The recent California chill is causing many to retreat indoors and cozy up next to the closest heating vent. But before turning up the thermostat, Pacific Gas & Electric has a few energy saving tips that might help keep those the monthly energy bill from heating up.

PG&E spokesman Jeff Smith says PG&E has generated some simple cost saving solutions for Willow Glen residents. For starters the easiest way to keep a room warm during the day is to keep the blinds and drapes away from windows when the sun is out. Even though it's cold outside, the sun's energy will penetrate through the window and naturally heat any room.

He also says programmable thermostats are important because this automatically gives each resident more control over the temperature of the home and the time when the heat is activated. And wearing layers of clothing and using blankets at home is also a good idea to conserve on energy.

Smith says that for every degree between 70 and 60 degrees that a household can spare, savings of at least 5 percent will show up on the next bill.

There are also permanent solutions that can be made to any home to save money. Smith advises homeowners to install energy-efficient windows and place weather stripping around windows and doors. Caulking windows, doors and anywhere air leaks in or out will also keep the heat inside for as long as possible. He cautions, however, not to caulk around the water heater and furnace exhaust pipes.

Another important step is installing insulation in the home's attic. This step could add up to major savings on an energy bill. Also, plugging gaps around vents in the home could save 1 to 3 percent in energy costs.

To further increase potential energy savings, there are several energy-efficient appliances available. And, qualifying products purchased and installed between April 17, 2003, and Dec. 31, 2003, are eligible for 2003 home energy-efficiency rebates. These products can be found on the PG&E website.

Clothes washers, clothes dryers and thermostats are some of the appliances available that would produce the some of these cost savings.

For more information about opportunities to save energy while decreasing the electric bill, visit http://www.pge.com.