take care of it?
Thanks
Hi......according to Which? magazine one company seems to be head and shoulders above the others and that is Octopus Energy. They've just merged with my current supplier so hopefully they'll be just as good. Good to know that @poppy123456 is impressed with them too. Best to go online to check out everything on offer. Try to have your actual annual meter figures to get the most accurate quotes.
Best wishes.
DLTBGYD
I've just posted on here re Octopus in response to Poppys info on them. I've been on their website and they are better then my current lot, so looks like I'm joining you and Poppy at Octopus. Good to have another recommendation. Thanks.
Inform them. They will contact your previous company and switch.
One point you need to know might have to pay leaving fees with your previous company.
Plus any extra outstanding bill payments.
Just let you know.
Hope anything I suggested is useful.
Please ask any questions .
Happy to be supportive.
Keep warm and safe.
Please take care.
@thespiceman
SCOPE Volunteer Award Engaging Communities 2019
Mental Health advice, guidance and information to all members
Nutrition, Diet, Wellbeing, Addiction.
Recipes
Thank you. It's the leaving fees bit that's ringing alarm bells, as they have been so nasty to me in the past.
Maybe if I look on their website it will tell me about that.
Otherwise it's really simple then!
Thank you, you are very knowledgable and kind.
My hot water bottle is called Amy and she is a smaller than average Tibetan Terrier.
The electric thing. I know I will have to pay off anything owing to old company. Spiceman mentioned there may be a leaving fee. I'll check their website but any idea under what circumstances that would apply?
Another good thing about our hot water bottles. They dont leak. At least not if they're house trained!
Since I posted I've been searching through paperwork and found my annual statement from them dated 28/10. It says the tariff I'm on is called Price Fix March 2021, and then a few lines down Early Exit Fee - none.
I'm relieved. Means I'll be switching to Octopus asap, just got to find out what I owe them. Thanks for the info on them, you're a star!
applications for 2019/2020 have ended now but worth a read as I think it will be open again next year for 2020/21, its worth £140 to those on qualifying benefits and is credited to your electricity account. We have had it going back to 2010/11