"Alex" wrote in news:1137534122.377815.22190
@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com:

[snip]
Thanks for any insight or ideas.

Good start on saving energy.
Big cost items are usually those that involve heating/cooling:

Find and seal all leaks in your house. This one is a biggy, since extra
insulation won't do much good if the warm (or cool) air just leaks through
the holes. This can be a big job.

Put in a setback thermostat. Every degree less saves you some energy --
it's noticeable.

Since you are in a warm climate, you can probably look at area (or room)
heating. Lots less energy required than heating the entire house.