According to the Department of Energy, the average family will spend $873 on heating costs this winter. Now, if you're a single parent living on a tight budget, that money can be hard to come by. Thankfully, there are multiple programs available to help offset energy costs for families in financial crisis.
If you find yourself in need of assistance, one of the very first things you should do is contact your utility company. Most likely, they already have programs in place to help customers in need, and they can also help you establish a workable payment plan so that your utilities will not be shut off.
In addition, there are numerous public and private programs available in each state. LIHEAP, which stands for Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, can help you find programs in your area. LIHEAP can also do more than just help you pay your energy bill. They assist clients with energy-saving tips, maintenance tasks, and more.
Click on your state below to find a list of programs in your area:
AlabamaReferences:
Alaska
Arizona
Arkansas
California
Colorado
Connecticut
District of Columbia (Washington, D.C.)
Delaware
Florida
Georgia
Hawaii
Idaho
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
Minnesota
Mississippi
Missouri
Montana
Nebraska
Nevada
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New Mexico
New York
North Carolina
North Dakota
Ohio
Oklahoma
Oregon
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
South Carolina
South Dakota
Tennessee
Texas
Utah
Vermont
Virginia
Washington
West Virginia
Wisconsin
Wyoming
United States. Energy Information Administration. Short-Term Energy Outlook. 2007. Energy Information Administration. 9 Jan. 2007. Department of Energy. 18 Jan. 2007 [http://www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/steo/pub/contents.html].
