Our consumer culture is fixated on going to the mall or shopping online. For those with limited funds or a desire for a less financially precarious life, there are many ways to get things that will enrich your life without spending money or stepping foot in a store.
PaperBackSwap. If you love to read, this really should be your go-to source for reading material. I have hundreds of books that I bought years ago and will never read again. I listed them on the site, and now I'm getting more books to read at no cost (besides shipping my books to other readers). A lot of the books that I've requested were impossible to find at used book stores and expensive on Amazon. Add to this the rich community among swappers and this site has my official recommendation.
Dumpster diving. This isn't for everyone; I know that. For those of you who aren't queasy, jump right in. There are all sorts of goodies waiting for you. Of course, you can't expect to find exactly what you're looking for; you are subject to the whims of those cleaning house. However, sometimes you do find exactly what you're looking for. One night after a concert, Trucker and I were taking a walk around the neighborhood. I decided right then and there to godiving and reached in to a dumpster. I pulled out a lovely, working lamp with lampshade. This was just a few days after I had decided to find another lamp for the living room. Another time I found a copy of a novel that I had loved as a kid, and enjoyed reading it again.
Library. Get your books, movies and magazines for free instead of paying for them. My public library system is so amazing that I cancelled Netflix and rarely rent movies anymore.
Freecycle. Join your local branch of Freecycle. You can clear out stuff that you no longer want or need and ask for things that you do need. Some of the items I've seen offered are quite generous, such as pianos, bikes and office chairs. Added benefits are the environmental impact of less waste and fewer items being produced and that wonderful community feeling.
Crackle offers a rotation of movies that you can watch for free. You don't have unlimited selection, but I often find something that I'd enjoy watching. I don't have to pay for the DVD, rental fees or the outrageous prices for a movie theater ticket.
Project Gutenberg is a great source of free ebooks either to read on your PC or portable reading device. 38,000 free books in the public domain are waiting for you; you're sure to find something you'll enjoy reading.
Free boxes. Anytime I'm at a coffeehouse or a yard sale and I see a free box, I check it out. I've found good magazines and books, silly little kitchen gadgets and even clothes in my size in these free boxes. Once I found a Marc Jacobs jacket that was my size, in a color that looked great on me. It was missing a button, but I had some buttons at home and easily swapped them out.
Swaps. Have similar friends over for a swap meet. If many of your friends are film buffs, bring DVDs. If they are science fiction readers, bring novels. If you have several friends of roughly the same size, bring clothes to try on and trade; if your friends are all different sizes, swap accessories or jewelry. Make sure you each bring some booze or chocolate to really make it a party.
Thursday, February 16, 2012
Saturday, February 4, 2012
Saving Your Cell Phone
Twice I've dropped my phone in water.
The first time it was into a toilet. The second time it was in a pair of pants that went into the wash. It went through an entire wash cycle and banged around in the dryer for a bit before I got it out. I still use the phone.
Each time, as soon as possible, I took the phone apart and placed it into an ice cream tub (you can use any resealable container) and poured white rice over it to completely cover it. I left it for 24 hours. Each time, it started back up and I could continue to use it (after, of course, thoroughly sanitizing!).
I buy my rice in bulk for around $.75 a pound. I use about a pound of rice each time. I use a crappy cheap phone that costs $50. My cell carrier charges $20 to switch phones. So I saved $140 for the cost of $1.50 of rice. I've heard that more pricey phones rarely recover from water damage (I don't have personal experience as my $50 phone is the most expensive one I've ever owned), but the payoff would be greater if it does work. It's worth a shot.
Happy living!
The first time it was into a toilet. The second time it was in a pair of pants that went into the wash. It went through an entire wash cycle and banged around in the dryer for a bit before I got it out. I still use the phone.
Each time, as soon as possible, I took the phone apart and placed it into an ice cream tub (you can use any resealable container) and poured white rice over it to completely cover it. I left it for 24 hours. Each time, it started back up and I could continue to use it (after, of course, thoroughly sanitizing!).
