We are in the deep middle of the winter season and for millions of people in North America that can only mean one thing: super cold temperatures with skyrocketing heating bills. It’s not a matter of comfort or convenience; it’s a matter of survival. Staying warm in these conditions is literally the difference between life or death.
We interviewed Donna, who provides heating oil delivery in Lynchburg, Virginia about this topic. We asked her how people can tighten up in order to save a little money during these coldest winter months. Below is the advice she gave.
Master Your Thermostat (The Biggest Quick Win)
Knowing how to set your automatic thermostat or when to manually turn on/off your old analog thermostat can be a way to save some money. You can allow your home to get colder while you are away at work or deep under the covers of your bed.
Setting it to 68 in the winter and 75 in the summer is the optimal way to save money overall. This is the optimal zone that is scientifically found to save the most money.
Don’t Let That Precious Heat Escape
Hot air is very active on a molecular level. It expands until it cools. Any sort of crack in your window or weak spot in your ceiling or roof can be a leak point. Hot air escapes and your heat pump is forced to work overtime to compensate. It is estimated that billions of dollars are lost every year because of drafty homes or apartments.
The solution is simply. Invest in a new roof or new windows or do what you can to patch any leaky spots. You can use various over-the-counter tools and applications to achieve this.
Let the Sun Help (Free Solar Heating)
On sunny winter days, open curtains and blinds on south-facing windows during the day to capture passive solar heat. Close them at night to prevent heat loss through the glass. This simple habit traps free warmth and reduces reliance on your heating system.
Layer Up Personally (The Zero-Cost Hack)
Dress for the weather indoors: wear sweaters, thermal layers, thick socks, and blankets. Heated blankets or space heaters in the room you’re using can let you lower the whole-house thermostat significantly.
Zone heating (warming just occupied spaces) often beats heating the entire home, especially in extreme cold.
Bonus: Run ceiling fans clockwise at low speed to push warm air down from the ceiling.
Extra Tips for the Deep Freeze Days
Avoid space heaters unless needed—they’re inefficient for whole-house use but great for spot heating.
Check for utility assistance programs, rebates, or low-income energy aid (many expanded in recent years).
Cook or bake more—ovens add free heat to the kitchen.
Conclusion
Heating is expensive and can cost an average size home $400+ each month in the depths of a cold winter. The trick is to balance comfort with minimalism. It’s also imperative that efficiency is achieved. As my folks used to say when I took too long coming into and out of our home in wintertime “I’m not paying to heat the whole outside world!”. That’s the sort of mindset it takes to save real money in winter.