What are you planning to do this winter to combat the cold weather?

[Horse with no Name]

Oil is at record prices. I just bartered for 2 ricks of firewood. I have purchased electric blankets for all the beds, set my thermostat on timers, and have placed some nice down throws around the living room.
I invested in heavier pajamas for the little one.
One thing for certain, fuel bills are going to kick my ass this winter.
I am already paying $90-100 a week for gas.:(

[Breeze54]

1. Move out of state!

Maybe.....

I'm looking for a place that includes heat in the rent, like I have now.

I'm VERY worried!!!! :scared:

I'll be wearing more sweaters and sweatshirts and socks and flannel, that's for sure!

[slackmaster]

2. Not sure, maybe hang out at the beach

:shrug:

[truebrit71]

3. Use my fire and wear lots of sweaters...

...

[MADem]

4. Do a little cauking, maybe put a window kit on a couple of windows I didn't replace

Turn the central heat down, use spot heaters, insist upon a little more congregation and socializing (hey, every body in the room turns the heat up a degree or so!)...we already are pretty frugal.

Speaking of frugal, this would be a good topic for the frugal/energy efficient forum, if you felt like crossposting!

[tekisui]

5. shiver.

[Mnemosyne]

6. My first thought also, tekisui! n/t

[notadmblnd]

7. I'm beginning to go through menopause

that means I have my own personal furnace so I get to look forward to lower heat bills this winter.

[movonne]

13. That's a good one....love it...

[Hekate]

46. I must say it helps! LOL

:hi:

[depakid]

8. Long stay in Australia!

:D

[Lone_Star_Dem]

9. Much like yourself

I use an electric blanket and keep the heat low. I also have cats which volunteer their body warmth. We love to snuggle up on the sofa with a blanket, a good book and a pouch of kitty treats in the winter.

If I could afford it I'd invest in on demand water heaters. The electric upgrade required coupled with the initial cost of the unit makes it impractical for me though.

[cali]

10. I heat with wood

and my house is very well insulated. That's about it for me.

[kestrel91316]

32. When I retire I want a TINY but well-insulated house with a wood stove.

And just enough land to grow just enough wood for heating it.

[bain_sidhe]

36. Here you go...

http://www.tumbleweedhouses.com/houses.htm

[kestrel91316]

41. Well, they are cute. But not quite THAT tiny.

I figure a little 2-BR, 1-BA Craftsman c 1900-1915, completely restored but with state-of-the-art insulation.

If push came to shove, I COULD live in a 1 room cabin.

[bain_sidhe]

45. Some of them *are* bigger

The Ernesti is 770 sf and "shows how as many as four people can comfortably cohabitate in a small home. Beyond the four private sleeping quarters, there's an office, a 120 sf great room, laundry facilities, 1 1/2 bathrooms, a sizeable kitchen and a dining nook. Efficient design keeps it feeling roomy."

That's one of my favorites, it has an old fashioned "farmhouse" look to it (like the one I grew up in).

I also like the Bungalow, although that's only 500 square feet.

[Double T]

11. Lower the furnace temperature to 55 degrees and wear sweatshirts.......

and sweaters. Multiple layers of bed comforters and quilts will be added and subtracted as needed. HD slippers,socks and bathrobes are the new attire and will be worn around the house during evening and morning hours. Get used to IT, this will be our future in the NORTH.

[Uncle Joe]

12. If the weather holds up to it's current pattern,

I don't believe winter will be much of an issue here, but next summer is going to be a bummer.

[aikoaiko]

14. nothing -- my electricity bills are small in southern GA

Its in the summer that my power bills triple.

[kestrel91316]

33. I can relate.......

[Blue_Roses]

15. what cold weather?

:shrug:

[pitohui]

20. yeah it's pretty much a thing of the past around here

altho if there is a hard freeze during the winter i'll be running around like chicken with head off to protect the tender vegetation and the pipes

[DesertRat]

16. Maybe sit out by the pool

:evilgrin:

[Lasher]

17. A couple of years ago I replaced every window and outside door.

Had vinyl siding installed all the way around, caulk out the ying yang. My house is so tight I won't even need the duct tape and plastic when the terrarists attack. I have a gas furnace but it was almost entirely on standby last year. Heated my house with firewood, burned in a little fireplace inserter.

