June the 1st marked the official first day of winter in New Zealand and you may have noticed that it has gotten very cold in many parts of the country. You might also have noticed how cold shops and homes are here. It is very different from many parts of North America and Europe where you can pretty much wear shorts and t-shirt indoors because the central heating is so efficient.
Here are some tips from us about keeping warm this winter:
- Buy an electric blanket for your bed. Briscoes often have up to 50% off or the Warehouse will have them at affordable prices. Don’t sleep with it on. Briscoes is also good for flannelette sheets and thick, warm duvet covers. A super cheap option is to buy a hottie or hot water bottle and fill it up with hot water before bed.
- The Warehouse & Briscoes and to some extent Bunnings and Mitre 10 will have all types of heaters available. Even a cheap and cheerful fan heater can make a world of difference to your warmth.
- When choosing a house to rent (or go flatting in) ask what the insulation and heating is like. If a house is insulated it doesn’t necessarily mean it will be a warm house but it is less likely to be an ice box. A fire place and heat pump or heat circulation system (HRV) will mean that the house is likely to be quite comfortable to live in.
- Check out, relax and enjoy one of the many hot pools around New Zealand that will help heat you up. Check out www.nzhotpools.co.nz for a comprehensive list of pools around the country.
- Kathmandu is good for jackets and other warm winter gear…wait for the sales if you can, they usually have up to 60% off. Merino underwear and outerwear is also a great idea. There are loads of merino brands…Icebreaker is the best known in New Zealand and has an extensive range of garments. Icebreaker have outlet shops in Albany, near Auckland Airport and Otaki where you can find discounted garments.
