68 Degrees

Sixty-eight degrees. That's what the thermostat was set for at my parents' house, and if you ever tried to go near it, you'd get your fingers slapped. Cold? My mom had two solutions. Put on a sweatshirt, or do some work. And like all dads, mine said: "I'm not paying to heat the outside."

I'm comfortably sitting in a room just shy of 73 degrees, but I pay for it. My heating bill was $185 last month. I live in a drafty house.

Although the calendar says we're in the middle of winter, the newspaper says this February is going to be one of the coldest in 50 years. I'm going to try a little experiment. I installed shrinkwrap plastic sheets over my windows and will record how much money it saves.



I covered four windows, near where I feel the cold most. I used two different brands: W.J. Dennis & Company (on sale at Aco for $1.99, one box covers one window, 42 inches by 84 inches) and the 3M brand ($8.99 for a sheet that is twice as big).


Installation is quick. The only tool you need is a hairdryer.

So my investment is $13. If I save $13 on my next heating bill, I'll be converted.