Blankets, sweaters and tea can help you fight the cold in your home as winter settles in.
But the average electric bill during winter is nearly $250. So what can you do to save some of that money?
For your thermostat, set it at 68 degrees throughout the season.
According to energy.gov, turning it lower by ten to 15 degrees for eight hours a day could save you 5% to 15% on your yearly bill.
And it may be time to get stingy on your laundry. Since both the washer and dryer use heat, only wash or dry full. It costs about $115 a year to run both.
It may be a good time to change out your bulbs. Using CFL light bulbs could save you up to $35 in electric costs over the lifetime of each of the bulbs.
Also, load up on rugs. Rugs can help insulate your floors to help keep your feet warm.
And you can use your ceiling fan to your advantage. Putting your fan on a low setting and running it counter clockwise will move the warm air down.
If you own a fireplace, to get the most warmth, when you’re not using it, close the damper to prevent the warm air from escaping.
And for the windows, use insulating drapes or shades or a heavy-duty plastic sheet in order to keep the draft away.