It's that time of the year during which we bring out that extra blanket
to wrap up for warmth during the night. Well guess what... your hot
water heater should get a blanket too!

For approximately $30 (prices will vary by manufacturer), you can buy an insulating blanket and use it to encase your old water heater. When you're in the market for a new water heater, opt for a tankless version, which heats water on demand and uses significantly less energy as a result.

Speaking of insulation, you can also buy and install insulating shades. In an earlier blog post, we mentioned this along with other tips on helping to keep your heating costs down. These are especially helpful with drafty windows. They'll do the trick until you've got the cash to replace old windows with new, multipane ones that provide lots of insulation.