This is not the end of the world. Not so long ago people didn't heat their houses. Have you ever slept in winter in a bedroom of an old farmhouse, where there was no heat at all? I have, with a huge feather tick to keep me warm. You don't sleep on those things, you sleep in them. I look back on that with fond memories.

You're doing the right things, my friends. Bundle up, you don't really have to turn the heat up enough to run around nekkid.

[riverdeep]

18. Turn the heat off, when I'm away from the house during the day.

I've got central air, so it only takes about 30 minutes to get it back up to a low temp, 60. Wear heavy clothing around the house, and use electric space heaters and turn them on just in the room I'm in. Don't forget the power of a hot mug of tea, coffee, cocoa, and a bowl of hot, hearty soup.

However, that experience of sitting on the cold john first thing in the morning, yeah, I'm not looking forward to that.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

19. Firewood, warm clothes, blankets, & 2 cats.

But, we also have all-electric forced air a quick warm-up before the fire gets working. And, we've been having mild winters for the last 5 years.

[hyphenate]

21. Die?

Is that an option?


However, having said that, I am hoping a tank will last awhile because it's going to be the only time it will get filled. Thankfully, I got fuel assistance, but even at its best, we're only given a certain allowance and that's that. You see? Poverty does have its advantages, you know. :sarcasm:

After that runs out, it'll be a solid 1/4 of my disability to put a 100 gallons of oil in, but I qualify for another program (Joe for Oil--Joe being Joe Kennedy) so that can help.

The temperature will be kept at about 62 degrees, with an electric blanket to help and one of those oil-filled electric "radiators" at night. The problem with an electric blanket, though, is that the neuropathy keeps my feet cold but my legs hot, so it's going to be a bit of a challenge to find a median temp that will work.

If I get really desperate, I can turn the electric stove oven on, and keep some warmer air to circulate.

This is not counting the windows I have to put plastic over (how I'm going to get to the tops of the windows I have no idea, since I can no longer climb a ladder or step stool).

I've spent a few months already with no hot water because I ran out of oil from last winter, and that's how the water is heated. For washing up and stuff I've boiled water when necessary. I know there are people out there who have it even worse than me, though, so I try not to complain too much. After 15 years in L.A., though, coming back to the New England weather has been a shock. I've been back awhile now, though, but it still takes some getting used to.

I won't be going out very often, and when there is snow on the ground, I will likely be housebound. I got a taste of freezing conditions last Sunday night, and I was in complete and utter agony. So I won't venture out much when I can avoid it.

[ThomWV]

22. What is a "rick" of wood?

I think I've seen the term, I have no idea what it means. Cords I know, 4x4x8, 128 cubic feet. I also know that I've put in 7 truck loads of wood so far and need about 6 more. An 8-foot-bed pickup piled as high as you can carry comes out to about 3/4 of a cord. Much more than that will break the springs of a 3/4-ton on our crummy roads. Last year we went through about 9 truck loads. We have oil fired hot water heat, last winter we used less than 100 gallons of fuel oil. Temperatures here get down as low as -20, but that is infrequent, most cold snaps just dip a little below zero though it is not uncommon to go weeks at a time and never see the highs reach freezing.

[Horse with no Name]

31. 4' tall by 8' wide.

generally--but it isn't a static measurement by any means.

[Stinky The Clown]

23. I suffer more in hot weather than cold.

You can always put on more clothes, but once you're naked, that's it.

[JuniperLea]

26. You said it!!!

I always blame my Celtic genes... I'm only comfortable on damp coastlines no hotter than about 75 degrees. Over 85 degrees and I'm suffering big time!!!

[Zookeeper]

29. "Celtic genes"

Yes, that's occurred to me, too. I don't like hot weather or arid places, and probably spend the least amount of time outside being active during the summer.

That said, I'm still not looking forward to my heating bills this winter.

[Stinky The Clown]

34. The hell of it is ......

..... I'm 100% southern Italian. I'm *supposed* to be a warm weather type.

I am often seen shoveling snow (when we used to get snow) in shorts.

Bare human footprints are often seen in the snow between our front door and the mailbox. (It causes Sparkly's little piano students to ask lots of questions! :) )

[michreject]

24. Going south for 3 months

:)

[JuniperLea]

25. Silk Long Johns

I recently found my old silk long johns... haven't worn them since my last ski trip, whenever that was. They rule!!! Any good sports outfitter should carry them. They are thin and lightweight, and you can wear them under just about anything ('cept a dress). I've even worn them under a business suit.

