5 Simple Winter Hacks that Help You Save Money

Winter is the time, when you seek warmth, as the air outside turns cold and frost bitten. This is the perfect time to spend time with family and friends or in quiet contemplation by the fireside. Nothing can be cozier than tucking your feet under thick blanket and sipping endless cups of hot, steaming chocolate.

That said, winter has its downside too. There are the seasonal allergies to take care of and the occasional flus that  manifest and long before you know it, the pocket which keeps your palms warm, has a dent. Your bank balance looks bleak and you begin to wonder, where all the money has gone. If you go through the above, mind numbing experience every winter, perhaps you need to introspect

Go through the hacks below to sail through the winter months with ease and have the rosy hue on your cheeks intact.

Switch over to CFL Bulbs

With winter, come cold, grey skies and dark rooms. Voluntarily, we find ourselves switching on the lights even during day times.  But do you know that light bulbs consume the most power?  To overcome this problem, you can switch over to CFL bulbs.  Since, these bulbs consume up to 75% less energy, your electricity bill will no longer be the cause for your sleepless nights.

Shield your Windows

Your windows are the leeways through which the cold air from outside enters your house.  Even when they are tightly bolted, a current of cold air always finds its way through the tiny crack. That is when you find yourself raising the temperature of the room heater. Hence, this winter invest in heavy curtains for your windows; or better still throw a heavy blanket over them. This will trap the warmth of the room inside and will keep the chill at bay.

Welcome the Sunshine

Winter makes us awfully lazy at times. We would rather sit, with our toes curled, inside a warm rug and turn up the thermostat, than opening the windows. But this winter, when the Sun is bright outside, throw open the windows and let your rooms be  heated naturally. Sunlight is rich in Vitamin D. You will find all your winter inertia melting away as the Sunlight pours into your rooms.

Pad yourself with warm clothes.

Do you know that heating and cooling your home takes a major chunk of your electricity bill?  Hence this winter, invest in a warm hoodie, a pair of warm mittens and comfortable socks. Cover yourself with layers of warm clothes even when you are indoors. By doing this, you won’t be turning up the thermostat very frequently and your electricity bill won’t bear the brunt of the winter cold.

Try these Time Tested Mini Hacks

• Purchase a few sets of bright colored flannel sheets. They are warm, cozy and apart from saving on the power costs, will lend a cheerful ambiance to your rooms.
• If you have just baked something in the oven, leave the door open for some time. For sometime at least, the air in your living space will turn warm.
• Leave hot water bottles on your bed, before jumping into it.
• Exercise and sweat it out. It is a sure shot way of keeping the cold at bay and you won’t be needing those room heaters.

When you follow all the tips above, you can bask in the winter glow without having to worry about escalating bills and depleting finances.

Sridevi Datta is a Cost Accountant. After working as a Business-SME in a leading E-learning centre, she now  blogs regularly at The Write Journey.