5 Ways to Reduce Your Heating Bill Without Freezing at Home

Ah, winter -- back again. I live in a place that gets real winter, including a considerable amount of snow and freezing temperatures. And since I don't like to spend an arm and a leg on my utility bills, I've got a few tricks up my sleeve to keep the hit to my checking account as minimal as possible. Here are five tips for lower heating bills.

1. Get your heating system checked

We are already into winter, so while you can still make this first move, it's a good idea to go ahead and add it to your fall to-do list for the future. Call an HVAC technician and have them come out to give your system a full check-up. If anything seems hinky, you can get it fixed before the coldest day of winter.

While you're at it, get some new furnace filters and ditch the old ones. Depending on the exact nature of your particular heater, you may need to replace your filters monthly or seasonally -- ask that technician for a recommendation. Furnace filters aren't super expensive. I found multipacks of different sizes listed for around $30 at Home Depot. Changing your furnace filters regularly can help the system perform better and heat your home more efficiently -- and keep you from breathing in pollen, dust, and other gunk that circulates inside your home via your heating ducts and vents.

2. Sign up for budget billing

If you want more predictable winter heating bills and you've established a billing history at your current place of residence, consider opting in for budget billing through your utility company. This works by calculating an average of your usage over the previous year, and you're charged a set amount based on that. I signed up for this last year, and the company still comes to read my meter, and every few months, the amount I pay changes (based on predicted versus actual usage, as well as the cost of the energy).

While this move will not lower the amount you owe, it makes it much more predictable, so you'll have an easier time budgeting for that heating bill. And since changes are factored in over time, you won't see a huge spike in your bill. Before I signed up, I'd go from moderate bills in the fall as it was just getting cold -- only to see a major jump once the winter set in. If you dread opening your heating bill every month, budget billing can tamp down some of your anxiety.

3. Invest in a space heater

I love space heaters, and since electricity is cheaper than gas in my part of the world, I am tangibly saving money by using them (and keeping my furnace set at just 64 degrees). The trick with space heaters is to remember their limitations and lean on their strengths. They work best inside a single room -- if you've got a big open floorplan living and dining room, a small electric heater will struggle to appreciably warm that much space.

So instead, use one in your bedroom or perhaps your home office, if you're fortunate enough to work from home. On these cold winter days, I close myself in my office and let the heater run -- my cats appreciate it too and it never takes them long to appear when the heater turns on.

A few vital safety tips for space heaters:

• Protect the unit from falling over.
• Don't run it when you're not in the room.
• Plug it directly into a wall, rather than an extension cord.
• Supervise pets and children closely.

4. Visit the hardware store

If you can feel the cold winter wind inside your home, you've got leaky windows and doors. If you own your home, maybe set a goal to replace them (this would be a great use of a home equity loan or line of credit). But if you rent, you still have options. Take a trip to your favorite hardware store and invest in some new door seals and weather stripping to reduce or eliminate that breezy feeling and keep the cold air out and the warm air (that you're paying for) in.

As for your windows, I recommend sealing them with plastic sheeting. No, it won't look pretty -- but when you hear that winter wind rattling against plastic instead of chilling you to the bone, you'll be glad. You can buy kits with pre-cut plastic and rolls of double-sided tape for under $10 at Home Depot. Just be sure you measure your windows ahead of time.

5. Break out your winter wardrobe

I certainly understand the impulse to lounge around in shorts and a T-shirt when you're at home, but winter is not the time to lean into this. Rather, I'm going to give you some classic Dad advice: Don't turn up the heat. Go put on a sweater.

Better still, go scoop up some fleece pajamas and cozy sweatshirts from your favorite department store on holiday clearance. You can keep from freezing while you're lounging around at home, without spiking your heating bill.

Winter heating bills can put a crimp in your personal finances, but if you're strategic, you can lower your costs without needing to build a trash can fire in your living room. Stay warm and remember -- it's only a few short months until spring.