5 ways to save energy and still stay warm

With temperatures still low in many places and heating still high most everywhere, it is time to consider ways to save money and still stay warm. Most homes rely on costly fossil fuels for heat, but there are ways to reduce your energy costs, have a "greener" 2009, and stay warm all year long.

Here are five easy ways to stay warm and use less energy this winter:

1. Install a programmable thermostat
These will automatically reduce your heat setting while you are at work or at night while the family is asleep. You can set temperatire adjustments for multiple time periods throughout the day and the week. With a programmable thermostat, your heating bills can go down without much effort at all.

2. Winterize
Check weather stripping around all doors and windows and maybe even invest in some heavy, draft-reducing, curtains. Make sure you have proper insulation in your walls, attic, and basement as well. Install insulated coverings for your hot water heater and any pipes that may need it.

3. Let the sun shine in
Solar panels are expensive but you can still warm your home with the sun's rays by opening blinds and curtains on south and east facing windows and doors. This simple concept of letting the sun shine in (when it is actually shining) can really warm up a house. In addition, cut back trees and shrubs that may be blocking the sun from shining through your windows.

4. Blankets and sweaters
The easiest and most affordable way to stay warm is to put on a heavy sweater or fleece while at home. Turn the thermostat down two degrees and then use throw blankets to keep warm while reading or watching television. Don't laugh it off this simple concept - it can produce big savings if practiced consistently.

5. Electric space heaters
If one or two rooms in your home are colder than the rest, use an electric space heater while in those rooms instead of turning up the thermostat for the entire house. Modern space heaters (electric only) are energy efficient, safe, and fairly inexpensive. You can also use a space heater in the bedroom at night, to give the furnace a break from heating the entire house.

Quick and easy changes can make a big impact on your energy bills over the course of a season - especially a cold winter season. With a little bit of effort you can find yourself with more money in your wallet and feel good about the positive environmental impact that came along with those savings. -ecowisdom