Keeping Warm without Spending a Ton

Tis the season when the cold weather takes over, and here in Utah, it can get downright frigid! So how can you stay warm without skyrocketing your heating bill?  Here are a few ways to keep warm:

• Make a hot drink:

  Bundle up and make yourself a hot or warm drink! Drinks are a great way to start your day and a great way to wind down for the evening. This will help raise your core temperature, but keep those layers on if you start sweating. When sweat evaporates it can make you a lot colder.

 

• Bubble Wrap

  It’s not just for popping anymore and making a lot of noise. It works great to insulate drafty windows while allowing the sunshine in.

 

Fire it up

If you have a safe fireplace in your home, light it up.  Firewood is usually a lot cheaper than gas for the furnace!

• Hot water bottle

  Just like grandma did way back when, fill up a hot-water-bottle or a bag of rice/beans and put it in-between the blankets to keep you warm for a few hours.

• Pitch a tent

  Just like when you were a little kid.  Build a fort and trap in your body heat!

• Layer it on

  Adding extra layers is a great way to warm up. Don’t be shy about two sweatshirts, or an extra pair of leggings. A simple hack to feel even warmer for a bit longer is to throw your clothes in the dryer for five to eight minutes before getting dressed. Keeping warm is serious business!

• Finish the laundry & make some dinner

  The oven will help heat up the kitchen, the same way the dryer does to the surrounding area’s.  When you are done with dinner, leave the oven door open while it cools for optimal heat distribution (be careful is you have little ones or pets running around so they don’t get burned!) Enjoy the housework that has to be done by appreciating the heat that it gives off.

 

• Wear a hat

  You don’t lose body heat through your head, but a cold scalp does cause your core body temperature to drop faster than normal. Throw on your favorite hat or beanie to stay warm a little longer.

 

• Switch the fan

  Warm air rises, so reverse that ceiling fan into blowing the warm air back down to the ground, but keep it on low so you don’t get a big breeze.

 

Photo Credit: www.freeimages.com/Karen Barefoot