10 Ways to Save Money Today!

Install a Programmable Thermostat: One of the easiest ways to save energy, money and help fight global warming. You can save about $180 a year by properly setting programmable thermostats and maintaining those settings. Plus, they keep your home comfortably warm in the winter and comfortably cool in the summer.

Use Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs with the Energy Star Label: CFLs use about 75 percent less energy than a standard incandescent bulb and last up to 10 times longer. Also, they produce about 75 percent less heat so they are safe to operate and don't interfere with home cooling. They are available in a variety of shapes and sizes to fit in almost any fixture, indoors and outdoors.

Air Dry Dishes Instead of Using Dishwasher's Drying Cycle: This doesn't mean start washing dishes by hand. Less energy is used when your dishwasher is used efficiently than with hand washing. Use the air dry setting on your dishwasher rather than the heat dry setting to cut your dishwasher's energy use by 15 to 50 percent. If there is no air dry setting on your dishwasher, turn the machine off and open the door after the final rinse.

Turn off Computer and Monitor When Not in Use: You should turn on the monitor if you aren't going to use your computer for more than 20 minutes. Both the CPU and the monitor should be turned off if the computer won't be used for more than 2 hours.

Plug Home Electronics into Power Strips: This makes them simple to turn off completely when they aren't in use. Turning the power strip off eliminates standby power loss which is energy consumed even though the unit it turned off.

Lower Thermostat on Hot Water Heater to 120 Degrees Fahrenheit: Some manufacturers set water heater thermostats at 140 degrees Fahrenheit but most households only require them to be set at 120 degrees Fahrenheit. For each 10 degrees F reduction in water temperature, you can save between 3-5 percent in energy costs. It reduces the risk of scalding and slows the mineral buildup and corrosion in your water heater and pipes as well.

Take Short Showers Instead of Baths: A quick shower uses less hot water than a bath in a full tub. A full bathtub requires about 36 gallons of water whereas a five minute shower will use just 14-25 gallons.

Wash Only Full Loads of Dishes and Clothes: Wash only full loads of clothes and dishes to save the electricity and hot water used by clothes washers and dishwashers. If you need to wash a smaller amount of dishes, wash them by hand in the kitchen sink. This still uses hot water but saves electricity.

Drive Sensibly: Aggressive driving that includes speeding, rapid acceleration and braking wastes gasoline. Gas mileage can be lowered by 33 percent on the highway and 5 percent on surface streets.

Look for Energy Star Approved Home Appliances and Products: These products will meet the strict efficiency guidelines set by the US Department of Energy and the Environmental Protection Agency.