NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - That pain you've been suffering at the pump? It's about to follow you indoors! Oil prices are up 79 percent over a year ago. And a lot of us will pay 25 percent or more this year than last year for home heating oil.

Even if you are lucky enough to live where mild temperatures make a snow shovel useless, you aren't out of the woods. High-energy prices, heating oil and natural gas, are bound to be costly across the country whether you heat your home ... cool it ... or both during the year.

Several factors are adding to the pressure on oil prices ... the war in Iraq threatens to disrupt the oil supply ... China's red-hot economy is gulping fuel at a record pace ... recent hurricanes in the Gulf of Mexico have cut U.S. production in half ... and Nigeria, which supplies the fifth largest source of crude oil for the U.S., is threatened by a possible oil workers strike.

Some experts say (and Ken predicts) that crude oil prices could reach $60 per barrel if we have a very cold winter and/or the oil supply is interrupted.

So what can you do to fight rising energy costs?

Simple. Check these money-saving energy tips. They are all VERY easy to implement, and we don't once tell you to put on an extra sweater and turn down the thermostat!

If you are looking for more energy information and cost-cutting ideas, the Web offers some fabulous, free sources.

For more energy tips, check out these helpful sites:

The Department of Energy

www.eere.doe.gov/consumerinfo

This DOE site is an all encompassing consumer friendly area of energy tips and information.

Energy Hog

www.energyhog.org

It's a very engaging website that teaches youth to help their families save energy by taking charge of energy waste in their own home. You'll find simple energy efficiency measures for the home, a checklist for lowering energy bills and an online audit to discover problems and solutions.