Cutting energy costs at any time of the year makes good sense, but cutting energy costs during the winter is even more important. Not only do budgets get tight this time of year, but energy costs inevitably rise during the colder months. The heat gets turned on, sunny days for hanging laundry outdoors wane, and you turn your inside lights on a lot earlier each day. Here are a few steps you can take, and a few life style habits you can incorporate, in order to cut your energy costs during the winter.

Those Leaks

More effective than probably anything else is to batten down the hatches. Make sure all your storm windows are in the down position. Use a caulking material to seal up any leaks around windows, and weather stripping around doors. Hang heavy drapes on your windows, and use draft catchers at the bottom of all outside doors. Make sure all doors are closed tightly behind you, and don't let the kids run in and out of the house every five minutes.

The Electricity

Only turn on lights when needed. Don't turn lights on and off frequently. If you are going back and forth from one room to another, it's cheaper to leave the lights on in both of those rooms rather than to turn them on and off each time you enter and leave. Don't leave the television on if you're not watching it. Use your dryer sparingly. Invest in a wooden clothing rack, and hang some of your laundry instead of drying it all. Turn the heat down at night or invest in a programmable thermostat, which turns the heat down automatically at a certain time each night and turns it back up at a certain time in the morning. Use CFL light bulbs inside your home.

Bundle Up

Toss a few extra blankets on the bed instead keeping the heat turned up at night. Dress in layers instead of turning the thermostat up. Put on a sweater or snuggle under a throw blanket if you're cold during the day. Wear slippers or socks and shoes.

Other Ways To Save

Have annual maintenance done on your furnace to ensure it is operating at its maximum capacity. Turn your water heater down. If you have to turn the cold water on to cool down the hot water, then your water heater is set to high. Turn your refrigerator down. Unplug appliances, especially ones that have lighted features. Use LED Christmas lights. They don't use nearly as much electricity and they don't get as hot as traditional lights. Wash your clothes in cold water, and only heat areas of the house that you use often.

Cutting energy costs during the winter doesn't mean you have to freeze or sit in front of an electric heater all day. Use these energy saving tips to lower your energy costs, stay comfortable all winter long, and enjoy the savings.

Learn more about this author, Cyndi Li.
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