A lot of senior citizens who are living alone are women and a lot of them are living in older houses. Many of my friends are in this category.

I’ve noticed when I talk about what I do around my apartment to save heat, they sometimes are surprised and say they never thought about it. So here’s a quick summary of the routine I’ve followed for a number of years. While it’s true that fuel prices have come down, there’s no sense in wasting precious heat. There are many things that can be done easily and inexpensively and every little bit helps.

There’s a simple rule to follow, which I learned many years ago when I worked at L. C. Andrew, where we had an annual energy saving workshop for our customers. The rule to remember is, if you can feel a cold draft, warm air is escaping. A container (room or house) will hold only so much air.

Each fall, as soon as it’s cold enough to require an extra sweater, I start with the windows, where much of the cold air seeps in. Pull down the storm panels and lock the windows. Feel around all the edges, especially near the lock. If you can feel cool air, then take that gray ropey looking stuff called rope caulking and push it down all way round the window, and extra at the lock mechanism. Check under the window sill and if that is drafty, put some there, too. It peels right off when it’s not needed. Stock up on a few packages of this in May when it’s usually on a bargain table at the hardware store.

In the daytime, when the sun is out, open your blinds, shades and curtains, but as soon as the sun goes down, close them all. If the drapes or curtains (insulated, I hope) don’t quite come together, use a few snap clothespins to keep them tight.

If by chance you don’t have storm windows, then get some of that clear plastic, which comes in handy packages at the hardware store, and follow the directions. It might not look like a Martha Stewart window treatment, but you’ll be a lot warmer. Put this plastic on after you have done the caulking. Check all the windows and make sure they’re as tight as you can get them, then close the doors to the rooms you don’t often use. If you don’t have a door, hang a blanket or quilt over the opening and call it a creative idea.

After the windows are all warmed up, I check under the kitchen sink, which is on an outside wall. Take either some pipe wrap insulation (hardware store again) or some old cloth and wrap all the pipes and leave these cupboard doors open at night if you turn the heat down, so this area will be warmed.

Ask for an electric blanket when someone wants to know what you’d like for Christmas. A nice fleece robe or some knee-high fleece over-sized socks are good, too. Just make sure they have non-slip treads. We don’t want anyone falling down inside the house – or outside.

Last year, when one of my brothers noticed I have a long climb up wooden stairs to get to the secon- floor apartment, he cut a stack of asphalt shingles and stapled them to every step for a non-slip walk. The black shingles attract the sun, ice melts quickly and the grip is better than you’d imagine.

Take advantage of things that produce heat. Use your oven to make a casserole or heat leftovers – set the temperature low and warm up the kitchen. Make some oven beef stew. Save the microwave for summer. Don’t pile stuff on top of the refrigerator and keep that appliance away from the wall a few inches. There’s heat coming out and it will run more efficiently if it’s clutter free.

I am not a handyman (or woman) and certainly know that insulation in the ceiling is the way to save most, but these are just a few things that work for me. I guess it’s my Scot heritage, but I hate waste and I do like to be comfy – slippers, wool socks, a cotton turtleneck under a sweater and a cup of tea. And definitely a warm lap robe for those times when you are reading or watching television. Personally, I love shawls, too, but you don’t see them too often. A large, wide scarf works pretty good for cold shoulders.

Just think, the money you save from not having to buy so much fuel, you can take to the grocery store, where the prices are still escalating.