Keeping Warm Without A Heater

Wikihow has a helpful article about how to stay warm in a house or apartment when you don't have much money for heat. The full article is at this link:

Wikihow's How To Stay Warm

Here's a few suggestions from the article:

Drink warm beverages. (Duh!)

Go to a public place with heat. This also works in the summer when it's really hot. Read at the public library, window shop at a mall or store, go to church.

Layer. Wear a number of layers of clothes. If you can, get thermal wear for the bottom layer, then apply thin layers on top-- tights and pants for legs and t-shirts, long sleeve shirts and a coat for the top.

Exercise. If indoors, it might be a good time to clean, vacuum or pick up stuff. If outdoors, just keep walking.

Snuggle. Find a loved one-- whether human or animal and spend some quality time together. It's a command in the Bible (Ecclesiastes 4:11)!

Reduce stress. This isn't possible for everyone, but stress makes extreme weather feel more extreme. Try to get enough sleep and rest, and give yourself a break from stressful people.

Cook. If you are inside, it might be a good time to bake that bread you've been hankering for! Or chocolate chip cookies (if you bake these, invite me!) Or, if you don't know how to bake, it's a good time to learn. If you don't have an oven, just cook something in the microwave and put it in the middle of the room... well, maybe not. If you live in a tent, just plug the appliance into your tree...

Light a candle. Candles provide a fair amount of heat. If you're in a tent, make sure the candle has a solid base-- you don't want it falling over!

Turn on a fan. When my family was spending in a winter in a room next to a garage, our only warmth was a fan. We turned the blowing part of the fan away from us overnight and the heat from the motor provided just a little bit of warmth to keep the edge of the cold out at night.

Move anything that blocks sunlight. If you have anything obstructing the sun from your windows or location, move them out of the way. The more sun, the more warmth.

Get hand warmers. If you put a hand warmer in a sleeping bag or under your blankets, or even in your coat pocket, it will keep you warm for many hours-- almost all day or all night! You can get them for just a dollar or two at most department stores (like Target).