Mad Hen's Chilly Winter Challenge

**madhen** · 10-22-2008, 11:51 AM

Been seeing a lot of posts about heating and whether people have been turning their heat on yet.

I have electric baseboard heating - VERY expensive to run, but it is the only source of heating in the house, other than a wood stove. I would love to get through the winter without using the baseboard heat, but some days, when it is just above freezing, it is very tempting to crank that dial.

So my challenge to myself is to see how many days I can go through the end of 2008 without using the electric baseboards. I need to learn how to use the wood stove more efficiently, and I do have space heaters that aren't cheap, but aren't as expensive as the baseboards, to run.

Luckily, it is 86F today, and it hasn't been dropping below 50F at night, so I'm okay right now. But I wanted to start this challenge now, while I'm thinking about it!

So my goal is to use the baseboards no more than 10 days from now until the end of the year. Off to add it to my sig.....

**madhen** · 10-22-2008, 11:52 AM

I should mention that I HATE being cold, so this is more of a challenge to me than it might be to some of you polar bears out there.

**HappyMama** · 10-22-2008, 11:55 AM

Great Challenge! I know you can do it. Keep warm. I am trying to do the same and just use my new fireplace insert and space heaters rather then furnace. It is 45 here today...yuck

**Trishagirl** · 10-22-2008, 12:12 PM

I hope you can do it Mad Hen I'm like you hate being cold and I usually am all the time! We had electric heat and got it changed to gas now I don't know which is more expensive probably electric but gas is going up all the time. It was 26 this morning. BRRR!

**Gibs** · 10-22-2008, 12:19 PM

Good luck with the challenge. We have electric heaters on the wall just above the baseboards as well, and a wood stove. We are trying as well to just do the woodstove as much as possible. My electric bill is high enough now let alone having to turn on the heat. I think I might want in on this challenge.

**Cricketlegs** · 10-22-2008, 12:34 PM

Good luck..I hate to be cold. Our AC is still on here in east Texas.

Once the central heat comes on it will stay on until Feb or March.

I figure we can last out until November with no problems.

**TinyDancer** · 10-22-2008, 01:59 PM

Good luck! You'll have to start knitting a blanket to keep warm. I always get so hot with all of than yarn sitting in my lap. Of course, the cat sitting on top of the blanket might have something to do with it too. They're like my own personal space heaters!

**madhen** · 10-22-2008, 02:04 PM

I'm thinking of knitting a cocoon.

**Spikey1341** · 10-22-2008, 02:05 PM

I was thinking about digging out the space heaters this year. They said on the news that eletric is going to be cheaper than natural gas this year.

**Gardengal18** · 10-22-2008, 02:12 PM

I have Electric Heat Pump. I'm wondering if using Electric Space Heaters would be cheaper????

I also have an Electric Mattress Pad for the bed and an Electric throw for the sofa. The fur kids are going to have to get used to the heat being on 60 when I'm not home.....anyways they have fur coats on to begin with.

**AspiringToBeFrugal** · 10-22-2008, 02:57 PM

DH and I are also challenging ourselves to see how long we can go without turning on the heater. It's only in the 40s today and it's about 62 inside. I think I'm going to wash the electric blanket and then throw it on the bed in the next day or two! I also might look into purchasing a couple of space heaters. We haven't had one and I think now might be a good time to get one!

**freebs** · 10-22-2008, 03:25 PM

We have wood heat only so dont like to start up the fire if it is going to woarm up during the day. good luck!!!

**hippytreehugger4ever** · 10-22-2008, 03:41 PM

My DH's a wimp and has already turned on the heater. He cranks it up to about 78, then I turn it down to about 58 after he goes to bed. When he leaves for work at night I completely turn it off :-p We're supposed to get I think 10 inches of snow by Friday