25 Cheap ways to Stay Warm without Turning on the Furnace

It’s chilly! But we’re not turning on the furnace - yet! In this video we discuss 25 cheap ways to stay warm in your home without relying solely on the furnace. We set a goal of reaching November 1st before turning on the furnace. These tips will help you lower utility bills and prepare for cold winter weather.

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We're Hope and Larry and we love practical frugality. We raised our four sons, debt-free, including paying cash for our home when our income was well under the national average. For tips on saving money, budgeting, paying off debt, and setting goals (while living with a spirit of joy and abundance), subscribe to us here on YouTube and visit us at our website and on social media.

Information on Under the Median represents our opinions only. We are not medical doctors, medical professionals, nutritionists, or investment professionals. All content found on Under the Median is intended for informational purposes only. Please be sure to exercise due diligence and always contact a professional with any questions you may have regarding any information you have seen or heard on our YouTube channel. Use caution when following instructions in this video. The creator and publisher of this video will not be held responsible for any adverse effects that may arise from the use of any method on this channel.

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[Carol-qm]

50 years ago when I was on my own for the fist time, I lived in an older mobile home. It was very cold. Once I had to use a blow dryer to get my door open so I could go to work. I made what I called quilteds. I stapled velcro around the windows and sewed velcro to the finished edges of the home sewed quilts that fit the windows. This made it livable. Thanks for all this good advice.

[tawnaparko]

I hate to add a little warning. I live in an area where it can get to -10 degrees Fahrenheit. I was very comfortable at night but froze pipes in a heated basement. I keep the thermostats at 65 degrees. It's cheaper than the plumber.

[VickiGraham-cxiz]

Sitting on the couch under a heated throw, 75lb German Shepherd Dog sleeping next to me on the couch with his head in my lap, warming my legs and feet, Cup of hot organic soymilk sweetened with maple syrup held to warm the hands. Wearing flannel pajamas, socks and a fleece robe. Trying to make it to Nov 1st before turning on the furnace. A heated throw and a beloved dog will help me get there.

[diannehicks]

As a retired nurse in a hospital, we had a blanket warmer for our cold patients. So I have learned to put blankets, socks, PJ's, house coats etc. in the dryer before bed. It warms you up really well and actually keeps you warm so you can sleep..

[annawarner]

I had no heat during last years artic storm in Ohio. I layered clothes, wore a jacket, drank warm beverages, battery heated socks and thermals and a small electric heater from Walmart. My fur babies helped too.

[AZHITW]

I live in Arizona so cold isn't an issue, but cooling during the hot months is a HUGE issue. My partner passed away so living within a budget just got a lot more important for me, all I did was reset my thermostat from 78 to 81 and thus far I've saved $787.40 in 10 months. Part of the savings was also a massive drop in laundry costs because stage 6 and 7 dementia meant I did lots of laundry. I live in a housing development with an HOA so I can't hang clothes out to dry, but I started using the garage to hang items to dry. Every little bit helps.

[evelinharmannfan]

If you don´t want to use food for draft catchers, you can use sand (pet food aisle) as a filling instead. And for heating pad fillings you can use cleaned cherry 🍒 stones. (just wash the pits thoroughly after eating cherries, 🍒and dry them). They have a great thermal mass and release a nice constant warmth. In Germany we call them "Kischkernkissen" (cherry pit pillow) 🙂

[iHeartAmySue]

When I lived in the big woods of Pennsylvania, we lived with only a woodstove for heat. The milk could be left out on the counter overnight, and it would freeze overnight. My daughter was young, from 2 to 7 years old, and the house would drop to 30° on cold winter nights. We’d get the house up to 68 by the time she woke up in the early morning. My daughter used a sleeping bag meant for cold temps along with extra bedding. I used about 4 thick blankets. Let me tell you something, we never got sick - not once actually. She lived her entire childhood, not knowing what being sick was. One time, someone asked her to blow her nose, she didn’t know how to do it. There’s something about letting your house naturally drop to a lower temperature at night that I think either strengthens your immune systems or maybe killed the “bugs”. Idk but I miss that so much. I miss that life. . We couldn’t leave overnight all winter because the pipes would freeze. I miss that life. I’m going to try that again this winter. Nice thing is since we brought our daughter up that way she’s tough as nails and doesn’t even notice the cold. Anyone else have a similar experience?

[midtownfarmgirl]

During the recent TX winter storm with no power, I found sleeping with my fabric mask very comfortable. It was only 34 degrees inside the house and I could not sleep with a frozen nose until I thought to put on my mask.

[melstayton]

Water bottle with hot water works really well for keeping you warm while sleeping! Also socks and a hat helps a lot!

[traceyobrien]

When I worked as a Certified Nursing Assistant, I would sometimes be asked to warm up blankets in something called a blanket warmer. After placing the warm blanket on a patient, I was then instructed to place another blanket (unwarmed) on top of the first. This kept the patient quite warm by prolonging the warmth of the first blanket.

[SusanS]

First exposed to heated mattress pads on a trip to Scotland. It was late September and really chilly. We were staying in a stone cottage and I was sharing a bed with my mom. She made me get in first because the roomwas so cold. I braced to get in and then went aaah. The landlady had turned on all the mattress pads so that we’d sleep comfortably.

[morningloryke]

#1 best idea is the heated mattress pad! We have one with two units so we can both control our sides. We have found that if we turn it on 30 minutes before we turn them on 30 minutes or so before we turn in and climb in it is enough and can turn them off or leave on low, unless it's really cold. We live in Wisconsin in a 104 year old house :)

[cyndajo]

Love all the tips. I wanted to share one I recently learned. My desk (I work from home) is adjacent to my sliding glass door. I get a lot of draft from the door. Last winter I even had ice forming on the bottom metal trim around the glass- inside the house! I called maintenance (I’m in an apartment) they came out and checked and said there was nothing they could do. That prompted me to search for a method I could use to reduce the draft. You can insulate your windows with bubble wrap! Cut a piece the size of the window glass. Using a spray bottle of water, spray the window glass and the bubble side of the bubble wrap. Place the bubble wrap on the window, bubble side down and press into place. The bubble wrap will stay on the window until you’re ready to peel it off. When you do, there will not be any marks on the window. Be sure that you save your cut bubble wrap for use again the next winter. I’m bubble wrapping my sliding glass door this coming weekend.

[tmusa]

My husband grew up with a dad who is a thermostat tyrant. He was always cold. Now I pay the price! He states, “I’m not going to be cold.” He wears wool socks and long underwear, layers, heated mattress pad, space heater, four blankets, pellet burner, and furnace have all been used in October in Iowa already. 😅

[me]

After spending almost a whole year in Germany, I've learned to live without air conditioning. German homes don't have AC units, and the furnaces are used sparingly, especially given the current situation. So if you really want to learn how to save money on heating and cooling, ask a German or someone who has lived there for awhile.

[RetiredLovingIt]

Honestly, I don’t understand why people get on ‘team hold out’ and refuse to turn the heat on until a certain date on the calendar. We’ve worked hard our entire lives & neither of us likes to be cold….so heat it is. Great information on how to keep warm

[MelodyAnn]

We also live in Illinois and know all too well how cold our winters can get.
My husband is 72 and because of health issues, his weight has dropped to 125 lbs with no muscle mass.
He freezes in the fall and winter, so when I saw Larry's heated vest. I knew I had to order one. Thank you!

[annawarner]

I hung plastic shower curtains then hung my drapes and boy that made a huge difference!

[dennismilby]

If I work outside in the winter I spray antiperspirant (not deodorant) on my feet. This keeps your feet dry so they don"t get moist and cold. It really works !!!!