10 Ways to Cut Your Heating Bill in Half

Last Updated on October 17, 2011

Winter is coming soon. With the cold comes big jackets, sweaters and lots and lots of hot chocolate. There are also cold nights and wet feet. With all of this cold—people start to turn up the heat in their homes. When temperatures start to rise, so do heating bills. With the economy, spending extra money on a heating bill is simply not manageable for a lot of people. Here are 10 ways to cut on your heating bill this winter.

1. Find out what energy you use
In many areas, there are different types of energy that are used to heat homes. Check what is available to you. You might find that sometime you thought was expensive is a lot cheaper!

2. Find out the location of your thermostat
If your thermostat is somewhere where it gets extremely hot or cold in the winter, you will have to take that into consideration when adjusting it. You don’t want to adjust the temperature for just one room.

3. Wear layered clothing
If you tend to get extremely cold, try wearing more clothes. During the winter months, it gets cold enough anyways, just bundle up

4. Use an automatic timer on your thermostat
This can help you save on costs at night. If you are bundled up at night, you can usually set the timer to go to lower temperatures at night.

5. Take a look at your windows
Make sure that your windows are sealed. If you are cold during the day time, try opening your curtains to let the sun through.

6. Seal off the house
Seal any little crack or hole in your home. It will save you a bunch of money because the heat will not escape from anywhere.

7. Upgrade the insulation
If you find that you are getting very cold—check the insulation of your house. If you live in an old house, you might find it more beneficial to get new insulation.

8. Turn off the heat
If you are going to be gone for a long period of time, turn off the heat. However, if it is just a short time, leave it on. It will take more energy (and money) to heat up a house when you turn off the heat and then come home to a very cold home.

9. Have your furnace serviced
Having your furnace serviced before winter comes will save you money in the long run. Even if you are against it, there are many that wish that they serviced their furnace before winter. They would have saved lots of money.

10. Cut down on use of kitchen and bathroom fans
Using fans will only make the air colder. Use the fans if they are completely necessary. You don’t want to be getting rid of precious warm air.

If you are worried about your heating bills this winter, do not be! If you follow these 10 tips, you will be able to cut down on your costs and you will still be able to stay as toasty as you want. Instead of worrying about the heating bill, relax with your coziest blanket and curl up with a mug of hot chocolate.

About the Author
Neltje Ann Maynez is a freelance writer for MyCollegesandCareers.com. My Colleges and Careers helps people determine if an online education is right for them, helps them understand which online masters degree programs are right for them and which online schools they can choose from to reach their goals.