We truly are living in unprecedented times. After battling a worldwide pandemic for two years, we moved straight into a recession and an ongoing fuel crisis. With massively rising levels of inflation and the cost of living affecting people in all tax brackets, there’s no denying that it’s a scary time. Now we’re heading into winter, many of us are wondering if we’ll be able to stay warm and be able to afford to heat our homes, since the cost of all types of fuel has skyrocketed.
Here are some things you can do to keep your home cozy, which don’t involve touching the dial on the thermostat.
1. Electric Blanket
Electric blankets work really well, they can quickly heat your bed and help you to take the chill off. While they are of course powered by electricity, this will be much less than the cost of heating your entire home or even a room. The good thing about electric blankets is you only need to turn them on for a short amount of time, after you’re warm in bed you can switch it off and you’ll stay warm under the duvet.
This is perfect if you’ve just got home and are feeling chilly, or want to make your bed extra cosy before you get in at night. If you invest in a winter duvet, these are thicker and trap heat better than summer duvets will. If your duvet is flattened and worn out then it also won’t be as effective, so a small expense here on replacing it can save you money over the course of the winter.
Similar to electric blankets, you can also find heated foot warmers like the ones on this site. You can wear them at home or while you’re out, they’re heated with a battery and can even be operated with your smartphone!
2. Hot Water Bottles
A lower cost alternative to an electric blanket is a hot water bottle. These are surprisingly effective and can be just the thing to help you get warm when the weather is cold. They don’t cost much to buy, and they stay warm for some time, especially if you use them in bed or under a blanket on the sofa.
3. Layers
Speaking of blankets, these are a must- have in winter. Particularly this winter when we won’t be able to heat our homes as much. Add cozy blankets to beds to layer up or on the sofa, pop your dressing gown, thick socks and slippers on too and you can stay nice and toasty even when it’s chilly.
Most throw blankets will wash well and can be used year after year. They cost nothing to use once you’ve bought them and if you go with nice colours and designs they’ll add to your autumn/ winter home decor too.
4. Foil Behind Radiators
If you do heat your home, you want to know that the heat is being utilised as well as possible. As well as obvious things like keeping doors and windows closed when the heat is running, one extra thing you can do is put regular aluminium foil behind radiators. This is an old trick but it works, instead of heat escaping through the walls it’s reflected back into the room meaning you get more for your money.
Also read: How Much do you Need to Live Comfortably in Anchorage Alaska?