I buy my rice in bulk for around $.75 a pound. I use about a pound of rice each time. I use a crappy cheap phone that costs $50. My cell carrier charges $20 to switch phones. So I saved $140 for the cost of $1.50 of rice. I've heard that more pricey phones rarely recover from water damage (I don't have personal experience as my $50 phone is the most expensive one I've ever owned), but the payoff would be greater if it does work. It's worth a shot.
Happy living!
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Doing Good When You Don't Have Extra Cash
We all want to make the world a better place. There are no shortage of causes in need of support, but throwing money at the problem isn't always the best option. If you have barely enough money to make rent, you can't make a big cash donation to any cause, regardless of it's merit. But even if you don't have an extra $20, you can still make a difference.
* Volunteer at a soup kitchen. It takes a lot of work to feed several hundred people in an afternoon. Stop in for a few hours to help cook, serve or clean up. An added bonus is that they usually serve you lunch as well.
* Make it social. Years ago, I met every Tuesday with a group of wonderful women in Chicago. We crocheted, knitted and sewed all sorts of items to donate to organizations in our neighborhood. Baby items went to the hospital down the street for low income mothers. Lapghans went to the nursing home. Clothes, afghans and toys went to the neighborhood "free store". We had a wealthy sponsor who supplied us with any materials and tools we needed, and many people in the community would bring in crafting materials from family members' estates or leftover from their own projects. We would look online for patterns to print out and share. It was one of the highlights of each week to meet with these wonderful women and make things that would help the people in our community.
* Aid free access to knowledge. Project Gutenberg offers free downloads of over 38,000 eBooks that are in the public domain. Volunteers through Distributed Proofreaders (http://www.pgdp.net/c/) check over pages that are scanned to make sure each character matches the original page. It can take as little as a few minutes of time to contribute to free access to learning.
* Extreme coupon. If you have a knack for combining sales, manufacturer's coupons, store coupons, rebates and clearance items to get free or almost free items, you can donate items to those in need. Food pantries, homeless shelters, free stores and women's shelters need a variety of goods and you can provide them. This can be a very time-effective way to donate, as you can shop for donation items as you do your regular shopping.
Update 5/5/2013
* If you have friends and family members who are struggling, offer to help them stretch their dollars. For example, look out for really good prices on items they use and scoop them up. Once I found cereal on sale for $.25 a box; I bought 50 boxes and distributed it among many families. They can repay you the purchase price. You don't lose any money, but they get a steep discount that can help to make ends meet.
* Invite someone over for dinner. If you know someone who is struggling to make ends meet, or is lonely (perhaps someone recently widowed or divorced or on their own for the first time), or doesn't know how to cook, invite them over for a great home cooked meal. Make it a nice one, but it doesn't have to be costly. Grill out bargain purchased sausages (we sometimes find a sale at Meijer: Buy 7 items get 7 off, and the sausages end up being $.79-1.29 a package) and some seasonal produce along with a pitcher of lemonade or iced tea. Or make pasta with garlic bread or stir fry with home made fried rice.
* Sometimes when someone is really poor and just establishing themselves, they are stuck eating fast food (which is more costly and far less nutritious than cooking at home) because they don't have basic kitchen wares. While at thrift stores and yard sales, keep an eye out for decent quality skillets, pots, slow cookers, spatulas, etc. I keep a large box of such items to distribute whenever I hear of a need. I also look out for beginner's cookbooks. It doesn't cost much at all if you only scoop up items when you find them at an amazing bargain (I sometimes find skillets for $1-2).
* Teach someone frugality. Many people weren't raised to be frugal and it can be hard to figure it all out. Teach someone valuable skills to help them manage their money better or to stretch a tiny budget. Skills such as gardening, mending clothing, cooking from scratch, or basic car maintenance can really save a lot of money. You can also take someone thrifting for the first time and show them how to really shop so they get what they need at a bargain, but don't spend a ton of money just because it's cheap. If someone really trusts you, you can even go over their budget with them and help them make a financial plan.