[renie408]

27. Lots of firewood, lots of sweaters, lots of socks.

We haven't had to use our heater yet. As long as it gets above about 55 during the day and doesn't go below about 35, we are fine. I did buy a small space heater for the kid's bathroom in the mornings so they can take their showers without freezing.

[kestrel91316]

28. I won't use my electric wall heaters (the only heat in my SoCal apartment)

at all, unless I get so cold my hands get tingly. I bought nice heavy jammies LAST winter so we're set there. I have plenty of blankets for the bed, and crocheted throws, and nice toasty slippers. I also have two feline bed-warmers that function best in COLD weather.

Lots of soups and stews on the stove to heat the place AND cook. I also have a couple of Aladdin kerosene lamps that put out just enough light to read by, and lots of heat to boot.

Last winter we had a REALLY bad cold snap (it froze the ficus trees and bougainvillea bushes outside!!). Probably won't do the same this winter. But I'm glad to be out of the 1945 house and into the 1975 apartment for the better insulation and more airtight construction, if nothing else.

I like winter because then I can FINALLY wear the many sweaters my sister (who lives in WI, bless her heart) has given me as gifts. And I have capilene long johns if I get really cold.

[NeedleCast]

30. Be more comfortable for a few months

Finally had our first real cold snap in D.C. Mosquitos = dead! Hooray! Personally I like it colder and am quite comfortable when it's in the 60s. I'll run the heater a little bit, use a small space heater in my bathroom and have lots of fireplace fires. Got a heap of free wood this year for helping a friend haul it off a property he was clearing.

[madokie]

35. just picked up a ton of wood pellets yesterday to the tune of 210 buckaroos total

it sure is an easier way to burn wood and once you get over the price of the stove it cost about the same to heat with pellets as it does with firewood. if your other options is propane or electric the pellet stove will pay for itself in just a few years. Our first stove paid for itself in the first 3 years in savings over propane. If this winter is like the rest have been, 16 years, two tons will do us fine. We keep the house warm too, mid 70's 24/7. I highly recommend them to everyone

here,s the one like we have now: http://www.lennoxhearthproducts.com/products/overview.asp?pid=202

[gatorboy]

37. Snuggle

[MrMickeysMom]

38. Isn't this disgusting to mention, but your body will thermo-regulate better if you...

simply drink more water. We prefer to leave it in the 60's with a well insulated house, but we shouldn't have to make choices like this. I wonder, do you have the ability reverse ceiling fan on low and install a pot belly stove. The upfront cost could make the difference over time, cause you know over time it could get much worse.

We shouldn't have to be compromising to keep the Kenny Boys and big energy CEO's living large.

[piedmont]

39. I installed about 10" of blow-in cellulose insulation in the attic.

I also made a better seal for the attic door (totaly insulated now), and plan to upgrade all the weather-stripping.
And we don't use the gas-fired central heat system. We bought electric space heaters last winter and saved a ton of money. I really wish we had a heat pump, though.

[JNelson6563]

40. Lots of sex.

:toast:

[bain_sidhe]

42. Ack! All this wood burning!

"Carbon Footprint" anyone?

Of course, I'm really just jealous because we can't have a fireplace (well, not without ripping out walls and totaly rebuilding about half the house). I *almost* got my hands on an old Franklin stove that I thought we might be able to figure out a way to use, but alas, lost it to a quicker relative.

So, for us, it's mostly as others have said. Turn the thermostat down low, bundle up, use electric blankets, and spot-heat the cold zones.

[debbierlus]

43. Plastic, tape, shut down half the upstairs, & wear LOTS of sweaters & extra thick socks

We keep the heat at 58 degrees during the day, 48 at night.

I wear hats & sweaters, sometimes jackets in the house. I live in a big Victorian in New England. No possible way
to heat it to a reasonable temp & not go broke.

[Initech]

44. Um... what is this "winter" you speak of?

[Hekate]

47. Mostly I'll be very grateful I live where it never snows.I worry about other folks though. nt

[KG]

48. live in Florida

:hi:

[MoonRiver]

49. I'm not sure it's going to be very cold!

We're about 10 degrees above average right now. Squirrels still frolicking, flowers still blooming, and one hardly has to don a sweater to go outside.