Money-saving energy tips to brave the cold months

Daylight saving time ended Sunday, Nov.1 at 2 a.m. Sunset comes earlier, so lights, heating and other appliances run more in the evening. Now is a good time to get your home ready so it uses less energy. Intuit TurboTax provides tips to help you stay warm and use less energy.

Bundle up inside

Lowering your thermostat is one of the easiest ways to save money and reduce energy consumption. The U.S. Department of Energy suggests 68 degrees F while you’re home and awake, and lowering it by 7 to 10 degrees for eight hours a day while you’re asleep or out. This can cut energy costs by up to 10% a year. A programmable thermostat can do this automatically.

Lowering the thermostat might be uncomfortable at first, but there are ways to dress for the temperature so you can stay comfortable. Bundle up with sweatshirts and flannels in the house. Warm socks help too, since your feet lose heat quickly.

Drink warm beverages 

Many people have their morning cup of coffee, but during the winter months, hot beverages are good all day long. Hot coffee, hot tea and hot chocolate can help you feel more comfortable at a lower thermostat setting.

Cooking at home can also help in several ways:

• Hot meals help you feel warm.
• Using the stove or oven adds some heat to nearby rooms.
• You’re more likely to feel warmer after eating a hot meal.
• Generally, you’ll save money compared with eating out. 

Use a space heater by day and an electric blanket by night

Heating an entire house when you’re only using a room or two wastes energy. Instead, try lowering the main thermostat and use a space heater in the room where you spend the most time. At night, use an electric blanket instead of a space heater.

Both use far less energy than heating the whole house to 72 or 74 degrees. It is important to use space heaters and electric blankets safely, though.

Choose a heater with automatic tip-over and overheat shutoff, plug it directly into a wall outlet (not an extension cord or power strip), keep it at least three feet from anything flammable and never leave it running unattended or while you sleep or leave the house. When it comes to electric blankets, don’t use an older electric blanket that is frayed or damaged, and follow the manufacturer’s instructions.

Close your fireplace damper

An open damper lets warm air escape up the chimney and it lets cold air in, undoing much of the work your furnace is doing. 

Close the damper when the fireplace isn’t in use, and open it before you light a fire. Make sure the fire is completely out before you go to bed. If you tend to forget, try leaving a note near the fireplace. 

Proper maintenance can help you save energy as well. Have your chimney inspected and cleaned each year, and consider a chimney balloon or top-sealing damper if yours leaks air.

Seal doors and windows

Gaps around doors and windows let heat escape, especially in homes with older windows. Check the seals, and look for drafts by holding a lit incense stick or a feather near the edges. Even a half-inch gap under a door causes noticeable drafts, so seal it with weather stripping or a door sweep. Use caulk for gaps around window frames, and window insulation film on drafty windows.

You can also use curtains and ceiling fans to add more warmth — or keep out the cold — in your home. Open curtains on sunny south-facing windows during the day to let in free heat, and close them at night to hold it in. If you have ceiling fans, set them to run clockwise at low speed to push warm air down from the ceiling.

Tax considerations

Before you head to the hardware store, consider this heads-up on taxes. The federal credit that used to cover part of the cost of insulation, air sealing, windows and doors ended on Dec. 31, 2025. That means upgrades you make now generally won’t earn you a federal tax credit.

If you finished any of those projects in 2025, you may still be able to claim the credit when you file your 2025 return (if you haven’t already filed or by amending your 2025 return), using IRS Form 5695. It’s worth digging up those receipts.

For projects you’re planning now, check whether your state, utility company or local government offers rebates. These programs vary by location and change often, so a quick search or a call to your utility company is a good place to start. Keep your receipts either way.

This story was produced by Intuit TurboTax and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.