November is well underway and another cold winter is looming for most of us, and that means more than just chilly temperatures—it means spending more money. The average American household is spending more than $2,000 a year on energy bills and almost half of that is from heating and cooling. While AC in the summer can be avoidable, depending on where you live, there are many who have no choice but to reach for the thermostat once the temperature starts to plummet.

Making the (small) investment for a programmable thermostat, however, can help you lower your monthly energy bill and reduce the carbon emissions that result from your energy use. One of our favorites is the Clairion Eco-Save Programmable Thermostat, which is truly an easy investment at $48. The Eco-Save Thermostat connects to your gas, oil or electric heating and/or cooling system and can than be programmed to meet your heat needs as they vary. Different settings for weekdays and Saturday and Sunday mean you won’t be blasting the heat while you’re away at the office or going without when you’re stretched out on the couch on Sunday afternoon (all without you having to change the thermostat).

One of the best features of the Clairion Eco-Save programmable thermostat, though, is that it shows you how much energy you’re saving for every degree you’ve lowered your heat with information based on EPA estimates. Seeing how much energy you’re saving—or not saving—may be just enough to get you motivated about improving your energy habits.

You can find information on the ideal settings for a programmable thermostat and how to install a programmable thermostat on the Energy Star website. Of course, if you can’t invest in a programmable thermostat right now, you can still improve your energy savings by remembering to turn off (or turn down) the manual thermostat when you leave the house or go to sleep at night and by opting for an extra sweater or a warm throw blanket instead of more heat whenever you can.

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