* Use bag sales for others benefit. If you are at a yard sale or thrift store during a bag sale (Fill a bag for $X), but have room left in the bag after you pick out what you want/need, fill it the rest of the way with items to give away. You can put winter hats and scarves in the bag to donate to a homeless shelter. If you know of something a friend/coworker/family member needs, put it in the bag.
What are your ideas? How do you help others when you don't have extra cash?
Shared on:
* Volunteer at a soup kitchen. It takes a lot of work to feed several hundred people in an afternoon. Stop in for a few hours to help cook, serve or clean up. An added bonus is that they usually serve you lunch as well.
* Make it social. Years ago, I met every Tuesday with a group of wonderful women in Chicago. We crocheted, knitted and sewed all sorts of items to donate to organizations in our neighborhood. Baby items went to the hospital down the street for low income mothers. Lapghans went to the nursing home. Clothes, afghans and toys went to the neighborhood "free store". We had a wealthy sponsor who supplied us with any materials and tools we needed, and many people in the community would bring in crafting materials from family members' estates or leftover from their own projects. We would look online for patterns to print out and share. It was one of the highlights of each week to meet with these wonderful women and make things that would help the people in our community.
* Aid free access to knowledge. Project Gutenberg offers free downloads of over 38,000 eBooks that are in the public domain. Volunteers through Distributed Proofreaders (http://www.pgdp.net/c/) check over pages that are scanned to make sure each character matches the original page. It can take as little as a few minutes of time to contribute to free access to learning.
* Extreme coupon. If you have a knack for combining sales, manufacturer's coupons, store coupons, rebates and clearance items to get free or almost free items, you can donate items to those in need. Food pantries, homeless shelters, free stores and women's shelters need a variety of goods and you can provide them. This can be a very time-effective way to donate, as you can shop for donation items as you do your regular shopping.
Update 5/5/2013
* If you have friends and family members who are struggling, offer to help them stretch their dollars. For example, look out for really good prices on items they use and scoop them up. Once I found cereal on sale for $.25 a box; I bought 50 boxes and distributed it among many families. They can repay you the purchase price. You don't lose any money, but they get a steep discount that can help to make ends meet.
* Invite someone over for dinner. If you know someone who is struggling to make ends meet, or is lonely (perhaps someone recently widowed or divorced or on their own for the first time), or doesn't know how to cook, invite them over for a great home cooked meal. Make it a nice one, but it doesn't have to be costly. Grill out bargain purchased sausages (we sometimes find a sale at Meijer: Buy 7 items get 7 off, and the sausages end up being $.79-1.29 a package) and some seasonal produce along with a pitcher of lemonade or iced tea. Or make pasta with garlic bread or stir fry with home made fried rice.
* Sometimes when someone is really poor and just establishing themselves, they are stuck eating fast food (which is more costly and far less nutritious than cooking at home) because they don't have basic kitchen wares. While at thrift stores and yard sales, keep an eye out for decent quality skillets, pots, slow cookers, spatulas, etc. I keep a large box of such items to distribute whenever I hear of a need. I also look out for beginner's cookbooks. It doesn't cost much at all if you only scoop up items when you find them at an amazing bargain (I sometimes find skillets for $1-2).
* Teach someone frugality. Many people weren't raised to be frugal and it can be hard to figure it all out. Teach someone valuable skills to help them manage their money better or to stretch a tiny budget. Skills such as gardening, mending clothing, cooking from scratch, or basic car maintenance can really save a lot of money. You can also take someone thrifting for the first time and show them how to really shop so they get what they need at a bargain, but don't spend a ton of money just because it's cheap. If someone really trusts you, you can even go over their budget with them and help them make a financial plan.
