Winter Warmers: 5 Energy Saving Tips
Winter is a tough time on your pockets. Unfortunately, Christmas and expenditure go hand in hand: presents, wrapping paper, decorations, travelling home – the list goes on and on. Add the cost of increased utilities to the mix and it doesn’t get any easier for the student on a shoestring budget. Our five energy saving tips may just help your pulverized pockets find some relief this winter.
Share the Lovin’, Open your Oven
You’ve cooked a lovely meal (well, pasta bake, but y’know), but what happens to the residual heat gathered in your oven after you turn it off? Well, it slowly cools and disappears. Oh. That’s a lot of heat built up to then be wasted like that, so once you’ve finished cooking, open up your oven door and let it warm the room – you’ve already paid for the heat, may as well use it! Don’t mistake this advice for ‘cook with the oven door open’, that’s probably not a good idea.
WWOD?
Ask yourself a question I ask myself every day – what would an onion do? The answer is obvious – wear lots of layers! Be inspired by our allium friend and layer up this winter. Whilst sitting around, either watching TV or writing an essay, bang on a few extra jumpers – the additional warmth and festive feeling won’t just save on the heating, but will also extend to your writing, meaning that lingering essay will just fly by! Probably.
Run, Run Rudolph, Santa’s got to make it to Town
Allow me if you will to delve into some biological theory. I read in a book (well, an NHS pamphlet, but humour me) that sitting stationary lowers your heartbeat; running or moving around raises it. But wait, there’s more! Raising your heartbeat warms you up – magic eh? So, if you’re feeling chilly on the couch, get moving! Hey, any form of exercise will do, even running up and down the stairs a few times will help you keep your hands off the thermostat. Worth a go, eh?
Draught Day
Your nan probably had a draught excluder – it was possibly shaped like a snake or a dog. You may or may not have found it equal parts hilarious and pointless. Your nan was onto something though, particularly in older houses draughts can really cause a chilly problem – simple draught excluders at your doors will really help keep you warm whilst reducing the heating bill too. It doesn’t have to be complex, or snake-shaped; some old pillows will do the trick. Oh, and while you’re draught-proofing the house – draw your curtains to stop heat escaping from the windows, and cover keyholes with a magnet too. It’s the little things.
We gonna Rock down to Electric Blanket Avenue
Here’s another grandmother’s classic – the humble ‘leccy blanket. A staple of every airing cupboard from the 80s, sometimes the classics are worth revisiting. The merits of an electric blanket are pretty obvious – it’s a blanket that warms up! Wow! The electric blanket has come on a bit in recent(ish) times, you can now get electric throw blankets as well as your old-school mattress topper, meaning you can wrap yourself up in a furry blanket, turn it on and enjoy. You’ll never have to use the heating again.
