Brrr!
It is freezing here today. The thermometer says it's 14 degrees F but it feels like about 2 degrees to me. I still can't figure out how those of you who live in cold, cold regions do it. I can't imagine having snow on the ground all Winter long and constantly have the temperature be below freezing!Remember how I said that our home was about three times as large as our last place? Well, we got our gas bill last week and, um, yep, we both about croaked. It's nicer having more space and all, but I am determined to get that bill down. Turning the thermostat down 4 degrees was my idea and my body is obviously still adjusting. :)
For all you frugal people out there, I'd love to hear your best tips on reducing your gas bill. We've always lived in small apartments with all-electric utilities, so this is a whole new ballpark for me.
I'm off to make some hamburger vegetable soup for dinner. We need something to warm our insides up!
posted by Crystal Paine at 12:39 PM
43 Comments:
Sorry to hear about that gas bill. We don't have a large house, but ours is old and drafty. When we got our first gas bill of the winter, we too decided something had to be done. We lowered the heat from 68 to 65 and started using two little electric heaters in both bedrooms overnight. This saved us about $40 in gas. Our electric bill went up by $10, so our true savings was $30. I know it's not much to some, but $30 is a great amount to us. Good luck, and I'd love to hear what you do to save money.
Well, it gets a little chilly up here in Minnesota too (school was cancelled last Monday because it was -31 below!)so heating bills are definately an issue. Some things that we have done is to block all the bottoms of doors with a towel or rug (air seems to really seep in there, but maybe that is just in our house though). Also you can seal the windows with that clear thick plastic and some double sided tape to keep any air from seeping through the windows. It is a lot of work, but it helps a lot if windows are an issue. Of course you can shut doors and seal air vents in rooms that you don't use much.
If I think of anything else I'll let you know. :)
I feel your pain about the gas bill. Ours is really high from October through March or April usually. It is definitely a pain in the budget!
Do you have thermal or lined drapes on your windows? That will make a pretty big difference, especially if they are older, drafty windows. We keep our thermostat set pretty low and just wear layers all the time. Plus, your comment about hot meals is right on, serve em up and that will keep you warm!
Just think, spring starts in about a month!
The advice you've received so far is great, and here's my tip: see if your gas/electric provider offers a budget plan. This is will average your usage for each month and spread the cost evenly throughout the year. Even when you reduce your usage, you'll appreciate this because you won't have to rework your budget during the winter months for an increase in your bill! We had to live in our home for a year before we qualified for this, and it's made a huge difference!
Oh, and draft dodgers for the outside doors! In our old, drafty house, you can feel a breeze from the outside when you're at ground level. With a small child, we spend a lot of time on the floor. Having the draft dodger against the door makes a helps a lot!
Good luck!
I live in Florida, so we don't worry too much about heating, but my 'beau' Ben and his big family live in an old farm house in Virginia. They are very frugal with their money...they have to be with 9 children, and a stay at home Mom! They heat with wood a lot. If y'all have a fire place or perhaps a wood stove, that is definitely an option. Also, keeping doors closed to rooms that aren't needed help keep the space you use warm, without warming the other rooms. Additionally, they have a couple of small electric heaters. They usually just leave them on until the room warms up and then turn them off. If y'all have an electric blanket, that would be nice to keep you extra warm when you're sleeping. :o) Definitely, wear layers, too. It's amazing how an extra shirt (or 2) and a thick pair of socks can warm you up!
Hi Crystal,
George and I both understand the almost croaking thing! LOL We are in the same boat. I was always used to having natural gas in a much smaller home; it was not totally unbearable. Everything was gas, and the place didn't have a stich of insulation and that cost about $800 a year, keeping the temp quite warm.
Now.... at our new house which is twice as big, very well insulated (for the most part) and great windows we have propane which, I'm told is way more expensive than natural gas. The tank had a good amount in it when we bought the house, but this winter's been so cold, we've had to use a lot and have it filled twice. In Dec we paid $539.63 to fill it and We just got the bill which is due in March for the second fill of $727.58. YIKES we were about to pass out! It looks like we will be spending about $1800 to $2000 a year to heat our home. That seems like an AWFUL lot.
