Frugal Ways To Keep Warm In Your Home This Winter

Looking for some cheap easy and above all frugal ways to keep warm in your home this winter? It seems to have suddenly got colder here where I am. But there are some great ways in which you can keep warmer at home without breaking the bank.

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Frugal Ways To Keep Warm In Your Home This Winter

If you are looking after the pennies and trying to live life in a more sustainable way, then you will no doubt not wish to waste energy. Nobody wants to spend more money than is needed on staying warm. And I do personally want to stay warm whilst being more environmentally friendly. So how to do this?

Are you one of those houses where there is a constant battle over the thermostat? Or are you living with parents or housemates who are constantly turning the heating down to save money? 

How do you save money and stay warm in your home this winter? Maybe some of these tips will work for you.

Wear More Layers Indoors

While a lot of people may think this is self explanatory, others do forget that this is the easiest and most frugal way to stay warmer. Pull on a jumper. Wear socks, wool and merino socks are incredibly warm. Get some slippers. And if you are really cold, wear a hat. You do lose so much heat out of your extremities, so slippers and a hat really do help.

I thought my gorgeous OH was mad for buying me a Slanket last Christmas. But sometimes its lovely to be under a blanket on the sofa!

Put Rugs On Bare Floors

Rugs are great insulators, and can easily be rolled up and put away when not being used in the summer. They can also be used on large walls and thrown over beds and sofas. Too expensive an option? Why not make your own using old clothes?

Cover your Outer Doorframes

Doors and frames can let through a lot of draughts. Before I got a new kitchen complete with new back door, my old door was a real heat escape. We used to place a blanket over the door to help insulate it. Why not make a door covering with an old curtain or thick sheet? This can stop a lot of the draughts.

Furthermore, you could make a snake draught stopper for the bottom of the door. Or use a rolled up towel to stop draughts from coming in.

Shut Inner Doors

Shutting inner doors keeps rooms warmer, stopping the warmer air escaping into the colder areas of the house.

Supercharge your Radiators

You could always try the time-old method of putting aluminium foil behind your radiators to reflect heat back into the room. However, this really only works if your radiators are on exterior walls, not interior walls, and there are some much better materials out there, such as this reflector bubble insulation, which reflects the heat back and insulates against any heat being absorbed by the wall.

You could also try a Radfan, which senses when the central heating radiator heats up and channels the warmed air further into the room.

Lastly, if your radiators are old maybe they just are not efficient any longer. Why not consider getting some Designer Electric Radiators instead?

Ensure Your Boiler Is Efficient

It is worth making sure that your boiler is serviced and looked after regularly to ensure that it is running efficiently. How old is your boiler? What sort of boiler is it? Do you know how to care for it properly? It may be worth investing in a service or putting your boiler onto a maintainance programme to keep on top of its condition.

A common issue in really cold weather with condensation boilers is that the piping that goes outside of the house can freeze, leading to the boilers switching off. Does your boiler start to play up in freezing cold weather? You can get pipe lagging and specialised equipment to prevent this from happening. Or you could spend winter with a kettle trying to unfreeze your pipes!

Another common problem with boilers and heating systems is a loss of pressure. We recently had this issue. It occurs from time to time with our boiler, but luckily my other half was shown a simple fix to restore the pressure at our last boiler service. Phew! Large call out charge and engineer cost averted.

Finally, do you know how to bleed and maintain your radiators? It is worth bleeding your radiators regularly to ensure that they are efficient. Plus, it is worth making sure that your radiators are serviced and flushed regularly. The dirt and grime that builds up if a central heating system is never flushed can make the whole system less easy to heat. 

Insulate Your Windows

Your windows, like your doors, are where a lot of the heat can escape, even if you do have double glazing.

• Make sure all around the frames are sealed with window sealant. I like this one, no gun needed and no mess, do all your windows and any other little jobs.
• Use a window insulation kit – I swore by kits like these in my university days. You place the film over the whole window opening and then tighten the film using a hairdryer.
• You could even use bubble wrap over windows where you do not need to see out.
• Lastly, do use thermal or thick curtains. 

Keep your Bed Warm

Switch to a thicker duvet. Use flannelette sheets rather than cotton. Invest in throws to make your bed super cosy. And why not buy a hot water bottle or make a heat pack to snuggle down with on those cold nights?

Insulate Your Loft Or Attic

This is one of the best investments you can make, as well as wall insulation if this is needed. It really will save you a lot of money and make your home more energy efficient. As well as making it more attractive should you wish to sell further down the line.

Switch To A Cheaper Energy Tariff

Shop around for your energy. You can often make savings as with everything else, unless you are locked into a deal.

So, this winter, hope that some of these frugal ways to keep warm in your home this winter work for you? Do let me know if there are other tips that we could all use to save some cash. Tell me in the comments below, or on social media.

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