Ah, yes…winter in New Jersey. Time for everyone to cuddle up inside around the fireplace, read stories, drink brandy, and smile at each other while the dog rests…That’s not really how it works, is it? Let me tell you a couple ideas on how to conserve energy in your home during the next long winter.

It WOULD be nice if the above scenario played out all winter – and sometimes it DOES – but the reality is that most of us are always thinking about that heat bill, and wondering how we’re going to pay it next month.

First of all, only use ONE door next winter, and have it be the FRONT door, or at least one that you can monitor from where you usually are. That way, you can keep your eye on it, and so can everyone else. If junior leaves it open for longer than necessary, you can get on him right away.

Put plastic over all the other doors, and don’t remove it until it starts to warm up.

Another way to bring that heat cost down is to simply use electric blankets. I know, I know: it’s still using electricity, but it’s a fraction of the energy used to heat the entire house. When people are up running around, their blood is rapidly flowing, so you can keep the heat turned down a little. At nighttime, there’s no reason to be cold if you have a couple electric blankets around the house.

I’m serious about this one: get a couple dogs. There’s nothing like snuggling up with a big old dog at the end of the day to keep you warm, both physically and mentally!