We keep rugs and towels around the outside doors and a don't heat the bedroom during the day and keep the heat turned down to 67 in the daytime and 65 at night.
Best of luck in your efforts to keep warm for a little less!
Trixie
P.S If you and Jesse make any improments yourselves, there is a form available from the IRS that allows you to deduct 10% of the cost of any of a wide range of home engery improvements such as storm doors,insulation, windows, etc. on your taxes.
Well, from what I understand, electric heat is MUCH more expensive than gas heat. So you're blessed to have gas heat for your home or it would probably be much worse!
I second the lined curtains, or blankets for a temporary alternative. We live in TX so we don't have extreme cold all winter long (except tonight it's supposed to be in the 20s...what's up with that;o). When we would get cold snaps when I was little, I remember my mom hanging thick blankets underneath our regular curtains over the windows in the bedroom. It was just a temporary fix for a temporary problem, but it did the job of keeping out the cold!
In my house now, the bedroom gets warm, but the living area stays much colder. So we build fires in the fireplace on the cold evenings. Firewood or artificial logs cost a little, but we figure it would cost more to turn up the heat enough to make any difference in our drafty living room! Electric heaters would be a great alternative to a real fire.
Oh...and drink some hot tea! Going to make myself some right now:o)
Hi,
Ouch, sorry about that.
We grew up in Canada - right in the middle. Right where they hit a new low a couple weeks ago at -41.4C -- at that point it is almost the same in Fahrenheit as F and Celsius are the same at -40.
Any how, I guess I am just saying that I have lots of experience.
#1 Look for drafts! You may be surprised where cold air is leaking in! Often there is one door that does not seal well, and it is best not to use it at all during this time and to put old towels down along the bottom to block the draft - this is actually a good tip in front of doors.
#2 If you have extra bedrooms you do not use, and it has its own thermostat, turn the thermostat down, and close the door (again place towels).
#3 If you have one thermostat that regulates the whole house look at installing a programable one - this way you can have the house cool during the night, and warmed back up again for morning.
#4 Stop opening doors and windows! Okay, this one seems obvious, but if you are running in and out of the house all day you let out a lot of warm air and a lot of cold air in.
#5 Roast a chicken...or something - pull out those bake all day things, this is the time to let your oven do double duty.
#6 Ask you landlord when the last time the furnace was serviced - if it is running inefficiently that is not good.
Kristy
Hi Crystal! It definitely can be a challenge to be frugal when it comes to heating a house. We have a very warm down comforter on our bed. (A great place for such luxories is Overstock.com. Their shipping is only like $3.00 for anything. Also, our down conforter was only $50.) We put extra comforters on each of the children's beds. Also, we try to have them each wear a sleeper to bed. During the day, we run our kerosene space heater. When it runs, our electric heat almost never runs. We prefer paying for our heat bit by bit this way, rather than receiving a huge bill at the end of the month. We also keep our heat at 68 degrees, as the electric company recommends. (Although, as I said, it doesn't even run when we have the heater on, throughout the day.) Blessings to you!
We don't have natural gas; ours is an all-electric house, but utility bills are a BIG concern nonetheless! We, too, turned our heat down--to 64 degrees. At night, we all sleep under piles of blankets which keeps us toasty. However, I am at home with the kids all day and sometimes we do get cold! Besides serving lots of warm soups and stews for meals we do a couple of other things to help warm things up. Whenever I bake something in the oven, when it is finished, I keep the oven door open to let that heat escape into the house. (Depending on the ages of your kids, this might or might not be advisable.)
We also use "rice bags" to help keep warm. Take a clean sock--any color--we like large men's gym socks--and fill with rice (We buy a large bag at BJ's) and tie a knot in the end of it. Warm it up in your microwave. Depending on the size of the rice bag, it may take anywhere from 1 -3 1/2 minutes. Start with the lowest time and keep checking until you get it to the temperature you like. Now, tuck the rice bag into your bed by your feet when you sleep or drape it around your neck while you work or hug it to your chest or whatever you like! It should stay warm for quite some time!
