"Joe" wrote in message
...
I work in an unheated basement all day and the temp ranges from 55-62
degrees. I've grown accustomed to the temp with an array of fleece
pants, jackets and socks. My children don't seem to be bothered by
cold temps. The problem is my wife, she cannot handle any temperature
lower than 66 degrees. I feel it's a little wasteful to turn up the
heat for the whole house (we have one-zone heat) when she is the only
one uncomfortable so I was considering an oil-filled heater to follow
her around. I'm just wondering if it's worth it or will it be a wash
cost-wise. Has anyone else tried this?

First of all, you are one tough guy. Secondly, I think letting your
wife have the house at 66F is reasonable. Life is short, and she's
not asking for 72F, which is what a lot of people want. We set our
themostat at 65F when we're home, 67F when the wind is bad or the
outside temps are really cold, and we live by Lake Ontario. We also
sit on the couch with blankets and various small and large animals
(does your wife have a lap dog or cat? Free heat!), and that helps,
too.

The oil-filled heater idea might work, too, for the times that 66F
isn't good enough. We have a housemate on the third floor who uses a
long electric radiant space heater to keep her main room comfortable,
but I've never tried to figure out what portion of our electric bill
that heater is costing us (we always seem to have someone living up
there so we never have the opportunity to shut off that appliance to
compare usage). It's ok; as long as she's comfortable, that's what
matters. Life is short, as I said (and as I try to remind myself
often), and it's only money.