Heating bills can easily be one of your biggest expenses during the winter months. If you live in a large home or one that is not well insulated, you could pay hundreds of dollars a month just in heating costs. Instead of allowing heating bills to completely kill your budget, make some simple changes to get these costs under control. Here are eight effective ways to reduce your heating bills:

Keep Your Windows Covered

If your windows do not have very good insulation, heat can escape right out of them and increase your heating bills. If you can't afford to buy more energy efficient windows right now, you can just apply plastic wrap over them. According to This Old House, if you use plastic wrap on your windows, the room can retain about 55 percent of its heat. After you put the plastic wrap over your windows, use a blow-dryer to seal it.

Take Advantage of Your Oven

During the wintertime, you should definitely take advantage of your oven. After you get finished baking some cookies or pie, for example, leave the door open for about 20 minutes. All the heat from the oven will have a chance to spread throughout your home and warm it up, giving your heating system a break.

Use Ceiling Fans

Ceiling fans are not just beneficial in the summertime; they can also be of great use in the winter. If you run your ceilings fan clockwise, they will circulate warm air and keep the rooms at a more comfortable temperature.

Get a Space Heater

If you do not already have one, you should give some serious thought to purchasing a portable space heater. If you put a space heater in the main room of the house, you can turn down the thermostat a few degrees. It will not matter that other rooms in the house will feel cooler because you and your family members will stay warm in your living room.

Use a Humidifier

Another effective way you can save money on heating costs is to use a humidifier. It will add moisture to the air and help the air feel warmer. That means you can lower your thermostat a few degrees and not even notice the difference.

Check Your Electrical Boxes

Electrical boxes tend to go unnoticed by a lot of homeowners, but they can lead to heat loss if they are not insulated properly. That is why you should check these electrical boxes for gaps periodically. If you find a gap, you can easily fix it with acrylic latex caulk.

Get Your Furnace Inspected Annually

No matter how old your furnace is, you should get inspected by a professional heating contractor once a year. He or she will thoroughly inspect every part of your furnace and make sure everything is running efficiently. If a problem is discovered, the heating contractor can repair it before your furnace breaks down or causes your heating bills to skyrocket.

Cover Your Water Heater With an Insulation Blanket

If your water heater is not insulated very well, it can waste a lot of heat and force you to spend money to keep your utility closet warm. Covering your water heater with an insulation blanket will help it retain a lot of heat and save you money on heating costs.

Your heating bills do not have to break the bank this winter. If you follow these helpful tips, you can make your heating bills a lot more affordable. However, if your heating bills are still too expensive, hire a furnace repair contractor to inspect your heating system soon.