We keep our heat at 65 when we are home, at at 58 at night or when we are not home. Back in the dirt poor days of our first year of marriage, we kept our heat at 55 (which was the minimum required by the lease) and wore our coats in the house.
We live in a cold area (Pennsylvania)in a 2,500 sq. ft. house and we use all three floors. Last month our gas bill was $800 (and that's not outrageous) since we had single digit temps most of the month. Our hot water heater and our cooking is also done on gas. We have thermal lined drapes in our downstairs. Getting new double pained windows has helped enormously! I keep the thermostat at 67 during the day and 65 at night. (I should add we live in a parsonage so we don't pay the bill the church does). I would recommend that if your worried about a baby getting cold at night to get a small electric space heater (the kind that shut off if knocked over).
I have a question for those of you who turn down your thermostat at night - does this seem to be more energy efficient? I always wondered if it would actually be less efficient since your home would have to re-heat up in the morning. I'd love to hear from those of you who do this and how it has affected your bill. I know we could turn ours down a few degrees at night I've just not been sure if it was worth it. Thanks for all your help and ideas!
I think if you don't turn the thermostat way down, the furnace doesn't work too hard to bring it up to temp. 2 degrees is easy to bring up. 10 degrees takes a very long time on full blast (which takes A LOT of gas).
Trixie
We used to turn our heat down to 50 at night... We lived in a little drafty triplex, and I think it made a big difference because the heat just seeped out through the walls (no insulation!). It may depend on the house somewhat.
Every house is different, but reducing heat loss around windows and doors helps (some people use "window quilts"; I make sure the curtains are closed and shades down!) as well as finding some rooms that can be left cooler. We rarely use any heat in our bedroom, and we don't heat the enclosed porch (which is insulated, so we technically could).
I also hang my laundry on a wooden rack over one of the heat vents in the living room. It puts some much-needed moisture in the air and I don't have to use my dryer in the winter. If we have to pay for heat, it may as well do two things at once! Same with baking things in the oven. :D
Anyway, I feel for you. Seriously! Our last house was 1/2 the size we have now, yet more expensive to heat, and we didn't even keep it as warm as we do now (since we have babies). It felt like a losing battle... I envisioned our bank account draining every time I heard the furnace start blowing. :|
By the way, your post here motivated me to finally write up my own little post on this topic; the main points had been written on a list for weeks now! :)
I've always been glad to live in the south. Now I KNOW without a doubt I am.
I leave my heat on 73 during the day and turn it UP to 75 at night. We have very sickly premie twins.
We are TOTAL electric in a 2300 sq. ft. home. The highest bill we ever got was last month for $171.98.
Keep in mind I use 2 fridges, do at least 3 loads of laundry a day (and dryer too), cook daily, bake a lot, use dw at least once a day, 4 bathes a day (one for each of us) and we heat all of the house.
I don't think I could stomach the cold. I'll be praying for you girls! God Bless and stay warm if you can.
Hi Crystal,
I would HIGHLY recommend getting a digital programmable thermostat to regulate the whole house...they're not that pricy and easy to install. They allow you to program a temperature for different times of the day so your furnace automatically adjusts several degrees up or down depending on the time of day and night. And, yes, it's definitely energy efficient to have the heat go down a little at night. I live in Northern Canada and it's a balmy 2 degrees F right now (not including wind chill)! Actually, it's been at -25 degrees F for a couple of weeks now. If you wear layers, this will also help!
Julie-Anne
Warning - Pregnant women should not use electric blankets! I saw that someone recommended this but not safe for unborn baby right now!! Instead, I've used the rice bag to warm my feet and it does help. We have gas furnace/stove/water heater and electric everything else so our gas bill was high in winter and electric was high in summer (a/c). Gas is much cheaper this year than last year (Hurricane Katrina) so be thankful! Contact your gas company and ask about any "helps" they can give - budget billing usually requires a year but is helpful, some have "handouts" that you must qualify for (and the deadline is probably passed for the most part), or they may do home audits. If they give a home audit, I would do it. They will usually bring supplies to help stop drafts or insulate your water heater. Our in-laws have a pre-pay program where they can buy gas ahead of time, supposedly cheaper. We do the programmable thermostat, my husband installed it (he's not a handyman) so it was very easy. Many websites have articles about reducing your heating bill so you might look around, one of my favorites is www.stretcher.com.
