Unlike summertime when the sweltering heat forces you to blast the ACs to maximum capacity, winter is pretty much a season of comfort and savings. No matter where you reside, air conditioning is probably a necessity—but not when it’s already cold.

Aside from using a sophisticated heating system, there are simpler and more cost-effective options such as installing glass wool insulation ^[1] that can get you through wintry months without burning your money on a huge power bill.

Below are noteworthy ways on how to survive the relentless cold months without cranking up the heater.

Kill the Wind

A stale cold environment ^[2] is cold to touch but not freezing to move around in. That’s why you might want to cut off any potential wind from blowing thorugh your home. Aside from securing the windows and the doors, here are some areas to cover:

• Curtain—by adding solar blackout curtains, you dramatically reduce the chance of any rogue drafts. Have a double curtain setup to windproof the exposed areas in your home. The heavier the curtain, the more it can cancel out the wind and temperature outside.
• Ventilation—centralised systems connect all the air pathways in your home inside and the outside. Make sure any external wind cannot penetrate your ventilation system and send chilling gusts in your home. Consider temporarily blocking out your vents with an insulation foam or board.
• Wall Structures—as a rule, the more walls you have, the less wind will penetrate your home. But, if your house doesn’t have any permanent walls, you’ll want to build temporary ones. Anything big enough to block out the wind would be great.

Aromatise Your Living Space

A change in smell and ambience leads to fluctuations in the temperature. During the cold months, frequently cooking stews and porridges is a great way to increase the heat in the house and fill the tummies. If you’re not much of a culinary arts expert, though, you can still do the following:

• Light Candles—if you prefer the smell of different oils and flowers instead of food, then lighting aromatic candles may be a great way to raise the heat and your mood. Just make sure all candles are inside a safety handler or bottle with enough water on the sides to avoid fires.
• Camp Inside—if the cold is still persistent despite all the efforts, it’s time to camp in. The small space of a tent will preserve your body heat. Don’t forget to stock up on snacks!

While heaters can easily solve all the problems of winter, it still pays to know what to do without them because during cold months, where wild weather is prevelant, power cuts can happen without notice—or the heater may fail. A heater should be a nice to ahve, not a necessity