1. Solar Powers Cloths Dryer – My grandmother called it a cloths line but it’ll save more money than you think. Watch your meter when the dryer kicks on… how fast it moves.

2. Turn A/C up to at least 77 degrees, and if it’s a little cool open the windows and shut the A/C off.

3. Programmable Thermostat – you may spend $100 on these but you can raise the temp in your house when everyone leaves and an hour before you get home have it start cooling again. Then at night after everyone is asleep you can have it raise a couple of degrees. Once programmed it works automatically. You can save $100 per year with these.

4. Caulk around all your windows and doors. So much energy is lost through the small cracks that add up.

5. Weather Stripping around exterior doors. If you live in a home more than 10 years old check all the weather stripping. It’s an inexpensive fix that could keep your energy in and insects out.

6. Low Flow Toilets and Shower heads. Use a fraction of the water to flush the toilet instead of the old 5 gallons at a time. An inexpensive toilet is only a little more than $100. At least have one in the family room where everyone goes constantly.

7. Low Energy light bulbs. We’ve slowly changed ours out throughout the house and have noticed a change in the electric bill. Especially those lights that seem to always be on… those are the most critical.

8. Hot Water Heaters – you can adjust the temperature on your hot water heater to warm instead of scalding hot. Also, if you can put a timer on it where it shuts off during the day when you know nobody is there and will not be taking a shower, you’ll see a decrease in your bill.

9. Insulation – there isn’t much you can do for the walls, but the attic you can. Go up and see if all the insulation is still where it is suppose to be. Don’t pack it down, insulation is suppose to be loose. If you can put the spray foam on the underside of you roof it will make a huge difference. Also, while your up there check the attic fans and get that hot air out of the attic.

10. A/C Ducts? How old is you home? The A/C ducts are probably the same age. Get some tape (from a supply house) and buy a cheap smoke machine at a party store. Set the smoke buy a return and go up in the attic. If you see smoke you have a duct leak. Tape it down or replace that section of duct work. At some point it may be a good investment to call someone and have the duct work redone.  You can also have a duct test ran to show you what your system is like. YOU’LL BE SHOCKED!