With the energy bill increasing alongside other bills, staying warm during cold days, especially without using a heater, can be difficult. Luckily, there are a few tips that can help you create a cosy haven within your home without increasing your utility bill. Here are 8 cost-effective tips you can use to stay warm.
1. Movement
Staying active is a good way to help boost your circulation. When you move around, your muscles produce heat. This heat production helps to regulate your body temperature and keep you warm. You can schedule a time to go for a walk, do some household chores, run an errand or exercise to help you stay active. If you spend most of your time at the office, use your lunch break period to do an activity.
2. Layering Up Your Clothes
Instead of choosing to wear a thick piece of clothing, it is best to layer up. You can do this by wearing base layers such as a long-sleeved top, thick vest or a pull neck. Base layers work well to trap heat. Then you can add a jacket, coat or sweater as an outer layer. If you still end up feeling cold, scarves and shawls also work well in terms of layering.
3. Taking hot beverages and meals
When I was a child, I remember seeing my grandparents taking tea a lot during the cold weather season. I used to think it was because old people love tea. However, as I grew up, I realized it was a hack they used to stay warm.
Hot meals and beverages help to keep your body warm from the inside. Once you are done cooking, try your best to have your meal while it is still hot. Take time to also make tea, coffee and hot cocoa. You can also try out different soup recipes. The simmering pot will also help to generate heat in the kitchen, thus warming up your space.
4. Ensuring Your Doors and Windows are Shut
Leaving doors and windows open is one of the easiest ways to lose heat in your home. Keeping the two closed will help to trap heat in the room, thereby maintaining warmth for a long period. The bottom of the door is usually the hardest place to shut, but that’s where draught excluders come in handy.
You can create your own draught excluder using a pair of tights. Stuff the tights with some socks until it is full and then seal the open end. Alternatively, you can use a bunch of towels, especially old long towels.
5. Keeping Your Feet Warm
Have you ever wondered why, even after wearing warm clothes, you still feel cold? This is because we lose a lot of heat through our feet. Therefore, by warming your feet, you instantly feel warmer. A budget-friendly way to ensure this is by wearing socks and slippers around the house. You can also invest in warm fluffy house shoes and, as for the socks, go for thick socks to help insulate your feet. 7 Ways To Keep Your Feet Warm During The Cold Season
6. Spending More Time Upstairs
Hot air rises, so if you have multiple levels in your home, then you should consider spending more time upstairs. This will make it easier for you to take advantage of the warmer air there. If possible, you can even move your TV or home office upstairs to help you feel cosier.
7. Using a Hot Water Bottle
Hot water bottles are not only handy during period days, but they also help a lot when it is chilly. They are a budget-friendly way to stay warm and you simply just have to boil water and add it to the bottle. The fact that you can carry it around makes it an even better choice to warm up. 7 Benefits Of Hot Water Bottles
8. Using a Humidifier
Humid air is usually much warmer than dry air, so getting yourself a humidifier is one of the best ways to stay warm. Humidifiers also help to soothe your nose and throat, thereby reducing your chances of struggling with cold symptoms. They are also budget-friendly. Lifestyle: Considerations When Buying A Humidifier Or Diffuser
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