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Rising energy costs are forcing many households to cut back on food, risk safety, or fall behind on bills

April 23, 2026

• Nearly one in five lower-income Americans are skipping meals or cutting back on groceries just to afford heating and electricity during colder months.
  

• Many households are making risky trade-offs, with some turning to unsafe heating methods or falling behind on rent and other essential bills.
  

• Most dont know help is available, with 74% unaware of where to find emergency energy assistance programs like LIHEAP.
  

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When temperatures drop, most people expect higher heating bills but for millions of Americans, the impact goes far beyond a seasonal expense. Its a daily balancing act between staying warm and covering basic needs.

New data from Payless Power highlights just how tough those choices have become, especially for lower-income households.

From skipping meals to using potentially unsafe heating methods, many families are making difficult and sometimes dangerous trade-offs just to get through the winter. ConsumerAffairs spoke with CEO Brandon Young who shed light on whats driving this growing heat or eat crisis and what it means for consumers trying to keep up.

Making sacrifices

Young explained that the "heat or eat" dilemma has existed as long as energy costs have been a burden on tight budgets. However, rising electricity prices and unpredictable cold-weather events have made it more acute.

Our survey found that 19% of lower-income Americans have skipped meals or cut back on groceries to afford their heating or electricity bills during cold months, he said. That's nearly one in five people making a direct choice between food and heat.

When you zoom out, 60% of lower-income Americans made some kind of financial sacrifice to cover winter energy costs.

Strategies for saving

Young says there are a few ways to make a real difference without spending much money.

• Lowering your thermostat. Even a few degrees while you sleep or when you're out, which is the most common thing people already do, but its for good reason. Our survey found 34% of lower-income Americans use this as their main way to manage winter bills.
  

• Sealing drafts around doors and windows. It sounds basic, but 19% of lower-income Americans told us their homes are poorly insulated and lose heat fast, even small fixes like weatherstripping or a door sweep make a noticeable difference.
  

• Unplug things you're not using, use rugs on bare floors, and keep curtains closed at night to hold heat in.
  

Resources for assistance

If youre struggling to keep up with your energy bills, youre certainly not alone. But do you know the resources that exist to help make the month-to-month expenses a bit easier?

The survey revealed that 74% of lower-income Americans don't know where to access emergency energy assistance, including the primary federal program designed specifically to help them. Additionally, 52% have never heard of LIHEAP at all, and 22% have heard of it but don't know how it works or where to apply.

Young shared the key resources:

• LIHEAP (Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program): The main federal heating and cooling assistance program. Eligibility is based on income and household size. Find your local agency and apply at liheap.org/directory, or call 1-866-674-6327.
  

• 211: Dial 2-1-1 or visit 211.org to be connected to local energy assistance, food banks, and other emergency support programs in your area.
  

• Your utility provider directly: Many utilities have their own hardship or low-income assistance programs separate from LIHEAP. Call the number on your bill and ask specifically about payment assistance, payment plans, or cold-weather disconnection protections.
  

• Community Action Agencies: These local nonprofits administer LIHEAP in most states and often hold additional emergency funds. Search at communityactionpartnership.com.
  

• The Salvation Army and Catholic Charities both operate utility assistance programs funded independently from federal sources in many communities.
  

Issues persist with AC

As the warmer weather heats up, many consumers are starting to put on the air conditioning. Young explained that the survey focused specifically on cold snaps and winter heating costs; however, the underlying financial pressure is absolutely a year-round reality for lower-income households.

The same dynamics that drive winter trade-offs, tight budgets, rising energy costs, poorly insulated homes, apply equally in summer, he said. Our data showed that 19% of lower-income Americans live in homes that are poorly insulated and lose heat quickly in winter and those same homes tend to trap heat in summer, forcing air conditioning systems to work harder and driving bills higher.

LIHEAP does include a cooling assistance component for summer months, and the awareness gap we documented for winter assistance almost certainly extends to summer as well. Energy insecurity doesn't take a season off; it's a year-round challenge for households already managing tight budgets.