<prompt> Human: Hello! A little about me: Im 29 and was diagnosed with a rare neurological disorder in my late teens. I was raised in a traditional ethnic community where women werent encouraged to handle money; so Ive spent the last two years essentially teaching myself to manage my finances while living independently for the first time. So far, things have been going ... okay. Ive never been late on my bills and nothing has ever been shut off; but I could definitely serve to budget a bit better. Money is extremely tight, though. I only get 750mo and my rent alone is 425. I currently rent the lower half of a historic home on the outskirts of a major city.Theres an apartment above me; but its only been occupied since November. Since then, my heating bills have been going up steadily. I had the GasElectric company come out to check the meter; but they said it was working fine after being replaced in April. Next, my landlord sent out their HVAC guy to check on the heater; but he said it was working fine. The only thing he found was that upstairss hot water was going through my meter, so they agreed to pay 15th of my gas bill to cover it. He also told me to keep my heat on and set low instead of turning it off and on like I had been. For the past month, Ive done what he said and kept my home heated around 60 degrees. Its been really bad and Im always cold -- and in pain since the chill hurts my back and joints horribly. But I NEEDED to save money, so I didnt give into the temptation to turn it up higher. I got my bill last night and its worse than ever. Its almost 200, just in gas. Im not sure what to do or where to go from here. Im including a graph to show exactly how high its jumped. Any advice would be deeply, deeply appreciated. I cried myself to sleep about this last night because Im so deeply worried. This feels like the first big financial crisis Ive had since Ive been independent and I dont know what to do next. It feels like Ive exhausted my options and no one is listening. Thank you for any help you guys throw my way. Graph: PS: I should also note that my upstairs neighbors have ALSO been receiving larger energy bills than average. Theyre equally confounded. UPDATE -- Thank you so, so much for all the help, PF! You guys an incredible. After reading through the thread, I spoke with my upstairs neighbor. Were in complete agreement that the landlord needs to come out here and weatherproof the house -- as well as getting the upstairs apartments hot water on their own meter. We wrote a joint letter together and sent it off to our property management; so we should hear back soon! In the meantime, Im going to try to seal the windows myself since the house is horribly drafty. I also called the gas company out today to investigate the place I was smelling gas; but they determined it was just a normal little bit that gets let off when my upstairs neighbor turns on his stove. They said it was safe; so Im going to trust them. Thank you to the multiple wonderful people who offered to get me heated blankets or food. Thats very kind of you all and far too generous. LGBTQA shelters could use that kindness far more than me; especially during this time of year where a lot of teens end up on the street, cold and abandoned.Heres a way of finding some in your area, if you want to help!: And thank you again for all your help so far. Im reading every comment and taking all the advice to heart. It means a lot to mean. Ill update you guys when I find out more! SECOND UPDATE -- I have yet to hear back from my landlord; but it usually takes them a few days to get in touch with the owners, so Im not worried yet. I really cannot properly express just how much this thread has helped me. Im still new to living on my own, managing my finances, and managing a household, in general. Usually, I feel two steps behind everybody on this stuff and never feel like I know the right questions to ask. I can honestly say that, going forward, I know exactly what to say to my landlord and anyone he sends out. Thank you for that, from the bottom of my heart. Also, I wanted to let you guys know that the energy bill this month is entirely paid off thanks to the amazing generosity of some absolutely remarkable people. I also have a few other things headed my way to help me fend off the cold a bit better. Im just astounded by the kindness in this community. But again, theres other people out there who need your help way, way more than I do -- so, please, if you have the means, consider donating to an LGBTQA shelter in your area. It makes more of a difference than you could ever know.  <response>: Plastic sheeting makes a huge difference in older houses with single pane windows and drafts. Here is a video on how to do it. . I have cut my heating bills almost in half at some of the old houses Ive rented by doing this. If you want to save money and dont care about looks, dont buy the weather proofing kits, which can be 5 to 10 dollars per window, instead get large sheets of semi transparent plastic and masking tape. Both of these are often sold in the house painting supplies section. They let light in, but you wont be able to see through them, however they are very cheap. Go around the house and use the plastic to seal anything where you can feel cold air entering the house. Also use thick blankets to cover exterior doors you dont need every day, especially doors to the basement or back doors.Use a space heater to heat only the space you spend time in, and use thick blankets covering the doorway to seal it off from the rest of the house. 