Heating bills could be the next shock to your family budget.

The U.S. Energy Information Administration says families using natural gas could see a 30% to 50% increase in their bills this winter. Those who burn fuel oil should expect to pay 50% to 100% more.

If you're already stretched to the limit by rising mortgage payments, $4-a-gallon gas and higher food costs, you need a plan to keep this winter's heating bills as low as possible.

Here are 7 smart moves that will lower your energy use, plus a couple of ways to make unexpectedly big payments easier to make:

Smart move 1. Caulk and weather-strip doors and windows. According to the Natural Resources Defense Council, the average home has gaps around windows and doors equal to a 3-foot hole in the wall. You can plug a lot of that for just a few bucks.

Smart move 2. Insulate your hot water heater. Special water heater blankets or jackets are available at most hardware stores for less than $20. Reducing heat loss is especially important if the heater sits in an unheated garage or basement. Then set the thermostat to no more than 120 to 130 degrees.

Smart move 3. Stop washing clothes in hot, or even warm, water. "There's no reason to spend money heating water for the wash when you can get clothes just as clean washing them in cold water," says Leah Ingram, eco expert and blogger behind The Lean Green Family. The savings will be significant, because 90% of the energy that goes into washing clothes is used to heat the water.

Smart move 4. Use your ceiling fans. Put them in reverse mode to push hot air down from the ceiling.

Smart move 5. Set the thermostat a little lower. Every 1 degree can chop 5% off your heating bill. If you have a time-controlled thermostat, drop the temperature another 5 to 10 degrees at night when you're under a lot of blankets. Going away for the weekend? Set the temperature to 55 degrees (any lower and you risk freezing the pipes).

Smart move 6. Install an alternative source of warmth. If dropping the thermostat into the low 60s has you shivering, look for ways to boost the temperature of your most-used room or rooms. Wood stoves that burn logs or pellets and electric or gas space heaters are the most popular options. Just be extremely careful with portable heaters. Don't leave them on when you're not in the room or when you're sleeping. Don't use them as your sole source of heat. And make sure children and pets know not to touch. (Here's a full list of space heater safety tips.)

Smart move 6. Get an energy audit. The Energy Star auditing program is now available in 22 states. Created by the Environmental Protection Agency and Department of Energy, it sends a contractor to your home to assess your furnace and air conditioner, doors and windows, appliances and insulation. The audits aren't free, but some utilities will cover the cost. New Jersey Natural Gas customers, for example, are eligible for a rebate that reimburses them for the $250 charge.

There are two ways to deal with heating bills you just can't afford.

Start by calling your utility company and ask whether it has a plan that allows you to average your payments over an entire year. You'll pay more in the summer but avoid sky-high bills in the winter.

If that isn't enough, the national Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program can help with overdue bills, prevent your heat from being turned off and make energy-related home repairs.

States also have energy assistance programs, with benefits based on family income and size, what type of fuel you burn and where you live. You can find that help by typing your state's name and "energy assistance program" into any search engine.

By Jen A. Miller

Interest.com Contributing Editor

Have a question about your home or finances? Ask us at editors@interest.com.