The phone thing sounds great but we dont have a landline so no connection. Good to know tho, I'll pass this on

Have never heard my electricity referred to as hydro here in Alberta. Anyone else?

We have a combined gas and electricity bill running at about $200 a month right now.

I was going to suggest curtains too, & lining them with old blankets if your place is really draughty. Also draught-stoppers for doors (this sort of thing for example: https://www.amazon.com/Inches-Draft-...YG7JVNRTAYTSYD - an easy diy project)

There's always that plastic film stuff, which I've found works well for windows:
https://m.canadiantire.ca/#/products...tures/0642615P

(Can be found cheaper, this was just the first that came up in a quick search).

I've NEVER understood the front door opening directly into living areas which seems so prevalent here

The guy next door has an extension and he puts sheets on the outside windows on that bit only - I see there's a kit for that too.

My last tenant did the inside stuff last winter.

With the climate where JS lives I'm cynically thinking the extra power used by the hairdryer might cancel any savings.

Happy Days, Married with Children etc (and, of course, the stairs in the living room, usually behind the sofa)...I always thought it was a sort of 'set' or stage requirement for TV purposes.

It might make the place a bit warmer/less draughty?

Which leads me to a thought about why the heck are so many baseboard heaters in apartments fitted directly under windows??

Heating & hydro costs was discussed previously on another BE thread in the past

Baseboard heaters are inefficient, so as an alternative take a look at the 'lifesmart infared' portable heaters with remote control (aka portable furnace). Place one in the centre of a room, even move it from room to room, would be ideal for a one-bedroom apartment. Likely one unit could replace all of the baseboard heaters.

Save some dollars for sure

Available at Cdn Tire, Home depot, walmart & on Amazon

Best price that I found is at factory direct. Check out the Vancouver store

Canada’s best deal on Lifesmart 1500W Infared 6 Element Heater-Black Electric Heaters -

I have the solution.



Break in downstairs, don't take anything, just turn the heating on down there. As long as it's empty nobody will know.

Don't leave shoe treads or fingerprints or DNA.

And get hot water bottles!

Or Magic Bags. They make great bed warmers or just hold one to warm your hands.

Consider turning the thermostats in your place down to 50'F & wear a snowsuit through the winter

Also consider a sleeping bag, make sure you wear a balaclava

Canadian winter indoors, wear several layers of clothing, always wear socks and/or slippers, gloves, topped with a balaclava

Never ever turn on the electric stove/oven or those baseboard heaters or only if & when necessary... these are big KWh users

That sounds like a siege.

@not2old
You forgot "keep warm by shoveling snow"

only if it doesn't cause a hernia or heart attack.

Then again in your case why would you shovel snow or pay a third party to do it when you (or anyone else on BE) have healthy kids in the house that could do the snow shovelling & garden work as part of their keep?

Like everything else in life, 'all in moderation'

It's been a long time since you had kids.

When they were teens they'd spend so much time arguing, it was quicker to do it on my own.

She spends most of her days on her feet at work and is too tired to join in - and work is more important.

I do the steps and access to the street, he does a path to the outside heat pump and my mother in law does part of the deck for her to go out and smoke.

Doing the city plow ridge across the drive would likely give me a heart attack and bring on an asthma attack for him.

I can think of better ways to croak.

She does the gardening - as a hobby - and he does the grass cutting

$25 gets the driveway cleared and I just 'tidy up' the edges after the plow guy has gone.

yet its OK for Mum & Dad that work all day to shovel, garden, do the shopping, cooking, cleaning, washing etc

Meanwhile this generation are so stressed & tired that they need to spend 8 hrs after work on their devices, sleeping in, late for work

OK, I get the message, its been a long time since our kids did things without expecting something in return & before the B/W TV days or before internet

Old person goes back to armchair for a snooze before shoveling the snow