Now that the school year has begun and textbooks have been purchased, most of us are back on that good ol' college budget. When prioritizing your purchases this winter, put trips to Pizza House over your heating bill with easy heat-trapping money savers to keep your house cozy on a budget!
I came home from work one day in the summer shocked to find that the heat in my house was turned on simply because my roommate was cold. I pulled out my Dad’s favorite (and sarcastic) response, “How about trying, oh I don’t know... a SWEATSHIRT?!” Bundling up isn’t just for outside- a pair of cozy sweatpants, a big sweatshirt, and some fuzzy socks are my first line of defense to a chilly house. The key to comfort this fall and winter is layering to quickly adjust your body's confused internal thermostat!
Unfortunately, that method doesn’t make getting out of a hot shower in the cold morning air any easier. One great way to keep your house warm is to insulate to the best of your ability. Heat escapes your house through the walls, floor, and ceiling. I understand that you can’t just rip out all of your walls and re-insulate your temporary college housing, but there are other ways to create the same effect! Get creative with different ways to block the heat from escaping! Covering up hardwood floors with rugs, or using door or window sealer are two great ways to fool proof your house or apartment. Leave radiators and vents uncovered and unblocked by furniture, that way the heat can spread throughout the room.
Another way to keep the cost of staying warm down is to make sure to turn down the thermostat at night and when no one is home. Always keeping your thermostat a few degrees colder than where you actually prefer it is a great way to avoid overheating your home- when you wake up to a hot and stuffy room, you can physically feel your money going down the drain. If a polar-vortex-esc cold day is anticipated, get the heat going before the temperature drops that way the gap between the actual and desired temperature of your house isn’t as large and won’t require you to crank the heat up super high.
Other ideas include:
-
Leave the oven cracked open after you cook dinner to let remaining heat escape
-
Keep a throw blanket on the couch as to avoid feeling cold while hanging out
-
Invest in a bathrobe to wear after showers
-
Wear socks/slippers around your home
-
Close the doors to unused rooms- don't heat what you don't use!
-
Set your ceiling fans to rotate clockwise [trust me!]
-
Swap your cotton or silk sheets out for flanel
-
Move your furniture away from windows and doors
Contributed By: Olivia Soja