by Bruce W. Coffman

Created on: October 13, 2008

Get started now if you want to save energy and save money this winter. Take a good look around your home first and look for possible "leaks," or areas where your heat may be escaping and cold air may creep in. Windows and doors are the most common culprits, but there are things you may overlook, as well. One example would be a permanently installed air conditioner. Make sure that the back is covered tightly and securely and that any cracks around the unit itself are sealed.

Once you've sealed all the leaks with weather stripping, plastic and other weather proofing materials you can pick up inexpensively at your local hardware or home store, it's time to consider some other small steps you can take to save energy before tackling the big issue of heating. If you haven't switched over to the new energy-efficient light bulbs, it's definitely time to do so. I own a small business and I have replaced as many of the lights as possible with those type of bulbs and have noticed much more of a reduction in my electric bill than I ever expected. The bulbs themselves are a little expensive, but they pay for themselves very quickly, last much longer than standard light bulbs and provide the same quality and level of lighting at a fraction of the cost. If you can't afford to replace all the bulbs in your house at once, take it step by step and replace one a week.

Keeping in mind what most of our mother's preached to us when we were kids is another great way to save energy. You probably heard a million times to turn a light off when you leave a room. It's a great habit to get into and will save money in the longrun. Take this a step further and look at other devices that can be silent energy drains, sucking money as well as juice even when you think they're not. Your computer, even if has a sleep or power-saver mode, is using power constantly. Turning it off when not in use will save you a lot on your electric bill. Other electrical items, such as chargers for phones and music players also constantly pull juice, even when the devices are not attached to them. By unplugging the chargers when not in use, you'll eliminate yet another source of needless energy waste.

The biggest problem in winter time is heat. It's most people's largest expense during the winter months and it's more of a necessity than a luxury, so it can't be done without. There are ways, however, to save on your heating costs. Closing off rooms you don't use and not wasting energy heating them will help, but that's

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