Monday Top 10 – Staying Warm for Cheap

No doubt, it's cold outside.  Some say that is an understatement because as we sit early in the week we only see a 1 degree high.  It's vital to stay warm when it's sub zero outside and there are a few tips to recognize and remember when the temps get insane.

1. Prepare your furnace ahead of time - Keeping a close eye on the furnace prior to frigid temperatures is a good idea.  Because if you let it go too long you could be in the freezing basement trying to fix it.

2. Space Heaters -These are wonderful little creations.  They warm up a small area and don't require too much hurt on the electric bill.  Also if they tip over they shut off automatically.

3. Programmable Thermostats -  These little guys can be a life and a bank account saver.  If you program a thermostat to just run heat when you are in the house and then use less energy when your gone for the day, just call it money in the bank.

4. Fireplaces -Warmth from a fire place is awesome and very self explanatory.  Light a log and stay warm for free.

5. Beverages - Keep warm with coffee or tea or maybe even a hot chocolate.  It keeps your hands warm while you hold it too.

6. Weather Stripping - You can pay someone to do it for you or if you have an extra few feet to spare on your saran wrap roll, then take that direction.  Just take a window sized piece of saran wrap and hair dry that thing onto the window to keep the warm air in and the cold air out.  Bubble wrap works too but saran wrap is invisible.

7. Outlets -Believe it or not cold air travels through anything including outlets and cracks and everything in between.  Insulating your outlets helps with keeping your house and body warm.  Just go get some foam plated outlet covers.

8. Solar Panels - Don't freak out just yet, you can make them yourself.  It wont heat your whole house unless you live with the dog in the backyard but all you have to do is take a rack of soda cans or fluorescent lights.  These items hold in heat for a little while and once they get charged up with sunlight, take them inside and the heat will be let off of the cans or lights and released into the house.

9. Home Made Clothes -Fresh out of the dryer feeling can be yours all day long now if you want it.  All you need is a pair of drawers, teflon, a battery and some copper wire and you are warm all day!

10. Winterize -Sunshine, water, vitamins, and social activity is crucial to keeping yourself comfortable in the winter, and healthy.