7 Ways to Stay Warm Without Touching the Thermostat
Budgeting , Money-saving tips , Self-reliance , Winter Survival - February 22, 2014

7 Ways to Stay Warm Without Touching the Thermostat

8092486_M

T.S. Eliot said that April is the cruellest month, but he was wrong. February is surely the champion of cruel months. From the dirty snow that’s been heaped along the sidewalks since November’s first storm to the grey skies that make it seem like evening all day long, February, in my opinion, is winter outstaying its welcome, and even though it’s the shortest month of the year, it usually feels interminable. Worst of all, for many of us February is also a month of icy cold temperatures, resulting in pricey heating bills.

Here’s the good news: You don’t have to spend an outrageous amount on your heating bill this month. Check out these 7 tips for turning up the heat without touching the thermostat.

1. Work up a sweat.

Sometimes the winter months can make you feel cold to your bones. Getting your blood flowing will heat you up from the inside out and eliminate the need for your heater to be pumping out hot air all day. Winter exercise might seem like a tricky endeavor, but there are plenty of things you can do to get your body moving without venturing out into the cold world. You might try jump roping, running up and down the stairs, practicing yoga, dancing to your favorite music, or simply cleaning the house. Whatever your form of exercise, keep your body generating heat from the inside to avoid needing too much external heat.

2. Drink your tea hot.  

Sipping hot drinks is a great way to stay warm in frigid weather. Not only do you warm up your insides, you also warm up your hands and fingers in the process. Keep a mug of coffee (Have you tried Legacy’s premium coffee yet?), tea, or hot cocoa handy all winter long to keep your internal temperatures nice and toasty. For an added boost of heat, try peppermint tea, which is said to be especially good at raising body temperature.

3. Sip warm soup.

There’s nothing quite like eating a bowl of hot soup on a cold winter day. Legacy Premium has a wide variety of hearty soups that will warm your belly up in a hurry. Try the cheesy potato soup, the spicy corn chowder, or the southwestern soup for a tasty meal your whole family will love.

4. Add a little spice.

There are some herbs and spices that have warming properties and can improve circulation in your body, helping you generate more heat naturally. Some of these warming spices are cayenne pepper, cinnamon, ginger, garlic, horseradish, cardamom, and black pepper. Experiment with adding more of these spices to your meals or drinking teas that contain them this month to get an added boost of heat. If you’re adventurous, you might also try adding some ginger to your bath or sprinkling some cayenne pepper in your shoes (be sure to wear socks). Many herbalists swear by these last two suggestions for keeping your body nice and warm no matter the temperatures outside.

5. Snuggle.

Nothing warms a body up quite like another body. That’s why winter is a good time to bend the rules a little. If you don’t usually let your kids or your pets sleep with you, you’ll all benefit from spending some quality snuggling time together. So share your bed at night with someone you love, whether that someone is your mate, your kids, or your devoted dog.

6. Soak up the sun.  

Have you heard of Cody Lundin? He’s a survivalist who lives in the high deserts of Arizona. Although temperatures there range from the hundreds in the summer to single digits in the winter, his home is completely free of conventional heating and air. Instead, Lundin uses just the sun to keep his home at a balmy 70 degrees even when it’s 7 degrees outside. Even if you don’t have a carefully-designed home like Lundin’s, you can capitalize on the free heat of the sun. Open your blinds during the day to let the sunshine in and close them at night.

7. Focus on your feet.

You’ve probably heard it before: If you keep your head and feet warm, your body stays warm. This is especially true at night when you sleep. So heat up a rice bag or hot water bottle before you go to bed, then put it over your toes while you fall asleep. If you don’t have either of these, fill up a thick sock with raw rice grains, tie a knot in the end, then heat it up in the microwave for two or three minutes. Falling asleep with warm toes is one of the nicest feelings there is and will allow you to keep your thermostat set lower without you suffering.

We’ve almost made it to spring, but until sunny days are with us for good, try these simple suggestions for keeping yourself warm without spending a fortune on your heating bill.

The post 7 Ways to Stay Warm Without Touching the Thermostat appeared first on Buy Emergency Food.

Back to News
Tags