It has not been a great fall for finances, to put it mildly. An erratic stock market and looming recession have most of us cutting costs and planning for the worst. The rising costs of food and gas have been especially difficult for many and while gas prices have gone down a bit, the government has issued a warning to Americans to expect higher heating costs this winter. The estimated 15% price increase from last year is due to more expensive fuel and the likelihood of colder weather. And coal and natural gas costs have also been climbing.

An ever-growing energy bill isn’t good news for anyone trying to cut back, but it may help us ease our dependency on un-renewable energy sources and push us to not just cut back our use, but to really consider switching to clean energy sources.

Still, odds are you’re not installing solar power this winter (if you don’t have it already) and that doesn’t mean you can’t lower your heating costs. What you can do is use your energy wisely; turning on the heater for shorter periods and taking steps to keep that heat: Make sure your windows and doors are tightly sealed, with no air escaping in or out…and don’t leave doors open long when you’re entering or exiting the house. Keep curtains open to let in sunlight but close them on gray days or at night to put an extra barrier between thinner windows and your living space. If you’re working in one room, turn off the heat in the other rooms (if possible) and close the door to lock in the heat you build up in that room so you won’t have to run the heater as long. And if you want to take an extra easy step to staying warm…put on some seriously thick socks. Anyone who’s spent some time trudging through snow knows how much cold feet can affect your body, so adding a pair of warming socks to your outfit–as well as a cozy sweater–can make a big difference. If you couple that with a throw blanket, you may be able to turn off the heater all together.

We like the Ultra Heavyweight Mountaineering Socks from Patagonia because of the insulation from their chlorine-free merino wool and their mid-calf length; plus, anything that can be relied on to keep ice climbers tootsies toasty is a safe bet to warm you up at home.

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