Real Estate Investing

Fuel prices for the winter will be staggering in my area.  Not only are they already at an all-time high, but my own electric company just raised rates by a whopping 20 percent.  We’re in for some cold, dark nights on the homestead so plan to do everything we can in advance to get our home ready for winter.

Here are some easy tips from the Farmers Almanac that will hopefully save you some dough:

1. Seal windows and doors.  If you can’t afford replacement windows, caulking the outside of the window frame may help keep hot air in and cool air out.
2. Check your furnace and chimney.  Change your filters, inspect and clean your other heat sources. 
3. Buy a programmable thermostat.  You can adjust the temperature based on whether you’re home, at work, awake, or sleeping.
4. Insulate your attic.  A home with no attic insulation will lose about 48 BTUs per square foot on a minus 10 degree day.
5. Payment plans.  Your local electric or gas company may provide a payment plan that averages out utility bills to pay throughout the year rather than you getting clobbered a few months at a time.
6. Find ways to cut costs.  Cancel a premium cable channel, cook more meals in, turn out lights when you leave the room, and clip coupons when you go to the grocery store.  Sometimes the basics can save you a lot!
7. Layered clothing.  Undershirt, t-shirt, long-sleeved shirt, hoodie, coat.  Footies, ankle socks, wool socks, shoes.  Long johns, jeans, sweatpants.  Stay warm!
8. Reverse your ceiling fan to blow warm air down from the ceiling.
9. Open the curtains during the day, close them at night.
10. If you rarely use a room, close the vents and and door so save energy.
11. Water heater can be adjusted.  Not only can you turn the temperature down, but you can also install a timer to shut if off during the day when you’re gone (like the thermostat!).

The Farmers Almanac offers many other outstanding articles, from how to pick out a perfect pumpkin to how persimmon seeds can predict winter.  Go there in haste to enjoy the great ideas and insights!

My own suggestions…

• Get a cat or dog to curl up in your lap for warmth.
• If you have a no-pet-policy, get a lap blanket like an afghan.  Make sure it’s long enough to cover your feet.
• Try not to use the fireplace on bitterly cold days because once the fire is out, the flue will have to remain open until all the coals are cold.  Even if you have doors on your fireplace, warm air will still be lost up the chimney.
• Check the weather stripping on your doors.  Not only will it help keep out the cold, but weather stripping in good condition can also keep out the spiders that are trying to get in this time of year.