Readers Respond: How do you stay warm without turning up the heat?

Responses: 50

By Erin Huffstetler, About.com Guide

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don't ditch your tights, leggings or other workout gear in the winter, wear it under your clothes. Less bulky and keeps you warmer.
—fiandshalimar

stay with friends, family, pets anything that is warm even small things such as mice or rabbits.;)
—Guest Friendly

If you have a cat with long hair coat, let the cat stay on the same spot for 15 minutes and then the spot it stayed on is warm. You sit on the spot and your warm for free.
—Guest guest hi

I love shawls, either alone or over a coat, and I wear them out all the time. But I didn't want to wear them around the house. I can knit and crochet, but in not much more than a straight line; so I separated leftover yarn into "acrylic" and "woo,l" and made very wide scarves of each. They're perfect for what I wanted and the scrap yarn has yielded some interesting color combos.
—mountainbrd

My windows are circa 1929 so it can get cold. I put weatherstripping on some of them, and a heat-retention film on the ones I don't need to open. I always wear slippers lined with raw wool and have lots of cozy blankets available in the living room. We also leave the bathroom door open after a bath to let the humidity into the rest of the house. Another great option to increase the humidity is to soak bar towels in water, wring them out and place on the hot-water radiators. As they dry they humidify the air.
—Guest pixie

Forget the standard hot water bottle. Get a stainless steel water bottle with a hard plastic cap. Fill with hot tap water and stick it in a tube sock. Much better than a cold bed, and it never leaks.
—Guest Cold Johnson

Layering up clothes helps to keep the heat in. Wearing a pair of longjohns or leggings underneath my jeans keeps the wind from hitting my skin. Wool socks are fantastic for staying warm as well. I have two comforters on my bed and flannel sheets. I also wrap my legs in a fleece blanket, because my feet are always so cold! Hot cocoa and/or hot oatmeal helps warm me up too :)
—Guest Lauren

Candles and Oil lamps are a great way to keep warm. Buy votive candles when they are on clearance, or make your own by filling various sized holders with left over wax. I have 7 candles hanging on the wall near my entry way and up my stairs. Warms the air, and rises making the upstairs a bit warmer. You can also light several in any room the family is sitting in to keep things warm I light a few in my bedroom too when I read at night. Be careful about the fire hazard and don't light them near curtains, etc..
—Guest LeannY

If you cant get warm at night no matter how many blankets you pile on top of you, try tucking a few of them under you. Metal is a strong thermal conductor and will quite literally suck the warmth out of you, and that includes the metal springs in most mattresses.
—Guest 42crossroads

Put on heavier clothes instead of light clothes in layers, that way the heat can stay inside the clothing instead of seeping through the light layers.
—Guest Katherine

We purchased a Ben Frankin Wood Burning Stove, and it's a great investment cuz it gets us toasty warm (w/o the house heat on), its soooo romantic (day & night) and a large portion of the house heats up too.
—Guest Maggie Darrell

We sleep in our sleeping bags on cold nights. Most are warm down to at least 40 degrees. We also keep a space heater in the bathroom to take the chill off when showering.
—Guest yooby2

I crochet for a living...so while I'm working or even just watching tv I always have something I'm making draped over me. I also make plenty of hats and scarves for everyone I know. I make a point to also bake everyday, so the oven does a fine job of heating our home.
—nessi74

Red wine and never having the heating up too high - if you are in a hot country use AC sparingly to allow yourself to get used to the climate, same goes for the chill. And a cosy jumper
—Guest The King of Scaff

Erin Huffstetler
Frugal Living Guide