As the holiday’s get closer our budgets tend to get dried out quicker and quicker. Winter can be a very stressful time- holiday expenses, family gatherings, unexpected vehicle breakdowns, increased heating bills. Though we can’t excuse you from spending time with your family or ensure your car won’t breakdown, we can give you some ideas to help you save some money on heating costs this winter.
To save you heating costs we want you to consider following the three B’s: Bundle, Buy, and Beware!
Step 1: BUNDLE
Do you crank up the thermostat and hang around the house in shorts and a t-shirt all winter long? Consider rethinking your at home attire. What if you turned down the thermostat a few degrees and wore sweatpants and a sweatshirt? Seems like a silly point, but one that is worth considering. Some people feel a house should be warm enough to wear shorts in, but if you are looking to cut costs this isn’t logical! Throw on those fuzzy socks and turn down the thermostat! If you are already dressing very warm and are still feeling cold, look to the next steps! Along with bundling up in clothing, add an extra blanket to the couch and bed. If you have easy access to a snuggly blanket, having the thermostat turned down a few degrees wont feel so bad!
Step 2: BUY
Let’s face it, windows and doors are our enemies in the winter. They are the perfect place for heat to escape and cold drafts to come in. Here’s where you’ll have to spend some money upfront to help you save money in the long run. Easy ways to help cut down on heat escaping include: window and door kits and door blocks. Though you may feel that putting up plastic covers over the windows in your home is tacky, consider it anyways! Kits are estimated to save you about $18 per average sized window. Take into consideration how many windows you have and what size they are! You can also get door kits for sliding doors and kits with a seal strip to apply around your door frame. There’s even outlet insulators! Every little bit of insulation helps! If you have a 3 season porch or other room that is cold and not used in the winter, buy a door block that sits on the floor and helps keep drafting air from coming out under the door.
Step 3: BEWARE
Once you’ve bundled yourself and your home, make sure you are aware of how your heating system is running. Everything from knowing what temperature the thermostat is set to up to how your heating system runs. Have a working knowledge of what to do if the heat stops working or at least know who you can call to get it fixed! Beware of where your heat comes out and make sure your vents are clean and open! If you have rooms you don’t always use, like a guest room for example, close off the heating vents in those rooms. No use in heating a room no one is using! Just make sure that room doesn’t get too cold, we don’t want any frozen pipes…that’s a whole other ballgame!
Bundle up, buy resourceful items, and beware of how your home heats.
May you keep cozy and keep your heating costs down this winter!