5 Easy Warm Home Hacks for When Money is Low

*This is a collaborative post.

There are tons of warm home hacks that can help you stave off the cold when money is low. However, some require an upfront investment. So before you go spending money you don’t have, you can give these a try first, from draught-proofing the home to keeping heat inside.

Monitor Gas and Electricity Usage

Smart meters are excellent for keeping tabs on what you use, and you can also use apps from some providers. Balancing gas systems with electric water heating can help you make the most of a dual-fuel provider and keep costs as low as possible when tariffs are high. This can be especially helpful when you have higher charges at specific times of the day or when trying to offset rising prices. Apps can offer valuable insights into how much you use and when.

Draught-Proof the Home

One of the most talked about ways of warming the house is draught-proofing. This is important because it means keeping cold air leaks from coming inside and cooling the air. When this happens, it means your heating system needs to work harder, costing more money. To find draughts, use a candle around a suspected window or door and watch for a flicker. It’s then a case of sealing the draught using weather stripping, excluders and caulking if necessary.

Warm Home Hacks with the Sun

Did you know that there is an infinite source of energy you can get for free? The sun is a powerful aid when trying to keep your home warm, even in the winter. When saving money around the home, you can use the sun to your advantage. For example, if it is bright, you can open the curtains and allow the sun to heat a room through double-paned glass. Even in winter, this can be so strong that it increases the temperature by a few degrees while using less gas.

Buy Some Heat-Preserving Products

Like draught-proofing keeps cold air out, there are some helpful products that can help keep the heat inside. One of the most popular is reflective foil for the radiator that helps prevent heat loss through the walls. People report mixed results with this, so buy enough for one radiator and test it first. You can also buy fan devices that you can mount on top of radiators to blow hot air into the room. These are excellent for smaller rooms, and they cost almost nothing to operate.

Heat the Human, Not the Home

One of the most beneficial ways to stay warm is by heating yourself instead of the home. If you typically stay in one room all day, such as the living room, this philosophy can save you a lot of money. To start, switch off the radiators in rooms you never enter. Then think about personal warmth. House coats and robes are a great start. However, you can also buy products such as thermal underclothes that make a massive difference, hand warmers and insulated blankets.

Summary

Monitoring how much gas and electricity you use is one of the most useful warm home hacks when money is low, as it allows you to use data to make adjustments. You can also use the sunlight to warm a room, and personal warmth products can save a lot on heating bills.