Heating Costs
Heating my house is expensive. My winter heating bill was twice what it is in the summer. And as an energy-concious human being, and someone who doesn’t like paying more money than I have to to a greedy, government-sanctioned monopoly, I’m trying to find ways to lower my heating cost. These are mainly based on Low Tech Magazine, a great website (which is solar powered, I might add). I also have their book Heating People, not Spaces which has been very good for this task as well.
Step One: Turn off the heater
The easiest way to save money on heating costs is by being cold. I don’t prefer this method, but if you like misery and uncomfort, you can definitely try it. Instead of being cold, I’m turning off the heater and putting on a sweater. My hands have bad circulation, as do my feet, so I’m also using big wool socks and fingerless gloves.
Step Two: Heat your body
I got a hot water bottle for Christmas and I love it. In fact, I’m going to go heat it up right after I write this blog post. I use it to warm my tummy or my feet, usually under a blanket which contains the heat it generates. This way, it stays warm for a few good hours. Plus, in my area gas is less expensive than electricity, when comparing their relative heating capabilities, so I can boil my water bottle for cheaper than if I microwaved it.
Step Three: More ideas
The point of this whole thing is to spend less money, so buying expensive things to help heat me defeats the purpose. But, that being said, spending $100 on a heating tool that’ll last 10 years and reduce your heating cost by $30 a month could be a sounds investment. For example, something I’ve been thinking of getting is a power cube and a solar panel. I saw a video on YouTube about a $100 setup where you can charge a power cube in a few hours with a solar panel, and then run your TV off it. Instead of running my TV off it, I’d run a portable heater. Or, it might be more efficient to run a heating pad off it and charge your heated socks too. Either way, it’s solar powered, so no cost other than equipment (and it’s better for the environment). The only limits are sunlight, time, and lugging around a power cube.
The End
This is the end of the post, as of now. Other than my hot water bottle, I haven’t got any of this running yet. I’ll post an update when I’ve done more. Now, I’m off to fill up my water bottle and cozy up with a TV show.