AS winter draws in and gas prices get increasingly high, one Londoner has revealed she and her partner haven’t turned on their heating in two years.
Instead, they use hot water bottles, hot baths and a nifty device that looks just like clingfilm, to keep warm.
Nadine Donelon, 30, says she covers her windows with a thin plastic film for insulation – and it’s been ‘a gamechanger’.
“We live in an old flat without double glazing, so it’s perfect for an extra layer of heat,” Nadine, an actress and painter, says.
“It’s so easy to use and it’s been a total gamechanger for us. The only downside is you can’t open the windows when it’s on, so we’ve only put it on a few. Some windows need to open to allow the air in.”
The DIY marvel, known as the Window Insulation Kit, can be found on Amazon from just £3.95.
To use it, you simply cut a square of the thin plastic to the size of your window, tape it to the frame and use a hairdryer to seal it into place.
Cuddling in bed keeps them warm
Nadine says, “We have it in our bedroom and living rooms, and it really does work in keeping the place as warm as possible.”
For Nadine and her boyfriend Jack, 30, a carpenter and musician, rising energy costs have left them with no choice but to forgo heat, as they prioritise food, water and electricity.
“About two winters ago, when the prices first started going crazy, we looked at one another and realised we just couldn’t afford it anymore,” she says.
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“We’re creative freelancers and we don’t make a lot of money.
"After rent and council tax and general living expenses, we barely have anything left over. We were looking at everything else that we needed to buy and the essentials for us: travel, food and WiFi.
"Heating was the one thing we knew we could do without. It’s not like we’re trying to be ethical or moral about it, if we could afford it we’d love the luxury of having it but we just can’t.”
Instead, the savvy couple make do with using hot water bottles, wheat bags, bodily heat and many layers of clothing to stay comfortable.
“Because we’re in a partnership we have the body heat in bed and we have two duvets on which helps,” Nadine explains.
“It can take hours to get warm and on any given day we’ll each wear five layers of clothing at a time. We’re resigned to it now, but winters are always hard."
Nadine doesn't see she'll turn on the heating anytime soon
Another top tip from Nadine is to have a hot bath in the morning and at night.
“We use the electric to have baths, we’re on a fixed electricity tariff at the moment, so we’re lucky that we can just about afford it,” she says.
“And that’s really helpful. Having a mega hot bath in the morning and night – I’m talking so hot you can just about sit in it – and then hanging on to the residual heat from that, it really helps.”
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When it comes to her future, Nadine has no plans to turn the gas on anytime soon.
“We have too many other outgoings, so we have to really focus on the things we can do without,” she says. “It’s not exactly comfortable but if we can get through the winters, the summers are a piece of cake.”
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