Free and Easy Ways to Cut Energy Costs During the Winter
The winter is on its way, and with the cold comes ungodly energy bills, but after reading this article you will have no fear of the energy bill this winter. There are many expensive and complicated ways to save money on your energy bill, but if you are like most people you do not have the money for expensive upgrades, and you are looking for cheap ways to cut energy costs. This article will describe several easy and free ways to cut energy cost during the winter.
1. During the winter many people love to cook and bake, and a fresh loaf of bread with some soup is a great way to warm up in winter, and it is a great way to save on energy costs as well. Remember when you cook to turn down the heat in your kitchen and surrounding rooms because the heat from your oven will help warm the air. Also remember to leave your oven open after you are done using it to provide more warmth. This easy way to cut energy costs during the winter will help you save.
2. Wear socks; this may sound silly, but it is one of the easiest and cheapest ways to cut energy costs this winter. Body heat escapes through the head, hands, and feet, and wearing socks will help you keep warm, and it will allow you to keep your thermostat down which will save on energy costs.
3. A wood burning stove is a great way to save on energy during the winter, and you can purchase a used wood burning stove inexpensively. Installing a wood burning stove will only take a couple of hours, and burning wood instead of oil or propane is a sure way to cut on energy costs this winter.
4. Many people hang their laundry on a clothes line in the summer to save on energy costs, but just because there is snow outside it does not mean you have to start wasting energy on using your dryer. Hang your clothes near a heater or boiler to dry them. This simple trick will allow you to cut energy costs without spending any money
5. An obvious but usually overlooked way to cut on energy costs during the winter is shutting of all sources of energy when you are not home. Lights are not in use when no one is home so shut that off. Shut off computers and unplug them because they still draw energy when they are plugged in. Turn heat off when you are not home as well. Most people are not home a lot of the time, and making sure we are not using energy unnecessarily is an important way to save on energy costs this winter.
6. Another inexpensive way to cut energy costs this winter is by sealing windows off with plastic. This is simply done by stapling sheets of plastic to window frames. You can buy cheap rolls of clear plastic at your local hardware store, or you can use heavy plastic bags.
7. Making sure to put in storm windows in your windows and doors is another way to cut energy costs. This easy step will help you keep heat inside your home. Many people have storm windows around their home, and some people just forget to shut them in the winter. This extra layer of glass will really make a difference when trying to cut on energy costs during the winter.
8. Adding heavy curtains to your windows is another easy and inexpensive way to save on energy costs this winter. You can make curtains easily by buying heavy fabric, or recycling old tablecloths. Simply hem one side of the curtain and push the curtain rod through the hem. This is a fun way to customize your dcor, and the curtains will help keep warmth inside your home.
9. Another simple and free way to cut energy costs during the winter is to stop heating rooms you do not use. If you have a spare bedroom you can save energy and cut costs by shutting the heater off in that room and keeping the door closed. If you spend most of your time in one room you can turn the heater off in other rooms to conserve heat; when you plan on using that room again simply turn the radiator on a few minutes before you enter the room.
10. Another easy way to save on energy during the winter is by washing your clothes with cold water. White clothes are generally washed with hot water, but this is not necessary, and if you wash your whites with bleach or laundry detergent with color safe bleach in it they will still come out white. Using less hot water will save you energy all year round, but it will especially help cut costs on your energy bill because it takes more energy to heat water in the winter time.
11. Changing your routine a little bit is another free and easy way to save o n energy bills because the sun sets earlier in the winter. If you rearrange your schedule so that you do things that require light in and around your home during the sunny hours you can do things that do not need a lot of light at night. For instance read your mail in the day time when you can use sunlight and watch television in the dark at night to save on energy bills.
12. When you snuggle up at night use an extra blanket instead of turning the heat up. Lowering you heat before you go to bed is a simple and free way to cut on energy costs this winter. Simply throwing a thing blanket over your regular blanket will create a second barrier that will trap all of your body heat in; this is an excellent way to save on energy and save money.
Your energy bill does not have to leave you broke this winter, and you do not have to spend hundreds of dollars to cut your energy costs either. These energy saving ideas will help you cut costs on your energy bill for free this winter.