Oh the weather outside is frightful...

I am on a mission to get my gas bill down as low as I can, and still be comfortable. There is a thin line between "Life is too short to freeze to death in your own home" and "My heating bill is how much?!"

One of the fastest ways I blow my budget it with the thermostat. Now that the weather is warming up we need to be diligent about keeping the house comfortable enough to live, but not so cold we need a sweater. This is something I really need to work on.

I am participating in the "Freeze Yer Buns" challenge, and have "pledged" to keep the thermostat at 65 at night and 68 during the day. How did I come up with those numbers? The first thing I did is what Amy Dacyczyn calls "Seeking the Minimum Level." (pg. 87 The complete Tightwad Gazette.)

"To form new, frugal habits, develop an awareness about all the small actions you do everyday. Explore new ways to do things... seek the minimum level. Scale down step by step until the process does not work satisfactorily for your standards. Then bump it up one level."

Once I determined the lowest temperature we are comfortable with, I set the thermostat. We all have sweaters, there is a big basket full of blankets in the living room, and I tossed a few extra blankets on each bed. We also spent some time weatherproofing or winterizing the house. Plastic on the windows, weatherstripping and "draft dodgers" on the doors, insulation for the outlets. So far, it has all worked really well.

Links that may help:
How to Stay Warm at Home Without a Heater - Lost of great information, even if you do have a heater.
Home Energy Magazine: Do-It-Yourself (Click on DIY) - Information about everything weatherization.
Weatherproofing Tips - I love the "low tech draft detector" idea!
ACE Hardware - Weatherproofing Your Home - Information specific to caulk and weatherstripping.
HGTV Weatherproofing - Weatherproof and decorate all in one!
The Weatherization Assistance Program - By State - If you qualify, they can help you weatherize your home. Probably too late for this year, but would be a big help for next year.

While you are at it, don't forget to winterize your vehicle