Jennifer
We found that our gas bill went down when we turned the heat down at night and whenever we are leaving the house for more than an hour. Though because our son won't sleep with blankets on, we only turn it down 5 degrees at night (same during the day). I also have a gas dryer and hang dry things as much as possible to save. Closing of extra rooms (close the heat vents, put a rolled towel under the door) helps a lot too.
It seems to make a big difference to turn the heat down at night! In fact I like it cold as I sleep better. I turn the heat down to 65 and sometimes we forget to turn it up in the morning.
One thing I learned is if your house is ducted, clean out the duct work as often it takes more work for the furnace and more money and not as much heat is getting out. We have saved alot of money from doing a few things to make the house more efficient.
Turning the heat down at night
Checking insulation under the house (or if you have a basement, any leaks or cracks
Leaky windows
Clogged ducts
Closing ducts in rooms that get too hot (a very small bathroom can get really warm, while the bedroom beyond is not so warm)
I wear long sleeves most of the time, short sleeve makes me feel colder and like I need to turn the heat up, I also wear socks all the time.
I would also recommend turning your heat down (we keep ours around 55-60, or we turn it off if the temp outside is at least 50) and dressing warmly. We were researching this fall on how to lower our gas bill as last year, our first year in this house, our gas bill ran $100-140 every month. The best and easiest tip I saw was to dress for the weather. Now we just wear our long underwear underneath our clothes and an extra sweater. This has cut our bill down to $30-60 a month, a big improvement. We also bought some firewood and in the evenings we hang out just in the living room around the fireplace. I read also about some families having a winter room of sorts where everyone slept in the same room, wherever the fireplace was. Daily life centers around this area as well, thereby limiting the area needing to be warmed. Maybe a bit extreme but I thought it was interesting. We haven't tried that.:)
Vika
We have exactly the same problem!
We got a mineral oil electric radiator for our bedroom and one for my office. We keep the heat set at 54 degrees in our apartment. We turn on the heater in the bedroom at night and run a small fan on it to keep the air circulating. It retains a lot of the heat during the day, and if Katherine is taking a long nap in her co-sleeper in our room, I turn it back on. If I am going to be working in my office, I either bundle up in my HUGE, warm bathrobe over my clothes and drink hot tea constantly, or I turn on the radiator in there for a while.
If I am going to be working throughout the house cleaning or organizing or whatever, I turn the heat up to about 64.
Today I brought my laptop into the bedroom and set up shop in here so Katherine and I could be warm together all day.
When my mom was here when K was born, we got special kits to seal plastic over the windows, and that helped. Until my kitten slit the plastic. : )
If the furnace is in your unit check and see if you are supposed to change the filters on it. Get the measurements off of the old ones if they are dirty and put in new ones. Clogged filters cut efficency by 10%. Most filters need changing every 60 to 90 days, more frequently durning constant use. It would be a very good idea to get a CO detector if you have combustion appliances. You can get literature from your gas co. about how to conserve energy.
-Kathryn
After two weeks in Colorado, I can testify that it does not feel nearly as cold here as it did in the wide open plains of Kansas! I think it has to do with the air being drier, and there is not a constant wind (though of course there is some!). My MIL was ALWAYS freezing in Kansas and says she has never once felt cold once they moved here! So, it is us who should be feeling sorry for you! :)
How old is your furnace? We replaced our furnace a couple of years ago. We always pay the optional (pro-rate over 12 months). We are just now reaping the benefits. Our optional was $160 per month. Last week I received a notice that our optional was dropping to $67 . So...check to see if your furnace is economical and update. It might pay off in the long run! Until then, wear sweaters! : )
Ruth, PA
I must admit that post made me smile, Crystal :) That's a pretty mild winter for a prairie Canadian winter ! A cold snap in January can hit -40C (same in F) with the windchill!
