Save Money Throughout Your House
- Use ceiling fans for cooling and air circulation
- Install a programmable thermostat that allows you to set the temperature to match your daily routines
- Install draft guards on exterior facing doors
- Invest in ENERGY STAR appliances and WaterSense products
Save Money on Lighting in Your House
- Use LED (light emitting diode) bulbs, which use 80 percent less energy than traditional incandescent bulbs and last an average of 20 years.
- Choose light-colored, translucent shades to take advantage of natural light
- Use low wattage light bulbs in halls and other areas that require only dim lighting
Save Money in Your Kitchen
- Use your dishwasher. It uses less hot water than washing and rinsing by hand. Run the short or light cycle, which requires less hot water and usually cleans your dishes just as well as other cycles
- Clean or replace your dishwasher filter screen as needed
- Air-dry your dishes
- Only run your dishwasher when it is full
Save Money in Your Laundry Room
- Wash only full loads
- Adjust the water level to fit the size of every load
- Use the maximum washing time only when needed for heavily soiled clothes
- Vary the size of the garments in a load so the water can circulate freely
- Wash with cold water when appropriate
- Clean your lint dryer trap between every load
Save Money in Your Bathroom
- Install WaterSense devices such as aerators on faucets and displacement devices in older toilets to reduce the amount of water used to flush
- Fill the sink when you shave or wash and don't let the water run while you brush your teeth
- Install low-flow showerheads, take shorter showers, and turn off the water while soaping up
- Check your toilet for leaks by putting 10 drops of food coloring in the tank. Don't flush for 15 minutes. If the colored water shows up in the bowl, the tank is leaking.
Save Money in your Yard
- Water your lawn during the early morning or evening hours to minimize evaporation loss. This also achieves greater soil saturation and better absorption by plants
- Water on calm days to avoid the loss of sprinkler water by strong winds
- If runoff occurs, stop watering immediately. Adjust automatic sprinklers and/or select proper nozzles to minimize runoff
- Plant native shrubs, flowers, and grasses that require less water and maintenance.
- Set mower blades higher; long grass retains moisture better than short grass.