* Use bag sales for others benefit. If you are at a yard sale or thrift store during a bag sale (Fill a bag for $X), but have room left in the bag after you pick out what you want/need, fill it the rest of the way with items to give away. You can put winter hats and scarves in the bag to donate to a homeless shelter. If you know of something a friend/coworker/family member needs, put it in the bag.
What are your ideas? How do you help others when you don't have extra cash?
Shared on:
Thursday, January 19, 2012
Cheaper Crafting
Crafting is typically a costly hobby, at least, if you get your supplies by running to the nearest chain crafting store to buy full-price supplies and tools. Fortunately for all you crafty folk out there, there you don't have pay full price.
* Shop the sales. Most items will go on sale at some point. Buy then; and, in fact, stock up! If your favorite type of yarn goes on sale for half price, buy enough for the next few projects. If card stock is on sale for 25% off, buy a little extra.
* Shop secondhand. At my favorite thrift store, I frequently find bags of yarn for $2 with three skeins in each bag. I don't have choice of color, but it forces me to be more creative in finding ways to use it up. I also find tools, cross-stitch patterns and rubber stamps.
* Use coupons. In the Sunday paper, the major hobby/craft stores offer a coupon for 40% off of one item. Use that coupon wisely and you can save significantly.
* Re-purpose thrift store items. Look at clothing, curtains and sheets as materials rather than items. Perhaps that hideous shirt has amazing buttons. Those curtains are too obnoxious to hang at the windows, but could make vibrant ties, scarves or skirts. Any knit sweater with yarn that hasn't felted can be unraveled and used to knit or crochet new items.
* Scavenge. Using trash for craft is a great way to save money while making some pretty cool stuff. Make beads out of magazine pages, earrings out of floppy disks and wall art from computer parts. You can create unique crafts while reducing the amount of material going to the landfill.
* Check out books from the library. I love leafing through crochet pattern books for inspiration, but never go back a second time. I stopped buying books and now check them out of the library. Most libraries have extensive crafting sections, and you can request on inter-library loan any book you can't find on the shelf.
* Create items that you would usually buy. Crochet washcloths instead of buying and you'll have a few extra dollars for yarn. Make your own beaded earrings and you won't have to spend a lot to accessorize, which leaves plenty of extra money for bead shopping. Knit warm fuzzy socks and not only will you save money by not buying socks, you can turn down the heat in winter for savings on your gas bill.
* Buy bulk lots online. Ebay is a great source of bulk lots of yarn and other crafting supplies at steep discounts. Buying pound skeins of yarn usually yields a lower price per yard than smaller skeins. Buying a package of a dozen crochet hooks will usually mean a lower price each than purchasing individually.
* Venture into nature. Pine cones, stones, shells and wild grasses can all be used in various crafts and can be acquired for free.
Happy living!
Shared on:
Homesteader's Hop
* Shop the sales. Most items will go on sale at some point. Buy then; and, in fact, stock up! If your favorite type of yarn goes on sale for half price, buy enough for the next few projects. If card stock is on sale for 25% off, buy a little extra.
* Shop secondhand. At my favorite thrift store, I frequently find bags of yarn for $2 with three skeins in each bag. I don't have choice of color, but it forces me to be more creative in finding ways to use it up. I also find tools, cross-stitch patterns and rubber stamps.
* Use coupons. In the Sunday paper, the major hobby/craft stores offer a coupon for 40% off of one item. Use that coupon wisely and you can save significantly.
* Re-purpose thrift store items. Look at clothing, curtains and sheets as materials rather than items. Perhaps that hideous shirt has amazing buttons. Those curtains are too obnoxious to hang at the windows, but could make vibrant ties, scarves or skirts. Any knit sweater with yarn that hasn't felted can be unraveled and used to knit or crochet new items.
* Scavenge. Using trash for craft is a great way to save money while making some pretty cool stuff. Make beads out of magazine pages, earrings out of floppy disks and wall art from computer parts. You can create unique crafts while reducing the amount of material going to the landfill.
