photo by calmenda

If you hate climbing into a cold bed, you’ll like the first tip. It’s a great alternative to an electric blanket or a Snuggie. The only problem is that you’ll want more than one set. I recommend you do research before buying. They vary considerably in quality brand to brand. If your heart is still set on a Snuggie, here’s a similar, free snuggie pattern so you can make one yourself: www.sissonfamily.com/Sewingroom/images/2006projects/thesnuglet.pdf.

BETTER THAN FLANNEL: Polarfleece sheets will easily allow you to turn down the heat in your house at night. I’m always cold — cold feet, cold hands. etc. I tend to wear socks to bed. Now I don’t have to. — Vail, Washington
Note from Sara: You can find them at stores such as Costco, Wal-Mart and Cabela’s.

SURPRISE DESSERT: When we have a pie, cake or any type of dessert, I take a piece or two and put it in my freezer in the cellar. This way, long after my family would have plowed through the entire dessert, I have some for them that they have forgotten about. Last night, my daughter and husband split a piece of cheesecake from a cheesecake we had over the weekend. They enjoyed it more last night, when they thought there were no desserts than the day that three-quarters of a cheesecake was staring back at them. — Pam, e-mail

STRETCH HAMBURGER: Add some shredded potato to it for things like tacos. It fries up nicely and really adds bulk to the hamburger to make it stretch for a larger family. I do it all the time, and my family doesn’t even notice! — Patty A., Utah

SELF-RISING FLOUR: I no longer buy it!
1 cup all-purpose flour
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
Makes 1 cup. — Brenda, New York

CHUNKY SAUCE: I shred carrots into spaghetti, and they double the bulkiness of it, making it seem meatier. –Kathryn, Louisiana

WINDOW INSULATION: If you hang insulated drapes to help stop cold/heat infiltration, that is just part of the solution, and by themselves, if they are open at the top and bottom, they are not energy efficient. You may also need a pelmet (topper that goes over the drape) to halt airflow. In the winter, the warm air will come up from the bottom of the drape, travel up across the window and be chilled by the window, and then exit the top opening. It’s pretty much a chimney for heat-to-cold exchange and not efficient at all. If you top the drape with a pelmet, that will help stop the airflow and keep more cold air out of the room.
If you make window quilts for your home, in order for them to be effective, they should close tightly on all four sides of a window using magnetic tape or loop-and-hook tape. — Karen, Kansas

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