Our thermostat is fairly low already, but besides winter-proofing your house...wear lots of layers and thick socks. I find a nice scarf really helps. Drink tea! Move around: alternate typing with vacuuming, etc. Working in the kitchen helps too, since the stove gives off heat. Washing dishes seems to do the trick pretty well!
I'm always cold, and the layers and thick socks idea seems to work best for me. I used to wear a long-sleeved shirt and a t-shirt, but I'm much toastier with camisole or undershirt, long-sleeved t-shirt, and another long-sleeved layer over top (a sweater, jacket, or even a warm vest).
Good luck and stay warm!
Hi Crystal -
My only advice is to take to heart the advice that's given here (especially by the upper Midwesterners/Canadians. We know our cold!)
A few things Aaron and I do: (some suggestions may not work for single gals)
Cuddle with your honey or your babies...I know that some folks who frequent this blog don't want to watch a lot of tv, but grab a Disney movie, some popcorn, and veg!
Look for drafts. EVERYWHERE... They're like that extra five pounds that sneaks up on you....didn't even realize it was there until too late. ;)
Wear flannel jammies. LLBean makes great men's drawstring flannel bottoms and tops: they've been my nighttime uniform since I've 'popped' out.
Avoid skirts. At all costs. Unless they are wool. Come North, and you'll find that a good majority of women (even Christians concerned with modesty) ignore their dresses come winter. I know some ladies who brave the wind, but I wear silk long underwear (lightweight and warm!) and nice pants or jeans. Works like a charm :)
Drink lots of warm fluids. Not only will you stay hydrated, but you'll stay warm.
If you have a fireplace, start a fire. You'd be surprised how well a CLEAN (yes, have it cleaned.) fireplace can throw off heat.
Finally? Don't fret...some of us go 'Polar Bearing' in this kind of weather. As everyone says...this too shall pass. ;)
We gave up on the fight and got on a payment plan...LOL Our house is made in such way that we HAVE to have the heater on 71 for the kids' rooms... :o( We sleep with a fan becaseu it gets too hot in our room. :o(
As Carrie suggested, humidifying the air will help it to feel warmer. Boiling water on the stove will do this or you can buy one.
We live in NJ and lately our winters haven't been bitter cold, but we do have our moments (like this week!)
My husband says that keeping the thermostate pretty much around the same temperature all the time is better than turning it down at night, because if you do that then it does have to kick out a lot of heat to warm up in the morning. We keep ours relatively low all the time and use an electric heater in our bedroom at night. During the day I just wear sweaters and warm slippers, and since I bake a lot, having the oven on does help at least to keep the kitchen warm!
My dh had a similar reaction with our first winter gas bill in PA. He was steamed (lol). But he felt a lot better after hearing people at work talk about paying $300-$400 a month in the winter, for apartments! Our drafty old house hadn't even cost us $200. :)
I haven't done a whole lot intentionally beyond keeping the thermostat at 70 or below. This house is better insulated. Some of our upper windows do have drafts, though, so I made my own insulated curtains and that helps a lot. If you don't mind the look, that insulating plastic for windows is supposed to help a lot--most of the older houses around here get plastic-ed up every winter. :)
I live in Alabama. It doesn't get as cold here as it does most places. I think the temp last night was 15 degrees and we're in a cold spell right now. We keep our house at 72 degress during the day and 71 at night. Dh and I both agree we're not going to be cold in the winter or hot in the summer. LOL! MY house is only 1500 square feet so there's not that much to heat or cool. Dh refuses to close rooms off cause he says it's more energy efficient to keep the whole house at the same temp. We have gas and electric. Our feet stay kind of cold cause we have all hardwood in living areas and bedrooms. And they are not insulated so they stay extra cold.
I blogged about staying warm frugally last November:
http://heartkeepercommonroom.blogspot.com/2006/11/winterizing.html
We also line our walls with bookcases filled with books and call it extra insulation.=)
We have also sometimes just closed off rooms during the winter.
