Staying Comfortably Warm Frugally

Newpaper

Best cheap insulation material you can find: newspaper. With all the insulating value of wood and air, newspaper will stop the flow of cold air on floors, walls and beds, among other things.

Use it on the floor, put a layer of 5 or 6 pages at the least of newspaper, under throw rugs or area rugs. If you can, cover the entire floor this way. On the walls, staple or tape the same minimum of 5 or 6 pages of newspaper, then cover with a sheet or blanket hung from top to bottom. The difference can be amazing. On the bed, put layers of newspaper either under your mattress to help it hold heat, or between the sheet and mattress to help warm you faster.

Warm Yourself

The whole reason for warming our homes is that we will be comfortable in them. It's cheaper (and easier) to concentrate on warming ourselves than on warming rooms and whole houses' worth of air that we're not using.

Be more active when it's cool, and your body will warm itself more efficiently. If you feel chilly just sitting, go outside and walk briskly or jog or do other physical activities - your home will feel nice and toasty for quite some time after you return.

Warm yourself by wearing layers of clothing - an undershirt (summer shirt works well), a top shirt or sweater. If you're still cool, add a vest, and/or jacket. You can wear two pairs of pants, too, or a pair of long underwear or leggings under pants or a long skirt.

Don't go barefoot or in your stocking feet. Wear socks or even two pairs of socks with houseshoes.

Wear a hat, even indoors. It's said that a high percentage of heat is lost through the head. If you have short or thin hair, a hat is especially important.

Use a throw for something other than looks - wrap up in it when you're sitting still.

Eat 'warm' foods - soups, stews, beans and warm breads. Be generous with the seasonings and sauces unless you're on a very strict diet.

Put insoles in your shoes to keep your feet warmer. Use layers of flannel, wool, or other warm material if you have it, but if not, use newspaper - several layers sandwiched and glued between any material or pasteboard or cardboard.

Insulation

Fill in the cracks. If there's a crack in the wall, fill it in. Pay attention to 'mopboards' and/or quarter round along the bottom edge where the walls meet the floor. If the doorway has an air leak, fit it with weatherstripping. Check around the edges of door and window frames for air leaks. Use caulking, rags or chewing gum, but fill in those holes!

If it seems cold around the windows, cover them up with blankets, plastic sheeting, drapes, thermal window treatments, or styrofoam or foam rubber slabs cut to fit. Don't ignore inside frames, either. Doorways cut into walls can leak air from between walls or under the floor. Close heating vents and doors to any room that isn't used for daily living, including closets and bedrooms. If you need to heat a bedroom, wait until an hour or so before using it, then open the vents and doors. Otherwise, keep it closed off.

In Conclusion

Each of these things may not amount to a lot on their own, but when you use every tactic possible, your heating bills can't help but drop!