I never run my heating in the winter as it’s too expensive – but I still manage to stay warm & my £1 hack really helps
A SAVVY man has shared how he keeps his energy bills down even in the winter.
Bradley, from the US, took to social media to show off his hacks to keep warm without spending a penny.
Brad lives in Conneticut and says it is one of the most expensive states for energy bills so does what he can to keep the cost down.
He said: “I don’t run my heat in the winter to save money on my electric bill.
“So welcome to another episode of Extreme Cheap Skates where I show you, as a frugal person, the steps that I take to keep my electric bill low.”
“I’ve been living like this for five years since I moved into my apartment,” he added.
The first hack he recommended was having lots and lots of blankets available and putting them on your bed to keep toasty at night.
He also recommended wearing plenty of layers during the day to keep warm and opening the blinds or curtains to let the sun in and warm up his flat.
Brad often cooks at home to save money, and he revealed that he used the hot stove to keep his fingers warm afterwards.
To deal with draughty windows, Brad uses a roll of sticky tape and places it over the cracks in the window.
The savvy hack will keep cold air out and costs just £1.
He added: “This next one, you’ll say I’m crazy, but sometimes I wedge my door open with my little recycling box, and I’ll try to let the heat in from the hallway.”
During the nighttime, Brad follows a different routine to keep warm.
He said: “I lay this blanket along my window just to keep it insulated.
“I close all the blinds just to prevent any drafty wind from coming in.
“And I hop in bed under my multiple layers of blankets and clothes.
5 ways to keep your house warm in winter
Property expert Joshua Houston shared his tips.
1. Curtains
“Windows are a common place for the outside cold to get into your home, this is because of small gaps that can let in air so always close your curtains as soon as it gets dark,” he said.
This simple method gives you an extra layer of warmth as it can provide a kind of “insulation” between your window and curtain.
2. Rugs
“Your floor is another area of your home where heat can be lost and can make your home feel chilly,” he continued. “You might notice on cold days, that your floor is not nice to walk on due to it freezing your feet.
“Add rugs to areas that don’t already have a carpet, this provides a layer of insulation between your bare floor and the room above.”
3. Check your insulation
Check your pipes, loft space, crawlspaces and underneath floorboards.
“Loose-fill insulation is very good for this, and is a more affordable type of insulation, with a big bag being able to be picked up for around £30,” Joshua explained.
4. Keep your internal doors closed
“Household members often gather in one room in the evening, and this is usually either the kitchen or living room,” Joshua said.
“This means you only have to heat a small area of your home, and closing the doors keeps the heat in and the cold out.”
5. Block drafts
Don’t forget to check cat flaps, chimneys and letterboxes, as they can let in cold air if they aren’t secure.
“You’d be surprised, I actually get pretty warm and toasty at the end of the night.
“And that’s how I survive winters.”
The clip has since gone viral on his TikTok account @baddie.brad with over 5 million views and 484k likes.
People were quick to comment and thank him for his hacks.
One person wrote: “As a broke student, thank you?! I already do most of these but I had never thought of taping my windows so that’s great thank you.”
Another commented: “A hot water bottle is also an old-timey frugal way of warming the bed at night.”
“Try sleeping with a hot water bottle! That’ll keep you toasty,” penned a third.
Meanwhile a fourth said: “Best advice I ever got was to get a very cheap blanket and safety pin it to the back of your curtains! Makes a huge difference in keeping heat in and cold out!”
“He is a real one for showing us this!” claimed a fifth.
Someone else added: “Bubble wrap on windows is very good for insulation.”
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