* Check out books from the library. I love leafing through crochet pattern books for inspiration, but never go back a second time. I stopped buying books and now check them out of the library. Most libraries have extensive crafting sections, and you can request on inter-library loan any book you can't find on the shelf.
* Create items that you would usually buy. Crochet washcloths instead of buying and you'll have a few extra dollars for yarn. Make your own beaded earrings and you won't have to spend a lot to accessorize, which leaves plenty of extra money for bead shopping. Knit warm fuzzy socks and not only will you save money by not buying socks, you can turn down the heat in winter for savings on your gas bill.
* Buy bulk lots online. Ebay is a great source of bulk lots of yarn and other crafting supplies at steep discounts. Buying pound skeins of yarn usually yields a lower price per yard than smaller skeins. Buying a package of a dozen crochet hooks will usually mean a lower price each than purchasing individually.
* Venture into nature. Pine cones, stones, shells and wild grasses can all be used in various crafts and can be acquired for free.
Happy living!
Shared on:
Homesteader's Hop
Thursday, January 5, 2012
Why I Stopped Shopping
Years ago, I liked to shop. I would hit the malls or shopping districts a few times a week, always bringing home lots of cool stuff. My tiny studio apartment quickly became overloaded with all of these things that I thought I should own. For me, consumption was about trying to make myself feel better, to get a bit of happiness in a very unhappy life. I was working a job I disliked and I tried to assuage that frustration with clothes, books, movies and trinkets.It didn't work.
I am now an active anti-consumerist. I rarely buy things, and when I do, I consider whether it's needed or even really wanted. This aversion to buying stuff has enriched my life in many ways.
1. I save money. I used to spend a couple hundred dollars a week on things that I didn't use. That's over $10,000 a year. Instead of the money being spent on things that clutter my home, the money goes into savings for goals that really matter to me, like traveling, paying off debt, retirement, and buying a house.
2. My home feels better when it's clean. It's hard to keep a clean house when there's a lot of stuff.
3. I have more time. I am no longer spending time at the stores, so I have time to read, paint, hike, bike or go to concerts.
4. I have the option of working less. People commonly assume that the more you work, the more you can spend, but it's really the reverse. The more you spend, the more you have to work. By reducing my mindless consumption, I can work fewer hours each week and spend more time doing things that bring me pleasure. Alternately, I can work the same number of hours and bank the excess money and retire early.
5. I can spend ethically. I can spend my money at local places and support my community. I can buy organic produce or shop at farmers markets. I also refuse to buy anything from companies that don't live up to my high standards in the areas of environmental responsibility and worker wages/respect.
6. I save money on housing. The more stuff you have, the bigger your house needs to be (and the bigger your house is, the more stuff you'll be tempted to buy). Since I am no longer bringing "stuff" into my house, and am constantly looking for things that I no longer need to keep, I can get away with living in a smaller apartment or house. This saves hundreds of dollars just in rent/mortgage each month, and additionally saves on heating, decorating, property taxes and electricity.
7. I can have better things. Since I'm no longer buying for the sake of buying, I make sure I really want or need something before I buy it. Rather than having a dozen pairs of black dress shoes, I have one pair that fits well, is comfortable and that I get compliments on frequently. Rather than having an entire room filled with my books, many of which I will never read, I have a collection on topics I'm fascinated by and favorite authors. I read or reference all of my books often.
8. I can spend higher quality time with friends. I used to go shopping as my main social outlet. Of course, as soon as we walked in the stores, my friends and I would split into different directions. Now I can enjoy concerts, exercise, crafting and talking with friends.
9. I have more control over myself. Shopping is a lot like chocolate, alcohol or tobacco. It's not necessarily bad, but addiction can take hold and ruin your life. Just watch Hoarders. They feel that they can't stop shopping, even though they feel guilty when their kids can't sleep in their own beds or they can't get to the bathroom because of all the stuff. When I stopped mindlessly shopping, I regained control over myself. I still go to the stores occasionally, but I decide rationally what I need and what doesn't deserve a place in my home. I am in control.
