Heating: stay warm without getting fleeced.

Record prices for heating oil and natural gas could make this winter brutal, regardless of the weather. Worst off are natural-gas homeowners in the Midwest, where costs could increase 70 percent, according to the Federal Energy Information Administration. Northeastern homeowners who heat with oil could see their bills rise by 30 percent, while Southerners could see a nearly 20 percent hike in electric bills as energy supplies remain crimped.

While you can't lower the price of heating fuel, you can help the four walls around you use far less of it. "Your home is consuming and probably wasting energy 24/7," says Tony Lisanti, director of energy sales and service at Robison, a New York-based energy services company. "The big savings are in making your home more efficient."

The federal Energy Policy Act of 2005 offers tax incentives for energy upgrades that are worth considering. Did You Know?, at right, includes information on federal and state incentives, including those for low-income homeowners.

Simply having your home's heating system checked annually can save wasted fuel costs. Here are other low- and no-cost ways to make your home less fuelish:

Plug the big leaks first. Adding insulation and weather stripping can slash your annual energy costs up to 30 percent by keeping out the cold or heat and minimizing the stack effect (see illustration).

Start by sealing large gaps around chimneys, furnace flues, plumbing pipes, ductwork, light fixtures, and soffits in your attic. Then lay insulation between attic-floor joists and on the hatch or door, or add more if it's already there. Also look for dirty insulation, a sign of air movement that reveals other gaps you must fill. Also insulate ducts running through the attic.

Seal air leaks in the basement as well. Insulate ceilings in unheated basements and around the walls in heated basements or unvented crawl spaces. Also be sure to insulate ducts and hot-water pipes.