1. Install a programmable thermostat to save when you are away. Or better yet let us install one for you as part of a PNM Home Energy Checkup. Details at PNM.com/checkup. The temperature you choose is especially important if you have electric heat. Set it at 68 degrees when you're at home and 60 to 62 degrees when you are away or sleeping. Each degree over 68 can add up to 3% to your heating costs. 

2. Seal off your evaporative cooler, if you have one, so your warm air doesn't go up the ductwork. 

3. Use exhaust fans sparingly. A kitchen or bathroom fan can pull out a lot of warm air in a short time. 

4. Close off unused rooms to cut costs if you have forced-air central heating. Make sure your thermostat is not in the room you are closing.

5. Don't use traditional open fireplaces if you heat the rest of your home. They use the warm air as fuel for the fire and most of it goes up the chimney.

6. Space heaters can be an alternative to running a larger heating system, especially for one person. A 1,000 watt heater costs 12¢ and hour to operate, and a 1,500 watt costs 18¢. Point the heater directly at the person ¿ don't try to heat the entire room. Take care to keep flammable material a safe distance. Use a unit with tip over protection. However, using space heaters a lot every day can add up on your bill. 

7. Check around windows for leaks and drafts. Add weather stripping and caulk any holes and cracks. 

8. Make sure doors seal properly. A 1/8-inch crack around a door is the same as having a six-inch hole in a wall.

9. Electric outlets can let cold air in. Install foam gaskets that fit behind the switch plate.

10. For safety and efficiency, get a routine maintenance inspection of your heating system to make sure it is in good working order.

11. Ceiling fans can distribute the warm air hugging the top of the room. Reverse the switch so air blows upward, toward the ceiling.

12. Use efficient lighting. CFLs and LEDs use 25 percent as much electricity as old-style fluorescents. See where to get the PNM discount at PNM.com/homelighting.