Did you know?

According to the National Energy Assistance Directors Association, natural gas bills in the U.S. could be as much as 30 percent higher this winter. That means the average cost to heat a U.S. home with natural gas this winter could be $178 more than last year—nearly $60 more a month during the holidays when people need it the most.

That money might not buy all your Christmas presents, but it could buy the tree you put them under. It could also:

• Pay for some of the approximately $40 a month that most seniors have in out-of-pocket prescription drug costs. Or, all of the $177 annual drug costs the average adult of any age pays out of pocket.
• Pay for a couple months of car insurance for the average U.S. driver or the new tires you need before the winter weather sets in.
• Pay for two weeks worth of groceries or hosting Thanksgiving dinner for your extended family.

The fact is, an added unexpected cost every month has a ripple effect for American families. An extra $60 a month on their gas bill has to be made up somewhere else in their household budget. And that means things like medicine, groceries or the ability to celebrate holidays with loved ones takes a hit—especially if we’re talking about the over 50% of Americans that live paycheck to paycheck.