10. I can really be happy. Even good stuff is never enough to fill the aching void. Eventually, I had to stop trying to fix my problems with shopping and figure out how to really be happy. Happiness isn't found at the mall or the mega box store. It's found out here.
Some inspiration and information on anti-consumerism:
George Carlin on "Stuff"
Reverend Billy and the Church of Life After Shopping (one of my personal heroes)
http://www.revbilly.com/
Shared on:
Homesteader's Hop
I am now an active anti-consumerist. I rarely buy things, and when I do, I consider whether it's needed or even really wanted. This aversion to buying stuff has enriched my life in many ways.
1. I save money. I used to spend a couple hundred dollars a week on things that I didn't use. That's over $10,000 a year. Instead of the money being spent on things that clutter my home, the money goes into savings for goals that really matter to me, like traveling, paying off debt, retirement, and buying a house.
2. My home feels better when it's clean. It's hard to keep a clean house when there's a lot of stuff.
3. I have more time. I am no longer spending time at the stores, so I have time to read, paint, hike, bike or go to concerts.
4. I have the option of working less. People commonly assume that the more you work, the more you can spend, but it's really the reverse. The more you spend, the more you have to work. By reducing my mindless consumption, I can work fewer hours each week and spend more time doing things that bring me pleasure. Alternately, I can work the same number of hours and bank the excess money and retire early.
5. I can spend ethically. I can spend my money at local places and support my community. I can buy organic produce or shop at farmers markets. I also refuse to buy anything from companies that don't live up to my high standards in the areas of environmental responsibility and worker wages/respect.
6. I save money on housing. The more stuff you have, the bigger your house needs to be (and the bigger your house is, the more stuff you'll be tempted to buy). Since I am no longer bringing "stuff" into my house, and am constantly looking for things that I no longer need to keep, I can get away with living in a smaller apartment or house. This saves hundreds of dollars just in rent/mortgage each month, and additionally saves on heating, decorating, property taxes and electricity.
7. I can have better things. Since I'm no longer buying for the sake of buying, I make sure I really want or need something before I buy it. Rather than having a dozen pairs of black dress shoes, I have one pair that fits well, is comfortable and that I get compliments on frequently. Rather than having an entire room filled with my books, many of which I will never read, I have a collection on topics I'm fascinated by and favorite authors. I read or reference all of my books often.
8. I can spend higher quality time with friends. I used to go shopping as my main social outlet. Of course, as soon as we walked in the stores, my friends and I would split into different directions. Now I can enjoy concerts, exercise, crafting and talking with friends.
9. I have more control over myself. Shopping is a lot like chocolate, alcohol or tobacco. It's not necessarily bad, but addiction can take hold and ruin your life. Just watch Hoarders. They feel that they can't stop shopping, even though they feel guilty when their kids can't sleep in their own beds or they can't get to the bathroom because of all the stuff. When I stopped mindlessly shopping, I regained control over myself. I still go to the stores occasionally, but I decide rationally what I need and what doesn't deserve a place in my home. I am in control.
10. I can really be happy. Even good stuff is never enough to fill the aching void. Eventually, I had to stop trying to fix my problems with shopping and figure out how to really be happy. Happiness isn't found at the mall or the mega box store. It's found out here.
Some inspiration and information on anti-consumerism:
George Carlin on "Stuff"
Reverend Billy and the Church of Life After Shopping (one of my personal heroes)
http://www.revbilly.com/
Shared on:
Homesteader's Hop
Thursday, December 22, 2011
Found artwork
One of my favorite pieces of artwork was saved from the trash. After salvaging parts from some old computers, I hung a couple pieces on the wall that I found particularly captivating.
There is no need to purchase expensive prints, original work, or posters to decorate your home. Display whatever you find beautiful.
There is no need to purchase expensive prints, original work, or posters to decorate your home. Display whatever you find beautiful.
