More consumers than ever before are looking for frugal management of their home heating dollars. “Frugal” is nothing more than another word for good money management skills. With the economy already on the tank, “Cap & Tirade,” and winter all coming around the corner, folks are feeling the pinch more than any of us have had to in a long time.
Still, living on less than you bring in requires the same old ‘know-how’ and innovation(s) that it always has. Our goal isn’t merely to survive hard financial times, our goal is to prevail against it, coming out the other end in a prosperous condition.
Even if the average consumer, who doesn’t understand frugality, came into a sudden, large amount of money, without frugal habits they’re almost certainly bound to spend and waste themselves into harm.
Some people consider their home a luxury, or at the very least, an investment. Few things can be further from the truth than the previously-mentioned concept. Your home is a liability. An investment is something that brings money in, while a liability is anything that requires money from you to keep or maintain to acceptable standards.
With the heating requirements of a home, there’s no other status a home can claim; but it’s a liability that’s manageable, though. I’ve chosen ten of my favorite frugal home heating tips that I’d recommend you get done before it gets cold out:
My Favorite Top Ten Frugal Home Heating Tips and Suggestions Number 10
Seal up your storm panes and weather-strip your windows. This one project might be one of the more expensive tips in this list. Make sure this most annoying of tasks is completed before the evening chill gets too crisp. Compared to the last full month of summer’s heating bills, that first month of fall’s can be a shock! Catch it early and get those storm panes in.
My Favorite Top Ten Frugal Home Heating Tips and Suggestions Number 9
Insulate your water heater. Your major investment here is a piece of any fiberglass insulation, wrapped around your water heater, with only enough cut away to expose any access points you may need. Expose the oven too, of course.
Trivia: Did you know every time you look into your water heater’s oven you lose between 20% and 50% of the heat built up in your heater? It’s true!
My Favorite Top Ten Frugal Home Heating Tips and Suggestions Number 8
A draft dodger for every doorway and update that screen. Most screens that aren’t abused last for several years. Even some abused storm screen doors can be repaired. Just in case you do need to replace it, it’s easier catching it while it’s still warm out.
Seal behind receptacle covers and other small areas of heat loss. Hunt down drafts with a stick of incense. Little spaces left open can let out quite a large volume of heated air. Drafts from behind light-switches and electrical outlets can be solved by putting a small piece of plastic wrap, cut to fit, over the hole. Then simply replace the face plate. Did you keep a close eye on all the screws?
My Favorite Top Ten Frugal Home Heating Tips and Suggestions Number 7
Most amateurs working on their own residence are recommended to turn off all power before going anywhere near an electrical source.
My Favorite Top Ten Frugal Home Heating Tips and Suggestions Number 6
Insulate your mattress and box-spring with plastic sheets underneath you bed clothes.-This move helps your mattress and box-spring hold more of your body heat throughout the night. Restful, deep sleep can be difficult at best, in a chill.
My Favorite Top Ten Frugal Home Heating Tips and Suggestions Number 5
Get out the sweaters, scarves, and tight-knit wear you can find. Now, as of the date of this publishing, would be a great time to hit those thrift stores one more time. That means you’re at least a day behind already. Sweaters are an easy investment to make to help keep up the habit of the thermostat being down.
My Favorite Top Ten Frugal Home Heating Tips and Suggestions Number 4
Either install high R-value external doors. A cheaper way to increase a door’s R-value, is to cover the doors with multiple layers of paper/cardboard. Now can you tell me a better use for all the kids’ drawings and doodles?
My Favorite Top Ten Frugal Home Heating Tips and Suggestions Number 3
Do your laundry in cold water only.-This alone will help control your heating bill. Some of the most frugal ideas are the easiest and really should be done year around anyway. Cold-wash only keeps the clothes as clean as they need to be with good soaps/detergents.
My Favorite Top Ten Frugal Home Heating Tips and Suggestions Number 2
Use an electric blanket. An electric blanket is not only considerably cheaper than having a bedroom furnace on, and you get the added benefit of cuddle. Need I say more? Any excuse is always good.
My Favorite Top Ten Frugal Home Heating Tips and Suggestions Number 1
Only use the rooms you need. -The most frugal of all habits is to live in less space than you have anyway. Close the door off, and even seal off a draft with removable masking tape; any extra rooms you don’t need to use. If no one is in the room on any sort of regular basis then why waste money? Masking tape is easy to remove and cheap to replace.
In summary, frugal habits to help keep your heating bill low are obviously good. Just be sure to maximize on those frugal habits by doing them early enough this year.
Sources:
http://www.pioneerthinking.com/homeheating.html
http://www.frugal-families.com/Articles/Tips-For-Cutting-Down-On-Heating-Expenses.htm