I think all the suggestions are wonderful and I only have a few thoughts to contribute. First, don't be penny wise and pound foolish. See how much you're actually saving before freezing you and your family out. I would personally rather give up going out to eat once a month and stay warm the entire time than risk running my immune system down by constantly being cold. Second, don't seal up your house too tight. Air pollution in houses today (because of how tight homes are built nowadays) is very high and dangerous. I always open a window slightly each day, even if it's 10 below, so there is some fresh air being exchanged.
I thought I had shared a link with you http://www.stretcher.com but I must not have cause I can't find it on your site. That site is the BEST! It has the answers to this question (and MUCH MUCH MORE!).
Also, when we are moving, we are less cold! I turned our thermostat down, and we were really cold at first. Then I started making sure we had a lot more activity in our day. The children play active games like Twister. I make sure that I am walking up and down the stairs a lot (leave baby's diapers upstairs so I have to walk upstairs every time to change him). I walk on our "treadmill" (don't ask) throughout the day. As long as I am active, I am not nearly as cold. We also do layers (although I find myself taking off layers I get so hot with all the extra activity).
Wear WOOL! My kids stay warm even with the temp turned down (they never stop moving!) but I find I get chilled, even with layers and a fleece on. This winter I bought a wool sweater, and loved it so much I bought another. It actually keeps me WARM, without getting sweaty as I do housework. I wear one sweater for a week or 2 (just pull it on over whatever cotton shirt I'm wearing that day), then switch to the other while I wash the first. It is a PAIN to hand wash and lay flat to dry, but it's worth it! My favorite sweater is actually a wool with 1% spandex, and it retains its shape well.
Delurking from Alaska to offer a couple tips. We do turn our heat down at night and it seems to help the high bills. I would second the down comforter route. Everyone in our family has one-the kids' rooms are very cold but no one is ever cold at night. We also do rice bags. I'd suggest using a woodstove over a fireplace because unless your fireplace is very efficient, it will likely leak out more warm air and let in drafts. A ceiling fan helps move warm air around the house. My husband seals the windows each fall. We also dress for the cold in the house. Wool socks and two or three layers everywhere else.
My husband insisted we put in a wood stove. I really didn't want to but went along with his idea. We got a very efficient one (will heat up to 2000 sq. ft.) and I insisted it had to look pretty so we went with a little bit more expensive one. Within 2, maybe 3 years, I know it completely paid for itself. We have NO heating bill now. We are constantly having people tell us they have wood on their property that would help them if my husband would take it, so we have never paid for wood. I'm so glad I went along with his idea!!!
14°? That isn't too cold, but then I grew up in Minnesota and Michigan and spent lots of time in New England in January and February. My parents always turn the heat down a couple of degrees at night. And when it's really cold, a hot water bottle in bed is really nice and it stays warm for a long, long time. Flannel sheets and wool blankets also help to stay warm at night. Where we are now (Colorado Springs), it seems no one likes it when it gets in the 20's or colder but I love it.
Katie
I didn't read all the comments (but I plan to when time permits) so bear with me if I repeat anything.
Here is what I would do upon moving into a new home.
1) Find out how old your furnance is. See if it is considered energy efficient. If not then you may need to consider getting a new one that is energy efficient (or buy used or if you have a friend that can get you one at wholesale price...we are able to do that because my dh is a liscence HVAC on the side)
2) Find any air leaks in your house. First tell tale sign is if birds are on your rooftop , congregating to a certain spot...that is your leak. Feel your windows...Are they blowing air in?? May need to seal them up for the winter and then when money permits get energy efficient windows. Go over every area in your house and see if there are any air leaks then put a stop to it with either a seal, caulking and so on. You may need to find out if there are any insulation in your walls. If you bought an old home (more like 30 yr old home) it may not have insulation or a very low quality insulation. A friend of mine bought a house that is about 8 years old. One room in the house is very very cold. They found out that there were NO insulation in that room.
3) Shop around for fuel companies. We dumped our fuel provider of 15 years and went with an out of town fuel company with much better deals and pricings. (You can only do this if the tank is yours...meaning if it came with the house and you bought it with the house then yes it is yours)
4) Try to get a fireplace and heat with wood. That is what we do. It is expensive but in the long run it paid itself for us after 2 years.
