1. If you live in a cold environment and are renting, you should look for an apartment that covers the cost of utilities.
2. Wear thermal pants and thermal shirts underneath your regular clothes. And just keep layering until you warm up. Buy sweaters that keep you warm. As odd as it may look, put on a pair of gloves. For a better range of motion, get the fingerless gloves. If you're doing something, the movement will keep you warm. And the most important thing you can do is to wear socks. If your feet are cold, the rest of your body won't warm up.
3. If you're able, go to the smallest room in your home. A smaller room warms up more quickly than a larger one. To keep drafts at bay, buy or make a draft lodger. Simply place it under your door or by cracks where the cold enters. For a cheaper alternative, use a towel instead.
4. If you're like most people, you probably work during the day and come home at night. Keep yourself warm by working out indoors. Put a DVD workout on and do some cardio. Or you can simply jump ropes.
5. When you cook, use the oven. It'll warm up your home.
6. Consume beverages and foods that'll keep you warm such as ginger or cinnamon teas, chicken soup, or beef stew.
7. Take a bubble bath. You can relax and stay cozy.
8. When you take a shower, leave the bathroom door open. So the heat can spread throughout your home.
9. Invest in a superior down comforter that can keep you warm through the night. They're more costly but well worth the investment.
10. In other parts of your home, consider buying a warm throw for the living room.
11. If you must use a heater, use a portable one, preferably in the smallest room possible. A small heater will heat a room up more efficiently than a central heating system.
12. Unused electrical sockets invite cold air from the outside. By using those child safety plugs, you can correct this problem.
13. Preheat your bed by using a rice heating pad. Microwave it for 1 - 3 minutes. In another post, I'll discuss the details of a rice heating pad. If you don't want to go through the trouble of making a heating pad, you can purchase one at a place like Wal-Mart or K-Mart. This used to be my organization: sheets, sleeping bag, covered by a larger, thicker blanket. My blanket warmed up quickly, but without body heat, it was a real shock to the system. The sleeping bag served as a buffer. The whole assemble was worth $40, major sale at Target.
14. Just like the electrical outlets, the drains in your kitchen and bathroom leave an open space for the cold draft to enter. Cover your sinks, tubs, and shower drains when not in use. You can buy a drain cover for a dollar at virtually any hardware store.
15. While I highly recommend doing everything you can to avoid using the heater especially the central heating system, sometimes it can't be helped. But make an effort when you go to sleep by reducing the temperature 8 degrees. If you reduce the temperature this much for 8 hours each night, you can reduce your annual heating bill by 10%.
16. Install a programmable thermostat if you're able. By being able to monitor the temperature, your heating bill can be reduced significantly.
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