Saving money on gas bills is possible!

Utility bills are among the highest expenses of a household, so knowing a few practical tips can help you save a lot of money in the long run!

Gas bills are part of a family’s budget all year long. In winter, however, costs can skyrocket, making the gas bill one of the most expensive bills you’d have to budget for!

Here’s a list of 25 practical tips to save money on gas bills.

Save money on gas bills

Save money on gas bills around the house (in winter)

1.  Add adequate insulation – Adding adequate insulation, especially in the attic, could help save a lot of money on your gas bill! By not letting the heat escape, your heating system will work less to heat up your home.

2. Check for and seal leaks – Adding weatherstripping and sealing any leaks with caulk or spray foam will help prevent heat from getting out of your house. This, again, will help save a lot of money in the long run!

3. Take extra precautions to keep the heat from getting out – Draft stoppers for your doors and windows can do wonders! I’ve been using them for years and they really do help keep cold air at bay and prevent heat from getting out. Closing the damper on your fireplace will have the same effect.

4. Turn down the thermostat – To use less gas to heat your place up, turn down your thermostat to a temperature that’s comfortable enough for you. There’s no need to have 80°F (25°C) indoors in winter! 68°F (20°C) should suffice to stay comfortable and save on your bill as well.

5. Take extra precautions to stay warm – During winter, wearing warm sweaters and socks indoors isn’t unusual. Dress up in warmer clothes instead of turning up your thermostat to stay warm. Using warm blankets or wool quilts can help you stay warm and save money while you sleep.

6. Properly maintain your heating system – Don’t skimp on maintenance to save money! Instead, make sure your heating system works at maximum efficiency. For instance, cleaning your tank of the sediment that builds up over time can be of great help, since it’ll make your hot water heater be more efficient when you’re using it!

7. Upgrade to a more efficient heating system – Invest in your home and slash your gas bill in the long run! More efficient hoe water heaters use less gas compared to older ones. Adding a re-circulation system could also help use less gas when you’re waiting for the water to warm up when you shower or use the sink.

8. Close doors, windows & vents around the house – While letting some fresh air in is a healthy habit, avoid keeping your windows opened for too long. Closing your doors will also help keep each room warm for a longer period of time. Closing the vents will also help keep the warmth inside, just make sure you don’t close all of them!

9. Clean or replace your air filters – Dirty filters prevent airflow, resulting in a waste of energy. Make sure to check them often and replace them as needed. It will help you save in the long run!

10. Let sunlight in during the day – If the weather isn’t particularly cold during the day, letting some warm sunlight come in could help reduce your heating bill (a.k.a. gas bill).

11. Close window blinds and draperies – In order to keep the cold away, close your window blinds, draperies or shades. Windows can get cold during winter. Having that extra ‘layer of protection’ helps keep cold air at bay.

12. Move your furniture away from radiators – Avoid blocking all the heat behind one sofa! Move the furniture away from your radiators to have an even distribution of heat around the rooms.

13. Adjust or switch off radiators you don’t need – If some rooms tend to heat up too much or if you don’t actually use a room in your home, you could just switch some of the radiators off or adjust them, to save money on gas. Just make sure to balance the temperature out, in order to avoid mold problems later on.

14. Maintain your radiators – Sometimes, air can get ‘stuck’ in your hot water radiators and they need to be bled out. Bleeding a radiator is easy, you just need to let the trapped air come out and you’re good to go! Your radiators will now work properly and your heating system will work less to keep your home warm!

15. Only warm your house up when needed – Just because the warm season is ending, it doesn’t mean you should automatically turn on your heating system. If you feel your home is warm enough as it is, postpone heating your home for as long as you need to (we’ve had a couple years when we’ve only switched the heat on in late December. We saved hundreds by waiting, because the weather outside was warm enough for us to make due without turning on the heat! Too bad that doesn’t happen every single year..)

How to save money on gas in the bathroom

16. Take shorter showers – Logically, taking shorter showers means using less water. Using less water means saving on both your water bill and gas. By getting out of the shower quicker, you’ll use less gas to keep the water warm!

17. Adjust your water heater temperature –  Most water heaters are set to 140° by default. You could turn down the temperature of your water heater from 140°F (60°C) to 120°F (50°C) and save money!

Ways to save money on gas in the kitchen

18. Wash dishes when more add up –  If you don’t have a dishwasher or prefer washing your dishes by hand, make sure to wash them when the sink is full! Avoid heating up water every single time to wash just 1 plate. Let dishes add up in your sink and wash them once or twice a day, to save money on gas!

19. Rinse dishes with cold water – in order to avoid heating up water altogether, rinse your dishes with cold water before placing them in the dishwasher.

20. Defrost your food before cooking – To use use less gas, defrost your food or frozen meals meals before cooking them! Take your food out of the freezer few hours before you plan to cook. This way, your food will be ready-to-use and you won’t waste gas by having to defrost your meat or soup directly on the stove!

21. Cook with the lid on – In order to speed up the cooking process, get used to cooking with the lid on. Your food will cook much faster and you’ll use less gas in the process.

22. Avoid opening your oven door – If you’re baking or have something yummy cooking in the oven, avoid opening the door as much as possible. (clean the window) prevent heat loss

23. Take advantage of heat that forms while cooking – Often times, the kitchen is a lot warmer than other rooms during winter. If you cook often, you could maybe spend more time in the kitchen during the day since it’s warmer. (I often prefer working or reading in the kitchen during winter. It’s warmer, it usually smells nice – especially after baking Holiday cookies! – and there’s no need to crank up the heat in the rest of the house).

24. Avoid preheating the oven – Unless absolutely necessary, avoid preheating the oven while preparing your casserole / cake / whatever it is you’re cooking. If you own a gas stove, this could help you save a lot in the long run! (PS: even if you have an induction stove, avoid preheating it to save on electricity!)

25. Use ceramic or heat resistant glass cookware – Compared to other types of cookware, ceramic or heat resistant glass cookware heat up faster, resulting in less time needed to cook! You can save money on your gas bill by cooking faster, thus reducing the time the stove or oven stay “on”.

Related articles:

• How to save money on electricity: 50 tips that work!
• 30 ways to save money on your water bill
• 9 useful tips to save money on car expenses

Can you think of any other efficient ways to save money on gas?
What ways to save money work for you?