My mother and I are widows living on fixed incomes and the increasing cost for food and fuel have had us thinking and preparing for this coming winter . 

Our first priority is to remove all drafts from our apartment  and a simple way of doing this is to hang energy saver curtains across our doors.  We have had the doors so called weatherproofed in the past but still feel drafts at night and on windy days.  The curtains are an easy and inexpensive way to keep the heat inside and lower the thermostat.  We hang one 84" panel on a curtain rod across the molding on top of the door and it works wonderfully.  During the day , when we don't need it we tie back the curtain with a ribbon so we have easy access in and out.  We also use these curtains on all of our windows and close them at night.   We find that it is warm and cozy and we don't have to seal all the windows with plastic, which we feel is not a very healthy idea. 

Another way we are saving is to take advantage of all the fruit and produce that is in abundance now.  We have a chest freezer and we have been buying fruit and vegetables on sale and freezing them for winter.  The vegetables only need blanching in boiling water and then we freeze them in vacuum seal bags.  Berries and grapes are very easy.  Just wash and make sure they are completely dry and spread on a baking sheet. Once frozen they can be put in freezer bags.  They taste great frozen or you can easily thaw them as needed.  We also buy multiples of anything we use on a regular basis when it is on sale.  We have placed  bookcases in closets and use these for extra storage.  At this time our freezers are full with meats, vegetables and fruit and our cabinets and pantry our full of items we  use on a regular basis.  Instead of complaining  and worrying, we are as prepared as we can be for the coming winter and it gives us a real sense of being ready for whatever lies ahead.