The weather outside may be frightful. Unfortunately, your heating bill probably is, too.

Because of spiking fuel costs for most of 2008, the average U.S. household will spend 15 percent more this year on home heating than last year, according to the Energy Information Administration's Short-Term Energy and Winter Fuels Outlook. The organization estimates that the average American will spend $1,137 heating his or her home between October 2008 and March 2009.

Yikes!

Those hefty heating bills can be effectively countered by installing insulation, changing the furnace filter once a month, and sealing and caulking any cold air leaks. These methods, however, can get pricey.

With that being said, here are 10 free and practical ways of cutting down your bills while keeping your house warmer for a longer period of time:

1. Open the blinds and drapes during the day and close them at night. This tip comes from Missouri Gas Energy. During the day, sunlight can be utilized to modestly heat a room. Therefore, you should open the blinds to let in that light during the day. As dusk comes, however, closed blinds and drapes will help retain the heat while blocking the cold from the windows.

2. Lower your thermostat when you're out or sleeping. Missouri Gas Energy suggests that a programmable thermostat be set between between 68 and 70 degrees when you're in the house. But when you are out of the house, heat is being wasted. When you are sleeping under the covers, less external heat is necessary. The thermostat should be set between 58 and 65 degrees at night or when the home is vacant.

3. Use fans in reverse. This tip comes from Energy Star and www.smartmoney.com. In the summer, fans blow cold air down. In the winter, they can be switched to move in the opposite direction and circulate hot air that has risen to the ceiling. Set your fan on the lowest speed to have them push the warm air at the ceiling down to your level. "I definitely run the fans in reverse," Chip Harris, owner of Harris Heating and Cooling in

St. Joseph, says of the method. "When it gets below freezing, that's a good one to use."

4. Lower your water heater. Many water heaters are automatically set at 140 degrees, but many people don't crank their showers up to the hottest level. Therefore, the 140-degree setting isn't necessary. MSNBC suggests lowering the temperature on your water heater to 120 degrees. This will reduce the amount of fuel needed to heat the water.

5. Obviously, keep vents and radiators clear. You should make sure your vents are not blocked by rugs or furniture, or that you don't have any large objects in front of your radiator.