Are you searching for the best tips for keeping warm through winter freezes? While scrolling through a popular online frugality forum, I noticed someone’s post asking for the frugal community’s help insulating their apartment and keeping warm in freezing weather conditions. Here are the top-voted recommendations.
1. Hand Warmers
Hand warmers can be helpful for more than just warming your hands. Hand warmers stay warm for a while. Additionally, you can tuck them under the covers to warm you into a nice sleep.
One warned, “Do not use them directly on the skin! But they’re great tucked into bed, or do like my husband and put one in a sock and use it like a little heating pad.”
2. Heat Smaller Spaces
During winter, your heat bill can rise. To keep the cost down, worry only about a smaller space to be kept heated. For example, try a tent or a smaller room with closed doors.
One user advised, “set a tent up in a small room. It will keep the heat in. Place it on a blanket or rug, and put a blanket over the top. Don’t exit the tent except for the bathroom and emergencies.”
3. Emergency Shelters
Many agreed that during winter freezes, it’s never too early to check if emergency shelters are around, where you can get warm and recharge devices. These places will likely fill, so knowing where they are ahead of time can save you from searching later.
One user advised, “Don’t wait too long to go if you need that stuff. Don’t be a “hero,” there’s nothing heroic about freezing to death.
4. Keep Your Tank Full
Keep your vehicle’s tank full in case you need to evacuate at some point. The last thing you want to do while trying to evacuate is to stop and wait in a long line of cars to get gas.
Someone noted, “You could also let your vehicle run a while to get heat and a way to charge devices. But, again, do this outdoors only, and invite extra people into your vehicle if you have more room.”
5. Keep Cold Air Out and Warm Air In
Several suggested that if you can’t afford new windows, then insulate the ones you have. You can buy film to put over the nearly invisible glass so you can still see or cover them with plastic or a blanket.
Also, make sure to put draft protectors or door sweeps. A rolled-up blanket or towel works well for this. It will help keep the warm air from going under the door but mostly keep the cold air from coming in.
6. Fun Family Movie Night
Many agreed to have a family campout with an electric blanket. Instead of heating several bedrooms, plan a movie night in the living room. Lay a blanket down, an electric blanket, and then another blanket.
Your family will have a fun movie night, and you will all stay warm on your heated mattress.
7. Bake
Several suggested cooking using your oven. Make casseroles, bake cooking, loaves of bread, etc. When finished, leave the oven door open. Baking will help warm the house, and you have a meal or dessert afterward.
8. Keep the Bed Warm
One user noted that warming some bricks on a wood stove or fire pit would keep your bed warm. Wrap them in a towel and place them at the foot of the bed. It will help keep your bed warm, and you won’t have to turn the heat up in the room.
You can try this with heating water bottles as well. Another exclaimed, “Hot water bottles at the foot of the bed are heavenly!”
9. Cover Outlets
Someone suggested that if you feel your outlets at night, you’ll notice small streams of cold air coming in through the outlet holes lining the walls of your apartment. Tape over outlets, or use those kid-proof plastic outlet covers.
10. Make a Space Heater
Finally, you can make a makeshift space heater with a clay pot and candle. It won’t warm the whole house but should provide some heat in small spaces.
One user explained, “Place the pot upside down, keeping it off the floor and anything flammable to prevent a fire. Place a candle inside. It takes a long time to warm up, but once it does, it will radiate a good amount of heat.”
What do you think? Did Reddit get this right, or do you have a tip for staying warm during winter freezes that are missing from this list?
This post originally appeared on A Dime Saved
