Have you checked your gas bill lately? My last bill was 300% higher than it normally is during the winter. I logged into my gas account online to see what was going on. It turns out I wasn’t using more gas than usual; the price of natural gas increased in my area. How can we keep our utility expenses down in the face of these price increases? Here are some strategies I’m using. 

WARNING: Never use a portable generator indoors as this can cause carbon monoxide poisoning. Make sure you have working carbon monoxide detectors inside your home. CO Poisoning is deadly.

First, log into your gas account online and see if your state offers any programs that you may be eligible for. For example, I signed my mom up for a program that provides a 20% discount to people that receive social security. 

Next, explore other ways to stay warm without turning the heater on. At this point, the price of an electric blanket is a fraction of the cost of my gas bill. Investing in another heating source might be worth the cost.

• Close off rooms that don’t need to receive heat and close any vents to those rooms
• Block any window or door drafts with a towel or blanket
• Wear warm clothes, socks, slippers, and even a beanie indoors
• Use extra blankets (NOTE: children shouldn’t sleep with excessive blankets, they can become suffocating)
• Use a space heater only in the room you are occupying (please see space heater safety tips)
• Use an electric blanket (please see electric blanket or heating pad safety)

Space heaters and electric blankets are much safer than they used to be, but stay vigilant for fire hazards. I like to unplug mine while I’m not using them.

Finally, be aware of other natural gas uses and take steps to decrease your usage. Natural gas also powers your oven, gas range, gas water heater, and sometimes dryer.

• Remember to turn your oven off when you’re done cooking. When I was a kid my dad incentivized us to make sure it was off after dinner was cooked by rewarding us with $1 if it was left on. 
• Take shorter showers
• Rewear clothes if they’re not quite dirty yet
• Wash clothes with cold water
• Hang dry clothes or dry them in the dryer most of the way and then hang dry to finish drying

Just being aware of your usage will help you become more mindful about your consumption to keep your utility bill in check. What strategies are you using to keep your gas bill down?