Economically Minded in the Dead of Winter

After all of the ups and downs I've had with jobs coming and going in my life I take it as a compliment to be considered frugal. This means to have a budget and watch what I spend on my daily living costs. At this time of year, here in central Idaho, it's damn cold. Being from southern California, I never had to deal with heating bills. It's quite the shock when you see your first bill after heating for a full month when the temperatures have been in the teens. I always tend to run cold, myself, so I usually layer my clothes...but this is ridiculous. Last year I lived in a big old house that felt like it never got warm. Last September, I moved into a smaller, though it doesn't seem so, house that is far more efficient. All of the rooms are closer together and it's very cozy. It's less expensive but the heating costs are about the same.

I always turn the heat down when I leave and am conscious of lights and water running. New things that have come to my attention like drafty windows and doors, rooms that aren't used, are considered inefficient and closed or tucked around with towel rolls. One thing I am sure of - windows need heavy curtains with lighter, sheer curtains underneath. Somehow I am going to get them to be aesthetically pleasing, along with being really warm, of course.

By living frugally, I want to live well; very well. Which means I don't want to spend any money on something unnecessarily, that is to say something that has gone through a loop-hole and gotten by me.