Sunday, December 11, 2011
How to Have a Lower Gas Bill
Shortly after the first winter gas bill arrives, many people vow to keep the thermostat set lower to avoid paying a third of their income to the gas company. If these lower temperatures are too uncomfortable, the thermostat will quickly be adjusted back up to its normal setting. Even if not, no one should spend an entire winter feeling cold, uncomfortable and possibly sick. There are some ways that you can feel more at ease in a lower temperature.
Drink lots of warm beverages. Hot tea, coffee, hot chocolate, hot cider, and warm lemonade are all great beverages to warm your insides. And a shot of whiskey is wonderful on a frigid night.
Crochet/Knit an afghan. Working with the yarn will keep your fingers warm, and you can snuggle under the work in progress as you go.
Move your bed. Move your bed to an interior wall, rather than an exterior wall. The exterior wall puts you closer to the elements, and subjects you to drafts. By putting your bed on an interior wall, you are closer to another warm room instead. If you live in an apartment, this can be a great way to lower your bill. My neighbors run their heat constantly, so I move my bed to a wall next to their apartment and make use of the heat wasted. One winter, I only had to turn my heat on three times.
Switch your bedroom. During the summer months, I sleep in one room of the apartment that has lots of big windows so I don't use the air conditioning. During the winter, however, I move my bed into another room that has smaller windows. There's fewer drafts and it is upstairs which works great as heat rises.
Wear socks constantly. Cold feet are one of the greatest trials of winter (besides digging your car out of a snowbank, catching a cold, and paying the gas bill), so by keeping those toes warm, you can bump the thermostat down a bit. Get thick wool socks for the greatest benefit. If you are a knitter/crocheter, you can buy wool sweaters when you find them cheap, unravel the yarn and make your own!
Eat appropriate foods. This is not the season to eat ice cream. Period (unless it's your birthday, then it's a judgment call). You also should avoid any frozen blended drinks, cold cut sandwiches, jello, pudding, etc. Soups and stews are perfect as they are warm and yummy, and you can cradle the warm bowl in your hands.
Bake lots of goodies. During the summer, baking isn't very pleasant as it requires excessive use of the air conditioning to compensate for the heat lost from the oven. In winter however, that heat is wonderful! So plan a day of baking and enjoy the warmth of both the kitchen and the yummy breads and sweets. You can freeze some to eat during the summer when you don't want to bake.
Try to stay active. You may be stuck inside, but you can still be productive. Tackle those tasks you mean to do all year long, cleaning out the closets, organizing the pantry, high dusting, caulking around windows, cleaning out closets. You'll warm up quickly, and by staying active you'll be better able to battle the winter blahs.
If you have to be still, cuddle under a blanket. You can find afghans and lapghans at thrift stores for a few dollars.
If you have a big house, use a space heater (while you are awake and in the room) close to where you are, so you can turn down the thermostat significantly. Your electric bill will be a bit higher, but if you use it correctly, your gas bill will be lower. Turn down the thermostat for the rest of the house down significantly, say to around 45-50 degrees. Don't run the space heater on high constantly, turn to low or medium as you can. If you live in an apartment, this will likely not be of much use to you. If you work from home, this can be a great way to stay comfortable.
Turn down the thermostat significantly when you leave the house. If you'll be gone for more than an hour, turn it town ten degrees or so. The house will be a bit uncomfortable when you first arrive home, but the savings on your bill will more than compensate. The U.S. Department of Energy says that for each degree you turn down your thermostat for 8 hours, you'll save up to1% on your bill.
Exercise. Winter tends to lead to weight gain since you're cooped up inside all the time. Battle this by lifting hand weights, walking up and down the stairs, doing pushups or situps or jumping jacks/rope. You'll not only save money by not buying new clothes, but you'll feel warmer.
Dress for success. If you think that you can wear shorts and a tank top in winter, you deserve to be cold. Instead, wear warm pants, a long sleeved shirt or two, thick socks, and maybe a hat.