5) Also electric heat is much more expensive than gas heat. Let me give you an example that did happen to us.... For about 13 years we had electric water heater. Our electric bill was about $210 to $190 per month. We changed the water heater to Tankless gas water heater. Our electic bill dropped to $89 the next month. Ever since we did that switch from electric to gas on the water heater our electric bill has been between $89 to $110 per month. For us electric is much more expensive than gas.
That is all I can think of for now. Will try to read the commments soon.
Holly
Where ever we have moved my husband has installed a wood stove (when we are not renting) wich helps soooo much. My husband also installed an inside dryer vent diversion thingi magig this winter. Our washer and dryer our off of our kitchen where our computer is. It can get chilly back here. The vent allows the warm air to come inside or we can close it to divert it back outside. I dry my clothes when I am working back here and get warmed up!
I love all the double duty ideas. Also, we keep our heat at 62 most of the time. I move around alot in morning. After sitting down and working on school work I get a little chilled (I try to drink tea during school) so in the afternoons I do my vacuuming and this helps warm me up again. I look forward to my errand days when I can blast the heat in my van and really warm up. I take my showers at night because it helps me warm up before bed. Then I promptly put on long underwear and wool socks. I keep a warm comforter near my rocker for warming up while nursing the baby. I bought a Passport Sleepsack to keep baby extra warm which he wears over sleeper. When washing or rinsing dishes only fill a little water in the bottom of sink and use wash cloth. Turn water heater down to effecient temperature ( check online for what temp that is. I'd ask DH but he is outside.) Always wash on cold (except diapers). Every little bit helps. The comment about saving pennys while losing pounds is a good one. Try to sit down and figure out costs and what things are really worth to you.
Hi Crystal,
I know I am coming in late on this one but I wanted to share anyway.
We had a regular manual mercury thermostat and found that it was causing our bill to sky rocket because it wasn't working properly. So, my dh installed a digital thermostat he picked up at Wal-Mart for about 50 bucks. We didn't want to spend that much money on one but it has made a huge difference in our bill. (Wal-Mart did have some that were as low as 25 bucks depending on the type you need.)
I had many frugal ideas for you but they have already been mentioned by others so I will spare you having to read them again.
Good luck!
Here in New Zealand our homes are not well insulated and we don't have central heating or anything like that (except in brand new homes) so basically in winter we all freeze!
In winter the temperature ranges approx 0-12 degrees celcius which is about 32-53 degrees fahrenheit - this is give or take, it often gets into the negatives and sometimes warms up to mid-teens during the day.
We are told it is best to keep homes heated to a "healthy" temperature of approx 15-18 degrees celcius (approx 59-64 degrees fahrenheit).
It is very hard to heat our home to that temperature and maintain it. We have friends with a heat pump and they keep their home at 18 degrees (64 fahrenheit) in winter and it feels SO HOT when we go to their house.
Wool singlets (underclothes) are very poplular here. I always put woolen singlets on my babies, usually over the top of a cotton singlet. They then wear a long sleeved top and a warm fleece or wool jersey over the top. Then a jacket when we go outside. That is a lot of layers!
Adults and older children usually wear one less layer (ie. 3 layers inside). Having wool against your skin really makes a huge difference, as does a wool jersey instead of a fleece one.
We too have a thick down duvet on our bed and woolen blankets for the childrens beds. They usually have 2 layers of wool on their beds as well as a sheet and a quilt. Our winter duvet is 80% down/20% feather so really warm (the higher the down percentage the warmer it is). We have a 50%/50% duvet which we use in spring/autumn. I would highly recommend a down duvet and wool blankets.
We do not heat our house at night (unless we have a new baby in which case we heat the room baby is sleeping in), instead we set our heater to a timer so it goes on at 5 or 6am which really takes the chill out of the air by the time we get up.
We also go to bed as early as we can in winter - so we can turn our heaters off!
I don't know if any of these things will help! Hope you find some ways to minimise your gas bill :)
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