Hello, winter! Goodbye heating bill!

I grew up in one of those houses where my dad could sense instantly when someone messed with the thermostat. And since I was an only child, there were only so many people to point a finger at to push the blame. And I remember the thermostat being really high up on the wall and standing on my tip toes to reach the thing. i didn't really know what a thermostat did exactly, I just knew if I pushed the knob to the right, no matter how far, warm air would flow thru the vents and i would be able to feel my toes again. So I would wait until the coast was clear, push the knob (usually past 90 degrees) and would get caught every damn time once our house started to feel like a beach resort. My old man liked to keep our house at 64 degrees year round and I think that temperature habit was almost instilled in me. I go as far into the summer without turning on the air (thank god for box fans) and will freeze into winter without turning on the heat. A mixture between being poor and enjoying the challenge, I guess. Since living on my own, there are a few ways I've learned to keep warm without cranking up the heat and tricks to keep from making that electric bill sky rocket. so, before the really brutal months set in, here are a few of my favorite "keep warm in the winter" tips

socks. i can't stress enough how much i love my wood floors. they're beautiful. and carpet totally gives me the heebie jeebies. but! wood floors are a nightmare in the winter months. it's like stepping down onto a block of ice when you get out of bed every morning. invest in some big, squishy delicious wool socks and wear them all za time!
wool blanket i found a wool blanket at an army surplus store and just thought it looked bad ass. flash forward a few months and wouldn't you know it? that thing is warmer than warm. it locks in heat. yes.
coconut oil this stuff won't exactly make you warmer. ok, it definitely won't. but when your skin resembles an alligator's scales in december, you'll want to lather this stuff on underneath your long johns. it moisturizes like no ones business and will keep your skin feelin goooood.
coffee press hot drinks are key to keeping your bod a little bit warmer in the winter. we're talking all the coffees, teas and hot chocolates your body can handle. this coffee press is like $8 at ikea and will keep the hot beverages coming for cheap.
hot water bottle my grandma kept a hot water bottle at her house and growing up, us granddaughters would use it as a fake "pregnant belly" when playing house. don't ask me why. it resembled a pregnant belly to a bunch of 8 year olds. and my poor grandma would have to search for it daily. so buy your own, fill her up, and keep her under your back, on your belly or down by your toes to keep ya snuggly under the blankets.
crockpot warm food goes hand in hand with warm drinks. hot soups and pastas and roasts are essential for winter cooking. they'll heat up your whole house and warm up your insides, too. double score!

good luck this winter, guys!! we're all pushin' through it together… and feel free to add tips if you'd like
oh, and here's a few more quick ones:
after cooking in your oven, leave the oven door open. 350 degrees feels mighty good.
down blankets and comforters. like 30 of them.
throw your pajamas in the dryer before putting them on.
hot baths before bed time.
buy all the flannel pajamas you can find. oh, and long johns, too!