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Each year heating bills generally increase as the temperatures decrease at the start of winter. Articles start appearing in magazines and newspapers giving tips on how to reduce your heating costs. Most suggest turning down the thermostate, which is a good idea albeit a chilly one. I faithfully did this only found even with layering my clothing, I froze. Last year during one very cold spell I covered my windows and sliding glass door with cardboard because cardboard is a good insulator. It prevented the cold air from drawing my nice warm air outside. The temperature immediately rose in the house and the furnace stopped running non-stop.

Only you can't see out the windows during the day and taking down and putting up the cardboard every day became a bit much. The hardware stores carry a box of thin plastic sheeting made for going over window frames. It comes with double faced tape that holds the plastic to the windows. The pocket of air created by the additional layer of insulation helps keep warm air inside. It costs around $10 to $12 a box, which insulates 2 large windows. We bought two boxes one for the largest windows and one for the sliding glass door, which had enough left over to do my cold north bedroom window. We turn our heat down 2 degrees, save around $35 a month on heating bills yet we stay warm.

If you need quick tips for cleaning this holiday season and year round learn to Precision Clean by picking up a copy of my book "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Green Cleaning." My book contains a thorough stain removal guide so keep it handy when entertaining. They are also available at bookstores or on my website www.goclean.com.