How can you stay warm without going broke? Well, *first* don't do what I do and keep the heater on all the time. Our December heating bill was in the five digits (remember, we're talking yen here), and is not something you really want to brag about as a frugal writer. Here are a few hints for you, and me, to hopefully enjoy a warmer winter.
First, the easiest (and cheapest) way to warm up is to wear more clothing. The Japanese padded winter jacket, or hanten, is great in this regard, as it keeps you quite warm. The next "must have" for frugal winters is the kotatsu, or heating table. Paired with a futon/blanket on the top and carpet on the bottom, you're pretty warm. One more frugal tip is to put a layer of insulating material (newspapers or cardboard works well) underneath your kotatsu carpet, to prevent heat from escaping. As far as the temperature setting, did you know that reducing it from "high" to "medium" can save you 32.48 kw, or Y1,130 a year? Amazing! Be sure and turn off the kotatsu when you're done using it.
The air conditioner/heating unit found in most Japanese homes is another major source of winter expense. Be sure and keep the filter clean, as that helps the machine run more efficiently. Also, setting the AC temperature lower (from 21 to 20 degrees) can save you major bucks - some Y1,640 a year, based on nine hours a day of use. Likewise, your gas or oil fan heater should also be set at around 20C. Reducing the termperature from 21C to 20C on this baby can save you Y2,070 in fuel expenses.
Speaking of heating appliances, were you aware that your hot carpet actually uses about twice as much energy as your kotatsu, and is much less efficient at heating a space? If you must use a hot carpet, keep it set on "medium" or "low", and use it only when people are in the room. Lowering the hot carpet setting can save you Y4,280 a year (based on five hours use/day).
This year in particular, kerosene costs are quite expensive, making it hard for people who use oil stoves or oil fan heaters to keep warm frugally. Try using a fan in a heated room to circulate the warm air (which stays near the ceiling), or use your oil-based heater together with a kotatsu and other methods.
Finally, find a comparison below of the various costs per appliance per day and month (data taken from:http://kakeashi.boo.jp/danbouhi-part2.htm). Perhaps this will make it easier for you to decide which equipment to use.
Seikyu (Oil) Stove:
Y250/day Y7,500/month (based on Y1,250 for 18 litres of kerosene) Y216/day, Y6,480/month (based on Y1,080 for self-service kerosene)
A/C Unit:
Y240/day, Y7,200/month (16 hours/day) (A/C units average Y15/hour of running time.)
Kotatsu:
Y3/hour for a 500 watt lamp, Y5/hour for a 600 watt lamp Y80/day, Y2,400 month (16 hours/day)
Hot Carpet:
Y14/hour on High setting Y224/day, Y6,720 month (16 hours/day)
Halogen Heater:
Y17.6/hour for a 800 watt unit, Y21/hour for 1000 watt unit Y281.6/day, Y8,448 month (16 hours /day)
Gas Fan Heater:
Y13/hour for an 8-mat size gas fan heater Y208/day Y6,240/month (16 hours/day)
By Wendy J. Imura. Copyright 2006.