Strategies for Saving Money on Heat

Last year I did an experiment. Would heating with an electric room heater in each room be more expensive than heating with my gas furnace? I found out the electric heaters are much more expensive than turning up my thermostat on my gas heater. So if you're chilly, you can forget the electric heaters, just turn up the thermostat 1-2 degrees.

More tips for keeping warm:

• Wear layers. Wear a T-shirt under your sweater.


• Wear a hat. I have a thin knit hat which is just right for indoors. I also like the hoody sweatshirts because they cover your neck and head.


• Wear long underwear indoors. Your $9 long underwear will pay for itself in less than one season.


• Exercise. Do 50 jumping jacks each time you get cold. This warms you up and is good for you. Or do sit-ups, push-ups, or something similar. Ride an indoor bike or do a stair stepper. I bought a portable stair stepper, it's perfect for my small house. It's only the size of a phonebook.


• Put foam on the windows to keep out chills. That plastic sheet works, but only a little. Foam works great. If you don't like the look, decorate it! First, put some type of paper over it, like contact paper, then paint that. Many paints will dissolve foam. The pink foam works better than the white polystyrene.
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• Don't forget to insulate the exterior wall switch plates and outlets. Buy those foam shapes for your switches and outlets, remove the cover, place over the switch/outlet, and replace the cover.


• Check your exterior door edging. This is usually a rubber or foam thing that goes around the edge of the door to keep out drafts. They do wear out and need to be replaced about every 5 years.