Free Heat 2by Mary Ann Romans | More from this Blogger 06 Jan 2009 08:55 AM
Our home is zoned into two zones for heat. Because of this, I usually keep the upstairs heat turned on only enough to keep the pipes from freezing during the day. It gets very cold up there. However, when I iron I am soon pretty warm, The ambient heat coming off of the iron and ironing board is enough to keep my comfortable. Free heat can also be had if you have any baking to do. Since we cook from scratch 95 percent of the time, there is a good chance that I can find some excuse to use the oven! If you need an excuse, try some freezer cooking. You can also build your own solar heater using common materials. Check out this YouTube video that shows you how to create your own solar system for heating water. Sometimes having direct heat can make the temperature of the whole house feel warmer. There are days when I get up very early and am reluctant to turn on the downstairs heat just for myself. On those mornings, when it is 57 degrees indoors, I will just heat up a microwavable heating pad (or fill an old sock with rice) and place it on my lap while I work at the computer. Okay, so the electricity to have the microwave on for two minutes costs something, but I still consider this free heat. Finally, if you home is just too cold, try going elsewhere for the day or at least a few hours. A mall (provided you don't shop), an indoor attraction (we have a lovely place to go to for which we own a membership), or even a sympathetic friend can provide some free heat along with entertainment or social engagement. Mary Ann Romans writes about everything related to saving money in the Frugal Blog, creating a home in the Home Blog, caring for little ones in the Baby Blog and now relationships in the Marriage Blog. You can read more of her articles by clicking here or subscribe to the blog using the subscription box on the right. Favorite Deal Websites: Related Articles: Using Blankets to Block Drafts Getting Serious About Heat Conservation Getting Serious About Heat Conservation Part 2 Learn more about Mary Ann Romans  Mary Ann Romans is a freelance writer, wife and mother of three children. She lives in Pennsylvania with her husband, the kids and a 16-pound cat. Relevantfrugal tags User Comments No comments on this article yet. Be the first to comment! Community Tags conservation, energy bills, frugal living, Heat, save money on heat Discuss this article
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