Cheap bastards, give me your favorite money saving tips.

fisky wrote:

Electric bill...

Learn how to use a fan. Moving air is cooler so a fan or ceiling fan will be cooler, but it's still mostly moving hot air. When it's cooler outside than inside, as at night in summer where I live, open your bedroom window and put a fan blowing out on the opposite side of the house. It will cool the bedroom first by pulling the cooler outside air in the bedroom window and eventually cool the rest of the house by morning.

Use linen sheets in the summer (cooler) and flannel sheets or even micro fleece blankets instead of sheets in the winter. Turn the thermostat way down or even off at night in the winter. In winter, wear fleece pajamas, loose wool socks, or even a nightshirt with a hoodie. Sleeping in a very cold room is actually very comfortable. Getting up is uncomfortable, but that's where the parabolic heaters come into play... see below.

Close off rooms and the air vents in rooms you don't use.

Learn how to use ceiling fans. They can blow up or down. Set the fan to move hot air from the ceiling down to you in the winter and the opposite in summer. The optimal setting will depend on where you sit in the room relative to the fan.

Use parabolic space heaters. These heaters send instant, directional heat directly to you and use a third less watts than a traditional space heater. These are AWESOME. Costco has them in fall for $69 or so. They are WAY better than traditional space heaters.

In winter when the sun is shining, open the curtains on the south side of the house to get solar heating. close the curtains at night to provide extra insulation. In summer, close the curtains.

To check for drafts in the winter, use a lighted incense stick and check the edges of windows, doors, power outlets, fireplace, etc. for drafts. Normally, the smoke should curl slowly up. If it blows down or away from the window, door, etc, you have found a draft. Seal it. If you have drafty doors that you can't really seal, hang a heavy blanket or plastic sheet over it in winter.

If you live in an arid area, a wet cloth or towel in front or behind a floor fan will provide evaporative cooling and humidify the dry air.

Adjust your meals. We have soups, stews, and chili in the winter and switch to cold dishes in the summer. These hot dishes warm you. In summer, avoid a lot of prolonged cooking. The AC will have to work harder to offset the 400 degree heat produced by the oven. Plus, hot food will make you feel hotter. In summer, I'll have frozen smoothies a lot more often than in the winter. A frozen smoothie is a great way to cool off, especially after a hot summer run.