Almost half of your electricity bill comes from running AC and heat, and when winter gets cold, it’s hard not to spend a fortune. There’s a foolproof way to stay warm in the winter without making your heating bill skyrocket, and it’s to warm yourself rather than your home.
Want to cut down on your heating bill? Here are 10 ways to do it.
Electric Blanket
Grab an electric blanket for the easiest, quickest, and comfiest warm-up you can get for cheap. You can get a decent one for under $40, and the cost of plugging one into an outlet is far lighter than a day of turning on the heat.
Infrared Space Heaters
Put a space heater on the floor near your feet and feel your body instantly warm up. You just got cozy on the couch all over again.
Hot Showers
While hot water heaters use a lot of energy, a quick hot shower can still be a lot cheaper than running your central heat. Pop into the shower for a few minutes and get that body temperature up.
Thermal Underwear and Thick Socks
Just like when you go outside in cold weather, layering is crucial. Your body generates heat from your feet, and good, thick socks go a long way.
Hot Water Bottles
Sit on one. Cuddle one. Sleep with one. These things, generally designed for pain relief, do the trick here too.
Trending on Cheapism
Plastic-Wrapped Windows
Did you know you can shrink wrap your windows? Well, you can. If done right, it’s barely noticeable and insulates your home by a whole lot.
Moving Around
Not only do you generate heat in your body when you move around, but that heat you’re generating can actually warm the place up around you a few degrees. Maybe today’s a good day to clean the house.
Warm Beverages
Old-school, but effective. Hot tea, coffee, or even a hot mug of water can be great. Let that steam roll all over your face, baby.
Sign up for our newsletter
Door Weatherstrips
Another key way to insulate is to grab some door seals, which can be found online or at any hardware store. Stick ‘em under every door you’ve got, if you can get away with it. My apartment has these; I can personally attest to how well this keeps the cold outside at bay.
Baking and Roasting
Extra cold day? Bake something or roast something special for yourself when it comes time to eat. The oven will warm the place up a bit.
For more frugal tips, sign up for our newsletters
Newsletter.