One of the great, beyond money benefits is health. I've found that when I keep the thermostat set at a lower temperature for a winter, I get sick fewer times than in previous years. I am not walking out of an 80 degree house into 5 degree weather, which is definitely less shocking on my body.
Shared on:
Drink lots of warm beverages. Hot tea, coffee, hot chocolate, hot cider, and warm lemonade are all great beverages to warm your insides. And a shot of whiskey is wonderful on a frigid night.
Crochet/Knit an afghan. Working with the yarn will keep your fingers warm, and you can snuggle under the work in progress as you go.
Move your bed. Move your bed to an interior wall, rather than an exterior wall. The exterior wall puts you closer to the elements, and subjects you to drafts. By putting your bed on an interior wall, you are closer to another warm room instead. If you live in an apartment, this can be a great way to lower your bill. My neighbors run their heat constantly, so I move my bed to a wall next to their apartment and make use of the heat wasted. One winter, I only had to turn my heat on three times.
Switch your bedroom. During the summer months, I sleep in one room of the apartment that has lots of big windows so I don't use the air conditioning. During the winter, however, I move my bed into another room that has smaller windows. There's fewer drafts and it is upstairs which works great as heat rises.
Wear socks constantly. Cold feet are one of the greatest trials of winter (besides digging your car out of a snowbank, catching a cold, and paying the gas bill), so by keeping those toes warm, you can bump the thermostat down a bit. Get thick wool socks for the greatest benefit. If you are a knitter/crocheter, you can buy wool sweaters when you find them cheap, unravel the yarn and make your own!
Eat appropriate foods. This is not the season to eat ice cream. Period (unless it's your birthday, then it's a judgment call). You also should avoid any frozen blended drinks, cold cut sandwiches, jello, pudding, etc. Soups and stews are perfect as they are warm and yummy, and you can cradle the warm bowl in your hands.
Bake lots of goodies. During the summer, baking isn't very pleasant as it requires excessive use of the air conditioning to compensate for the heat lost from the oven. In winter however, that heat is wonderful! So plan a day of baking and enjoy the warmth of both the kitchen and the yummy breads and sweets. You can freeze some to eat during the summer when you don't want to bake.
Try to stay active. You may be stuck inside, but you can still be productive. Tackle those tasks you mean to do all year long, cleaning out the closets, organizing the pantry, high dusting, caulking around windows, cleaning out closets. You'll warm up quickly, and by staying active you'll be better able to battle the winter blahs.
If you have a big house, use a space heater (while you are awake and in the room) close to where you are, so you can turn down the thermostat significantly. Your electric bill will be a bit higher, but if you use it correctly, your gas bill will be lower. Turn down the thermostat for the rest of the house down significantly, say to around 45-50 degrees. Don't run the space heater on high constantly, turn to low or medium as you can. If you live in an apartment, this will likely not be of much use to you. If you work from home, this can be a great way to stay comfortable.
Turn down the thermostat significantly when you leave the house. If you'll be gone for more than an hour, turn it town ten degrees or so. The house will be a bit uncomfortable when you first arrive home, but the savings on your bill will more than compensate. The U.S. Department of Energy says that for each degree you turn down your thermostat for 8 hours, you'll save up to1% on your bill.
Exercise. Winter tends to lead to weight gain since you're cooped up inside all the time. Battle this by lifting hand weights, walking up and down the stairs, doing pushups or situps or jumping jacks/rope. You'll not only save money by not buying new clothes, but you'll feel warmer.
Dress for success. If you think that you can wear shorts and a tank top in winter, you deserve to be cold. Instead, wear warm pants, a long sleeved shirt or two, thick socks, and maybe a hat.
One of the great, beyond money benefits is health. I've found that when I keep the thermostat set at a lower temperature for a winter, I get sick fewer times than in previous years. I am not walking out of an 80 degree house into 5 degree weather, which is definitely less shocking on my body.
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