Tips For Reducing Winter Bills And Expenses

Rachelle Wilbur11/19/2017

0 127 2 minutes read

reducing winter bills and expenses - happy girl reading a book by the window in the winter

If you’re like most families, winter is a time when the heating bills really start to rise. This can be a huge financial hit to your monthly budget.

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Here are some tips to reduce those winter heating and electric bills.

Winterize Your Home

There are things you can do to make sure you’re ready for winter.

Insulation. Check your attic to see if the insulation covers the floor joists. If it doesn’t, adding insulation to the attic space of your home can help reduce heat loss from your roof.
Weather Stripping. Make sure your doors have weather stripping to minimize the cold air creeping in to your home from outside.
Furnace Filter. Change your furnace filter to ensure maximum air flow.
Air Ducts. Make sure the air ducts are clean and sealed. This will ensure furnace hot air is actually getting into your home.

Upgrade Your Furnace

If your furnace is older than 16 years, or just isn’t getting the job done anymore, it is time to consider getting a new more energy efficient model.

Certain companies, like Propane EZ know if your furnace was previously an electric model, it would be more efficient to upgrade to a propane model.

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, it is more efficient to heat your home with propane than electric and it costs less over time.

Propane is warmer than electric and is clean and safe. The average propane furnace also lasts 20 years, which will save you money down the line.

Evaluate Your Thermostat

Changing your thermostat to a digital programmable thermostat will save you money. You can set a schedule on your thermostat, which will allow you to run your furnace less.

You can program your thermostat to reflect your actual needs. Allowing you to avoid trying to maintain a constant temperature in your home, or coming home to a cold house and rushing to turn on the thermostat to warm up.

Be mindful and use blankets, jackets and sweaters to layer you and your family members during the winter.

This simple technique can help you save lots of cash on heating expenses.

Check Your Lighting

According to Energy Star, changing your incandescent light bulbs to compact fluorescent bulbs can reduce your electric bill by $80 over the course of the bulbs lifetime.

Another winter lighting expense is Christmas lights.

Buying LED Christmas lights can save on your electric bill. LED lights use 75% less energy and last longer than the incandescent variety.

They also don’t cost a lot more than regular bubs do, which as an even bigger incentive to use them in your home.

The increased financial strain during the winter months can be minimized just by doing some of the simple things laid out. Planning ahead is the best solution for saving your family money.

Budgeting out for the bigger items may seem like a huge up front expense, but you will most likely get that money back in the long run with reduced energy bills.

About the author

Rachelle Wilber is a freelance writer living in the San Diego, California area. She graduated from San Diego State University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and Media Studies. Rachelle tries to find an interest in all topics and themes, which prompts her writing. When she isn’t on her porch writing in the sun, you can find her shopping, at the beach or at the gym. Follow her on Twitter @RachelleWilber and Facebook.