Winter can be one of the most expensive times of the year for most people. Aside from the pressure to spend on the holidays, the cold weather means that we’re all having to find ways to heat up the home enough to make it livable. However, while your best bet for long term energy savings is to insulate and make home improvements, there are some temporary frugal alternatives to stay as warm as possible this winter.
Close empty rooms
Depending on what kind of heating you have and how well insulated rooms are, closing up empty rooms can help keep the heat in the portions of the house that you use, meaning that overall you’ll have to use less heat.
Wear socks inside
Your extremities—hands and feet—are often the first things to get cold and many times we don’t even notice. If you’re feeling a little chilly, then put on some cute fuzzy socks and you’ll be surprised how quickly you’ll start to feel warm.
Turn on the oven
You’d be amazed how quickly your oven will heat up the house, so don’t hesitate to fire that baby up and bake some bread, cookies, pies, or whatever else your heart desires! Then, when you turn it off, open the door to let the heat disperse through the house.
Dress in layers
This is a pretty obvious one, but if you’re trying to save a little on heating expenses, try dropping the temperature a little and put on an extra sweater or some socks instead of just a t-shirt.
Use the sun (and the curtains)
The sun is a powerful heating component, so take advantage of this by opening the curtains on sunny days and letting it help heat your home a little. By contrast, you should close the curtains in the evenings to help prevent loss of heat or cold seeping in through the windows.
Place rugs on the floor
Fabric stays warm longer than harder surfaces, so whether you have hardwood floors, tiles, or even tightly-woven carpeting, placing a few extra rugs on the floor will help insulate the room a little better.
Stay active
Your body temperature will lower if you sit still, so if you’re really needing a little boost, then try and stay active. Clean the house, start a new project, or just walk around to help stay warm.