Even though Americans are working more hours, many are still watching their paychecks erode and saving less money – if they are saving anything at all. Against this current backdrop, people across the country are spending an annual average of $3,512 per person on energy, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). With the average worker making $48,664 per year , that is a staggering amount of money devoted to keeping the lights on, the house warmed and cooled and the gas tank full. But for those living on low or fixed incomes, the burden is even more crushing, with the poorest households generally spending more than 20 percent of their income on home energy bills, and in some extreme cases, more than 50 percent. With more than 40 million Americans living in poverty, according to the Census Bureau, and 13.5 million unemployed or searching for full-time jobs, […]