Tips for Saving Money on Heating Bills

With the colder months upon us my family and I start see a much higher gas bill. Although it is expected because our heater is constantly running when the temperature dips below zero it is still hard to dish out that extra money every month.With the help of the following tips and ideas on saving money on heating bills, you will be able to rest assured that you won’t have any surprises at the end of the month.  There are a variety of different ways to avoid having to pay an extreme amount of money for heating and using them to your advantage can help you to run a more economical household.Today, I wanted to share with you a few tips to help you lower your heating bills to keep more money in your pocket this winter season. I broke it down into two different sections. The first set of tips are simple tricks that are inexpensive. The second list are a bit more extensive and cover the larger tasks that you can do to start saving money on heating bills. 

6 Simple tips to lower your gas bill:

1. Clean your warm-air registers to allow the heat to easily pass through.
2. Move any furniture you have that is up against an exterior wall since those are the coldest areas.
3. If you have a fireplace, close it up to the outside when you are not using it to prevent any cool air from seeping in.
4. I know this is very obvious but dress warmer when you are going to bed or sleep with a heavy comforter so that you do not have to turn up the temperature on your thermostat.
5. The same goes for your clothes throughout the day. Dress warmer and lower the temperature on your thermostat.
6. Close your curtains at night to keep the cold out.

All of the small things can really add up when it comes to saving money.I also wanted to share with you a few ideas that were sent in my one of my readers:

1-    We use a thermostat that you can pre-program for the whole week! You can pick them up for as little as $30 at places like Home Depot, Lowe’s, etc.2-   We put clear plastic over some of our windows that we don’t need to look out during the winter months. That too is inexpensive and really keeps the cold out. (I think we paid $6.00 for a roll that will cover at least 3 rooms worth of windows).3-   We put rolled towels or doorstops at the bottom of the doors that cold air can leak in from.

Tips for Saving Money on Heating

Step 1: Insulating the HomeThe number one way to make sure that your house doesn’t soak in the cold air and keeps the warm air inside is to make sure that it is insulated.  Make sure that every room in your house is insulated.  This material is great for minimizing heat transfers in both the summer and the wintertime.  Plus, it allows your home to utilize ventilation to control moisture within the wood.  Have an inspector determine if your home has a sufficient amount of insulation for the winter. Even though this is not a simple task to complete you will be happy once it is done.Step 2: Energy Efficient ThermostatsThere are many different types of thermostats that you can get from your local hardware store and many of them are energy efficient to help you save money during the colder months.  Even if you find that you do not want to spend the money on energy efficient thermostats, you can train your existing one to save you money simply by changing the heating settings.  Consider turning your thermostat down when you are out of the house so that it’s not running when you’re not home.  This will help you to stop wasting money on heating that won’t be used. Many people have told me that they like to turn their thermostats down at night since they are under blankets anyways.Step 3: Looking at WindowsYou would be surprised at the fact that the majority of cool air and hot air that leaves your home is as a result of your windows.  The majority of homes find that they spend more money on heating costs because of outdated windows.  Windows are essentially large holes in the walls that separate you and the outside world through a pane of glass.  Therefore, it is imperative that you make sure that your windows are of the best quality to assist your house with retaining the most heat. This tip for saving money on heating will definitely cost you a lot more for the initial investment, but the long-term savings definitely will add up every year to help keep money in your pocket.Also, check out some tips for Saving Money on your Electric Bill. What are some ideas you have for saving money on heating bills, please share in the comments below!