Slash your home heating bill!

Home heating costs are soaring across the U.S., with prices of natural gas and home heating oil doubling in some areas compared to last year! Fortunately, there are simple ways to lower costs while staying warm...

- Gabrielle Lichterman

On a tight budget? You may qualify for help from the federal government’s Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). It’s free to apply, and if accepted, the program helps you pay your heating bill and cover the cost of weatherizing your home to reduce your energy usage. Every year, 5.2 million U.S. households have their heating expenses lowered by this program. To find out if you qualify, visit LIHEAPCH.acf. hhs.gov/search-tool or call 866-674-6327. You may also qualify for assistance from your utility provider or state government. Find out about local programs by logging on to NeedHelpPayingBills.com/ html/energy_assistance.html or contacting your state’s energy office at NASEO.org/members-states.

Look high and low for leaks

You likely already know to seal windows with removable caulk or film and place draft stoppers at the base of exterior doors to block drafts that inflate your energy bill. But home energy expert Allison Bailes, III, Ph.D., author of