Brrrr, it's cold out there today. Having just returned from a wet, wild and very wintery school run, I've been thinking about ways to keep warm this winter without going over budget given the high price of home heating oil and electricity!
1.Layer, Layer, Layer - Whether it's just you that needs warmed up or the children are also feeling the bite of winter snapping at them, an easy and cheap way to keep warm is to wear layers of clothes. For you, that might mean wearing an extra vest (thermal vests are fabulous) or cardigan, or for some it might mean thermal leggings under their jeans or two pairs of winter socks! Layering your clothes helps trap more heat and lets less escape and if you do then find yourself overheating it's very easy to remove one or two layers to cool down again!
2.Keep moving and the more quickly the better. It might sound logical but you'd be surprised how many people sit at a desk all day long feeling cold and don't think to get more active! Moving in an energetic way helps get your heart beating stronger and faster and gets your circulation going.
3.Drink warm drinks or have a hot meal. If you're sitting at a desk all day, or just sitting nursing a baby at home thenkeep a flask of tea, coffee or soup handy or even a meal on hand which you can reheat in a microwave. A nice hot drink or meal always works wonders. My own personal favourite is a big bowl of steaming hot soup in the morning and thick homemade soup in the afternoon. Toasties are also great winter warmers.
4.Close doors and windows to minimise heat loss and to control draughts. By doing this you can also keep just the room you're in warm thereby using less heating oil or electricity.
5.Close curtains as soon as it begins to get dark outside. Again, this minimises heat loss and helps you keep your living or working environment warmer for longer!
6.Drape a lambswool or sheepskin blanket over your knees and feet if you're sitting for long periods. These are fantastic for keeping legs and feet cosy!
7.Set your home heating to come on for short periods of time at regular intervals. I set mine for 30 minutes every couple of hours so the rooms stay at a level temperature. You may need to play around with yours to find what suits your own personal tastes. Also, adjust the main thermostat to find the most suitable temperature for your home depending on the time of year.
8.Have your oil or gas heating boiler serviced regularly so you get more value for money from your fuel.
9.Wrap up well when you have to leave the house. In winter, don't even think about going out without a warm coat, gloves, scarf and hat. My top tip is always wear a hat on particularly cold days. I find hats invaluable when pushing a pram as they allow me to leave my umbrella behind and keep my hair lovely and warm and my hair bone dry!
10.Invest in some good leather winter boots. I like knee length boots as they keep my jeans dry and my legs warm though on icy days do make sure you opt for boots with good grips or wear grips with them!
Have you any tips for keeping warm on a buget in winter? Share them below in the comments :)
If you enjoyed this article, have a look at my recent post on Minimising Heat Loss Whilst Warming Up the House in Winter
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