9 Cheap Hacks to Help Lower Your Heating Costs

Heating costs can quickly eat up your budget in winter. But there are ways you can keep costs low without suffering from a cold house. These cheap (or free) hacks can help you keep warm without increasing your heating bill and impacting your personal finances.

1. Seal up leaky windows and doors

The seals around your doors and windows can degrade or warp over time, letting hot air escape and creating drafts. Applying fresh weatherstripping can help seal those gaps, stopping your heat from leaking out.

You can buy basic weatherstripping from most big box stores for less than $0.50 a foot. More stubborn windows can be sealed with plastic sheeting; these kits cost $10 to $15 and can usually seal multiple windows.

2. Turn on your ceiling fan

It may seem a little counterintuitive, but ceiling fans can actually help distribute the heat in your house and make you feel warmer. You just need to make sure it's spinning the correct direction. That's because warm air rises.

In the winter, you should set your ceiling fan blades to spin clockwise at a low speed when you're in the room. This will help pull the cooler air up toward the ceiling and better distribute the warm air through your house.

The direction of your fan spin can typically be changed with a switch near the motor. Don't forget to change the spin direction back in summer!

3. Move your body

Physical exercise not only gets your blood flowing -- which can help warm up extremities like hands and feet -- but it also increases your core temperature, making you feel much warmer overall.

You don't need a full home gym to get these benefits, either. Anything that gets you moving can make you feel warmer.

4. Wear more layers

Having proper layers is the best way to stay warm in the cold, and this applies to staying inside as much as it does when we go out. Putting on a good base layer that sits close to the skin can help insulate your core.

A warm sweater, cozy socks, and even a soft beanie can add even more insulation, keeping all of that body heat trapped where it can do its job of keeping you toasty warm.

5. Use those throws

Believe it or not, those decorative throw blankets we all hang over the back of the sofa can actually be used to keep warm! (And if they can't, consider a better blanket.)

In all seriousness, though, don't underestimate how much heat you can keep just by tucking a blanket on your lap while you're lounging on the sofa or even while working at your desk. It doesn't have to be a thick blanket, either. Like layering on your body, layering two thinner blankets is actually more effective than using a single, thicker blanket.

6. Change your furnace filter

A dirty furnace filter makes it harder for air to flow. This means your furnace has to work harder to produce the same results. The EPA recommends changing your filter at least every three months, or sooner if it gets dirty faster.

You don't need a top-of-the-line filter, either. While higher-end HVAC filters can catch finer particles, a basic $5 filter will do a perfectly acceptable job of keeping debris out of your furnace and air conditioning systems. And a clean $5 filter is better than a dirty filter of any price.

Make sure you turn off your HVAC before removing the filter. Never run your furnace or air conditioner without the filter in place.

7. Program your thermostat

Setting your thermostat to actually follow your schedule can have a drastic impact on your heating costs. Make sure you're lowering the temperature while you're out -- you definitely don't need to keep the house toasty warm all day while you're in the office, for instance -- and at night while you're tucked away in bed.

If you don't currently have a programmable thermostat, consider an upgrade. You can grab a basic programmable model for less than $30 from most big box stores. If you're willing to spend a little more, consider a smart thermostat that can offer even more control. Some power companies may even offer rebates for upgrading to a smart thermostat.

8. Adjust your window coverings

Thick curtains and drapes can help keep out drafts in the winter, but they may also be blocking that wonderful, warming sunlight. Open your blinds and curtains during the day when the sun is shining in -- this goes double for south-facing windows! -- then close them again before the sun sets.

Don't have curtains? Consider adding some. Prices will vary a lot with quality and design, but you can get basic curtains for $10 per set, or energy-efficient blackout curtains for about $10 per panel.

9. Get a rewards credit card

Using rewards credit cards is my go-to way to save on pretty much anything, utilities included. I earned more than $180 in cash back last year just from using my U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card to pay my utility bills. The card has no annual fee, so it doesn't even cost me anything to keep it in my wallet.

There are two things to watch out for here. One, make sure you pay in full and on time every month to avoid interest fees. And two, some utility companies may charge you a convenience or service fee for using a credit card. Make sure you're earning more in rewards than the fee is costing you.

There's a lot you can do to help reduce your heating costs, and many moves are cheap -- if not free. Ideally, some of these tips can help you save a bit more this winter.