Hacks to Saving on Your Winter Electric Bill

I about had a heart attack after seeing my electric bill from the last few weeks. Let's just say these -2 degree nights and 13 degree highs haven't been kind to me.

I just moved into a new house, so I wasn't sure what to expect when it came to my first electric bill. Holy bajeezus it was high. Like almost $10 a day high (there were some connection fees in there too). I had to pick my jaw up off the floor.

After a few panic attacks and a mental breakdown or two, I got myself together and started brainstorming. First, I think it's important to include that I typically keep my thermostat on about 65-67 degrees.

My house has new windows, but the doors are a little creaky and breezy, so I started there first. I bought weather stripping at Menards to help seal them a little better. It's super cheap and I've noticed a DRASTIC difference since putting it on. Make sure you get the right size though. We went with the smallest option and it's still a little tough to shut the door, so keep that in mind.

Next, the mail slot. Like I mentioned before, my doors are old. There's still an old-fashioned mail slot installed in the door for the mailman to slip the mail through. Who's idea was that anyway? It's literally a heat escape for all the expensive air you're pumping through your home. Annoying. Anyway, I went ahead and blocked the opening off with a hand towel. I'm buying a hanging mailbox for outside the door as an alternative. I'm still trying to brainstorm ideas on how to seal the gap completely. But again, I've noticed my house staying warmer since fixing the door issues.

Next up, I looked around at all my vents. I had furniture in front of some vents throughout the house. This is blocking heat from going out into the room, so I pulled the dressers off the wall a tad so the air could circulate. Or, just rearrange the furniture. This isn't always ideal, because sometimes your room set-up is the only way that works, so just pull the items of the wall a few inches.

Lastly, I used to always think that keeping the blinds shut during the winter would help keep cold air out. In my mind, it was a barrier that would stop cold air from flowing in from drafty windows. Turns out, that's not the case. Open your blinds all throughout your house during the day and let in natural light from the sun. The sun's light, even on the coldest days, helps heat the house.

With all that being said, I've been able to turn my thermostat down to 63 degrees and I'm content. Mind you, I'M FREEZING COLD ALL THE TIME, so this is a big deal. I can walk freely around my house without being limited by the heater blanket cord. It's refreshing.