Go Ahead, Drop It to Sixty

Heating costs can be brutal. They last for months, are impossible to avoid and it often seems like there are few ways to cut back. When you cannot afford the major home upgrades that help lower your heating bill, it can be very frustrating to watch your money seep out of your old windows and poorly insulated walls. So what low cost ways are there to help lower those heating bills this year?

• Bundle up. I used to walk around the house in shorts and a t-shirt all winter with the heat cranked to 75 until I realized how much money my little outfit was throwing down the drain. Always wear socks, warm pants, two layers of shirts and, if necessary, consider wearing gloves and hats indoors. Also do not hesitate to reach for a blanket when you are just lazing around. You will easily be able to drop the temperature at least three degrees. It is possible to stay comfortable and bundled throughout the day, so give it a try next time you want to up the thermostat.
• Get moving. Raise your body temperature by staying busy. Cleaning, cooking, exercising and dancing around with the kids will help keep you fit, accomplished and warm. Keep yourself and your children as active as possible all day long and lower your thermostat while you are at it.
• Shrink wrap your windows. This one is my favorite. We have horrible windows that are not in the budget to replace any time soon. Every year, for less than $10 a package I buy a Duck Brand Window Shrink Film Kit and take the 30 necessary minutes to cover up all the windows. One year we even wrapped our back door just to help out a little more. It is cheap and easy and truly will save you a ton in heating costs.
• Thick curtains. On top of shrink wrapping our windows, we have super thick curtains hanging in a few rooms that we keep closed unless the sun is shining in. This gives us an extra layer of insulation so our heat does not escape.
• Free the heat. If you have air vents, make sure they are not blocked by furniture, curtains or decorations. If you have baseboard heating, rearrange your furniture to cover the least amount of the heater space. Objects can hold onto the heat and do little for your home, so be sure the heat can move freely throughout the house.
• Ceiling fans. Most ceiling fans switch to a winter mode to help evenly disperse heat. I do not recommend running the fan constantly, but first thing in the morning when you are warming the house up from a chilly night is a great time to help spread the heat.
• Space heaters. Why heat an entire house when you are only in one room at a time? As I have mentioned about our unorthodox cost cutting, we heavily relied on space heaters to cut down on our heating costs. Just buy one or two small ones for a bedroom, office, or living room that you are in most often. Drop your thermostat by a few degrees and click on a space heater when you are in one room. We like to keep our furnace set to 60 to ensure our pipes do not freeze then we rely on space heaters to keep us comfortable. It is amazing how much we have saved by only heating one room at a time.
• Let in the sun. Nothing warms a house cheaper than sunlight. Keep your blinds and curtains open throughout the day and, if possible, spend the most amount of time in the well-lit rooms of your home. Arranging mirrors appropriately can also help spread the natural heat throughout your home.
• Get used to it. Our bodies tend to acclimate to certain weather and that applies to within the home as well. If you are used to your house always being 70 degrees, turning the thermostat down to 65 will seem like a shock. Try to slowly lower your home by one degree each week. This will help your body adjust gradually to the cooler temperatures and help you figure out ways to warm up without cranking up the heat.

As you implement various strategies to lower your heating costs, make sure you keep an eye on your heating bill. It is so gratifying to see the money you are saving through your efforts. If you do not notice a change in your heating bill, then take it a step further and try another technique. Anything you can do to keep warm while you lower the thermostat by even a degree will help you save throughout these chilly months.

For more great homemaking tips, check out: Growing Home, Learning the Frugal Life, Frugally Sustainable, Women Living Well, Raising Homemakers, Life As Mom and Far Above Rubies.