Note: This is a 2-part article on saving on utility bills and economizing; the first part ran on 11.18.09

Experts say that caulking around windows (inside & out) is an effective way to cut down on drafts and cold air that leaks in through an older or improperly-set window. We have several of the latter - improperly-set windows. We are budgeting and saving for window-replacement, but in the meantime, we decided to try the shrinkwrap option. This is a reasonably-gauged plastic that is adhered through double-sided tape to the window frame. We purchased Brand A last year and were amazed at how well it cut down on draftiness in our front room; we purchased Brand B this year and were amazed at how much better it was than what we installed last year. My mom was somewhat surprised that we did this at all; her impression of plastic over windows is an old one, namely, that it cuts down on visibility and light.

But as you can see by the photo above, there's no apparent visibility issues. This photo was taken through a window with plastic shrinkwrap on it, while the wind howled and the snow blew on Christmas Day 2008. The key, I've found, is to carve out time and patiently use a hair-dryer on the highest setting. As the heat stretched out the film and snugs it to the tape and window frame, the visibility returns, and if you didn't see the edge of the plastic at the window, you'd never know it was there. We chose this option over caulking, because our windows don't leak from areas that can be caulked; they leak from areas that should be air-tight.

Another often-overlooked area of draftiness is the electrical outlets and light switch-plates on an exterior wall. The window-sealing kit we bought included foam-insulators that get installed behind the face-plate of an outlet or light-switch, and while neither the shrinkwrap nor the insulating plates create any R-factor or actual heat, they cut down on the chill in a room and provided perceived warmth at the same time. Sometimes, it's not just about the heat generated, but about the perception of warmth on our skin that makes the difference.

Close vents and doors in rooms you do not use. For example, our guest-room doubles as a photography studio for me, but it's not in frequent use during the week. So I close the vent in that room and open it up before a photo shoot - that way, it's warm when I need it to be, but I'm not wasting heat in an infrequently-used room, otherwise.

We installed a hot water heater blanket last year and have seen our gas bill plummet as a result. Some people put timers on their electric (not gas) hot water heaters and have it on only for a specific time during the day. But I work from home, my husband works from home several days per week, and even if we could use a timer, it's not practical for our purposes. The blanket, however, is covered insulation that keeps the heater warmer than it would be otherwise, cutting down on the time needed to heat the water in the tank and the gas used to heat it.

We also invested in a space heater; we went through several trying to figure out what would give us radiant heat, be safe if our son knocked it over (that is, it had to shut off automatically if tipped), and not put too great a load on our aging circuit breaker. We found a model at Costco after trying out a few from Lowe's that didn't work for us, and found it did all that we wanted for a fraction of the cost of turning up the thermostat.

We check the efficiency of our furnace and make sure that our air filters are clean, as well. Dirty filters can clog up a furnace, requiring it to run longer and work harder, which ultimately costs us more hard-earned cash.

I enjoy baking, and this is the time of year when I go for it with gusto! I bake and enjoy the heat my oven produces, warming the kitchen and eating area of our home while stashing goods away in the freezer for later consumption. I try not to use the oven often during the summer months when it is hot, but I enjoy the warmth it gives my kitchen in the winter months, for sure. My freezer space is limited right now, but baking bread (even a simple artisan bread) or cookies is a great way to provide my family with an inexpensive treat and warm up my kitchen and eating area at the same time.

Not everyone can do everything I've mentioned, and we certainly built up some of these practices when we were able. But we found that every little bit helps, and if we are diligent, we can consistently see $100 gas bills in the winter for our 1650sf home and about $50-60 electric bills. It's a far sight better than feeling as though we're throwing money out the window (drafty as it is).

Sue is a full-time working mom, a homeschooler, a freelance-photographer and writer, and is trying to find balance in her life. She writes as often as she can at A Mother's Heart and can be contacted through email