The price of heating your home in the winter can cost you a fortune. In some areas, the price of electricity goes up during the winter months, making it even more expensive to heat your home. And sure, we all know you can turn down the thermostat a few degrees in the winter to save some money, but are there other ways to save your wallet without freezing during those frigid months?
Wear More Clothes and Utilize Heavy Blankets
An easy and effective way to stay warm inside your home is to put on more clothes simply. It may seem strange to put on extra clothes while just lounging around, but they do help keep you warm. Make sure to invest in some thick socks and a comfortable sweatshirt or hoodie.
You can also try to wrap up in an extra thick blanket. The cost of a nice, thick blanket may be a little off-putting at first, but spending the money upfront will save you a fortune on your power bills over time. Blankets made of flannel or wool are great at insulating your body heat, and you may even find yourself sweating with one, even in the dead of winter.
Invest in a Smart Thermometer
An investment in a smart thermometer will not only save you money in the winter but also the summer. Smart thermometers can get pretty expensive, but they’ll pay for themselves because they can be set to make sure you’re A/C unit doesn’t run when you’re not home. Many smart thermometers can even be adjusted from your smart phone, allowing you to “preheat” your house before you get back.
Adjust Your Ceiling Fan Setting
Many people don’t realize that their ceiling fans can actually help to keep them warm. This is because ceiling fans often have a summer and winter setting. For the summer setting, a fan pushes air down to cool you off, but the winter setting will pull air up. Since heat rises, a lot of the air warmed up by your central air unit is wasted heating your ceiling instead of you. A winter setting on a fan will help circulate that warm air next to the ceiling back down to the ground where you’ll be able to feel it!
Get Better Insulation
Adding insulation to your house will help lower your power bills in both the summer and winter. It may seem like a costly endeavor, but in many states, adding insulation to your home is tax-deductible. While you’re adding in extra insulation, don’t forget about your windows. You can opt to replace your windows for ones that have thicker glass and seal better to keep the warm air in. If that’s a little too pricey, you can purchase plastic window sheets that will help insulate your windows.
Some of these methods will cost a little money upfront, however, the investment will be worthwhile when you get your first winter power bill. Using all of these methods should keep you warm and your wallet happy!
