Once again, tis the season to heat our homes. But with many Americans still struggling economically, it ll be a strain: The price of heating oil will climb 14 percent this year, after a 26 percent drop in 2009, according to the U.S. Energy Department. (Natural gas prices are forecasted to rise 3 percent, while the cost of electricity will fall just 1 percent.) Here, a few ways to warm up while keeping year-round costs down.

Start small. Small investments like window caulking, door sweeps and a programmable thermostat can shave up to a third off heating and cooling costs. What s more, new sites like EarthAid.net and MyEmissionsExchange.com offer perks to those who cut back energy use (think cash, or points toward dining out or yoga classes). Weather stripping and a programmable thermostat in a typical Philadelphia home, for instance, earn enough points for a monthly 60-minute facial or massage via EarthAid.net. The catch: Consumers must provide 12 straight months of utility bills, and rewards add up only if energy consumption is reduced over time.

Remember tax credits

Before committing to bigger energy-efficient upgrades, homeowners should find out whether they re eligible for federal tax credits, which expire at the end of 2010. These credits are worth triple the amount from 2007 -- up to $1,500 -- but some of the equipment has stricter standards than before, warns Ronnie Kweller, of the nonprofit Alliance to Save Energy. Certain heating and cooling systems have to meet higher efficiency ratings, and not all Energy Star windows and doors qualify. Visit www.aceee.org for criteria.

Get smart.

More utilities are switching from fixed rates to variable ones, so people can save money running heating systems and appliances during off-peak hours. Utilities plan to install more than 40 million smart meters in U.S. homes by 2013 (they ve already put in about 14 million). The meters let utilities measure energy use and monitor power outages remotely; they also help folks track how much electricity certain appliances use at different times of day.

Fight the power

Companies like Whirlpool and GE are making smart appliances. The problem is, a smart meter can order certain smart appliances to shut off if they re running at a time of peak energy use. Bill Ablondi, director of home systems research at Parks Associates, suggests scrutinizing any new power agreement s terms and conditions to see if consumers can override the utilities and operate their appliances freely. Neil Parmar