cheapest way to heat a home

Finding ways to stay warm during the winter is never easy, especially with rising energy costs. Now more than ever, keeping heating bills low is crucial.

On Reddit, a user shared frugal advice from their single mom about keeping a home warm during brutal Michigan winters on a tight budget.

"I currently live and grew up in mid Michigan with a very frugal single mother of 3 kids," user KookyUnderstanding65 explained. "We had a 100+ year old house with terrible insulation. We learned a few tricks for staying warm on a budget over the years. ... It was tough for a while, but we always made it through."

- YouTubewww.youtube.com

Frugal ways to heat the home

These are six frugal ways the Reddit user's mom kept their family warm during the winter:

1. Use window film

"You can get it from consumers energy for a steep discount or sometimes for free. It's ugly and a pain but it makes all the difference on a drafty window! Still chilly? Hang a blanket over the window for extra insulation!"

2. Grab a hair dryer

"Freezing pipes? Grab a hair dryer! Legit. Can't tell you how many cold mornings I spent in the basement warming the pipes with a hairdryer lol. May not be the most energy effective but at least we didn't have to run out and buy anything new. Hairdryer was free and available!"

3. Utilize the oven after baking

"After you're done baking something, leave the oven door open to allow the residual heat into your home. It's not advised to do this with the oven on and you should never attempt to heat your home with a stove or cooking device."

4. Block drafts

"Roll blankets or towels and set them at the bottom of doors to reduce drafts (on exterior doors and between rooms that you're not in/trying not to fully heat)."

- YouTubewww.youtube.com

5. Make the most of your space

"During the day, try to keep everyone to one room that's the most heated. Do activities that help keep warm (like jumping jack or push up contests. Probably the only time my mom intentionally riled up three kids). If needed, sleep in the same room. Mom made this fun by saying we were 'camping in the living room'. We'd grab every blanket in the house and all cuddle up together on the living room rug. Easier to heat one room and more warm bodies to cuddle!"

6. Don't be afraid to ask for help

"When there's nowhere else to turn, ask for help. If you're backed against a wall, reach out to someone or community programs. Everyone deserves warmth and safety. There's absolutely no shame in keeping yourself and/or your family safe."

Additional money-saving heating tips

Fellow Michiganders and frugal readers offered their advice on how to heat a home during the winter:

"I like to keep a big pan of water on to boil periodically. Helps add heat and moisture when the house gets dry." - alohamora19

"If you can't afford the film for windows, buy painter's plastic from Menards, Lowe's, or Home Depot. Per foot it's cheaper and you can get several winter's with in a single purchase. Use painter's tape, blue papery tape, to hold the plastic up right ripping the paint off your walls. Still be careful removing it, don't just yank it. If you have unused exterior doors seal them completely with plastic and tape." - mesoterra

"On the coldest days I like to walk around and figure out where drafts are coming in. I found one on our sliding door last year and yesterday found a gap between the mantle/wall that seemed to be allowing cold air in. A little bit of foam or replacing seals can make a huge difference and it's a permanent improvement." - HonestOtterTravel

"You can also place a tent on top of your mattress and sleep inside. It stays quite warm. No-frills tents are relatively inexpensive." - SomethingHasGotToGiv