Keep Like Items Together
Different types of clothes require different lengths of time in the dryer to become completely dry.  Your sturdy blue jeans, for example, will take much longer to dry than your regular cotton t-shirt.  It makes sense therefore to wash and dry like items together.  This saves you from running your dryer much longer than is necessary.

Use Energy Saver Settings
There are energy saver setting on almost all new large appliances, including dishwashers, refrigerators, washers, and dryers.  You can save as much as $400 every year just by using these settings.

Watch Out for Energy Eating Setting
Many dishwashers come with the handy setting labeled “rinse and hold”.  Many people use this cycle between wash cycles of the dishwasher when it is not yet full.  The problem with this cycle is that is uses up to eight gallons of water, and your dishes still need to be washed.  If you use “rinse and hold” just once a week you will use as much as 1600 gallons of water each and every month.

Add Insulation to Your Water Heater
The water in your water heater will stay warmer longer if you insulate your water heater.   You will quickly recoup the ten dollars you will most likely need to spend for an insulation blanket.

Water Saving Showerheads
You can reduce the cost of your showers by almost half by installing water saving shower heads.  You will use less than three galloons of water a minutes with full force spray with some of the newer models.  These shower heads are inexpensive and easy to install.  Another benefit is that you will use less hot water. 

Shorter Showers
You can save lots of money on your energy bills by simply taking shorter showers.  You can save up to 25 gallons of water a month just by reducing your shower time by five minutes.   Turning your water flow on less than full force is another way to save money on your shower costs.

Don’t Keep the Water Running
You can save lots of money on your utility bills by turning off the water while you are shaving or brushing your teeth.  You use between two and four gallons of water just by leaving it on while you brush your teeth.  Turning the water on just while you are rinsing at the end will only use a couple of cups of water.

Avoid Heat Producers
Do not use appliances that produce a lot of heat during the hottest part of the day.  This includes things like dryers, ovens and stoves.  Running these appliances at the same time as your AC will just make it work harder and consume more energy.

Freezer Placement
Although your freezer keeps things cold, it actually generates a lot of heat.  You can avoid excessive heat in your main living areas by moving your freestanding freezer to the basement or garage during the warm summer months.  This will help reduce the load on your AC unit.

Blower Test Your Doors
Blower door testing is offered by many utility companies.  The blower door depressurizes your home and shows you any air leaks that your home may have.  Your local utility company will be able to let you know whether they offer this service to their customers.

Seal Leaks
Once you have located leaks you will want to seal them using caulking, weather-stripping, and insulation.  A well sealed home can save as much as twenty percent on energy costs.

Think Cold
This is a simple tip that many people fail to follow.  While you will probably want to wash your dishes, clothes, and hands with warm water, cold water will work perfectly fine for rinsing.  You don’t always need to use hot water for many of your everyday tasks.

Reduce Your Water Heater Temperature
Did you know that you can save between three to five percent on your energy costs for each 10 degrees you lower your water heater temperature?  Many people have their water heaters set much higher than is really necessary.  Those with a dishwasher should set their water temperature no higher than 140° and those without a dishwasher can lower the temperature even further to 130°.  Lower water heater temperatures are an easy way to save money on your utility bills.

Repair Leaky Faucets
Even small leaks in your faucets can waste water and cost you plenty of money.  One utility company estimated that you will loose as much as 1,008 gallons of water a year with a leak that only drips 30 drops/minute.

Compact Fluorescent Lights
There are many benefits to using compact fluorescent lights (CFLs) in your home.  While they have a higher initial price tag than regular incandescent bulbs they will use approximately 75% less energy and have a useful life of around 10 times what you can expect from an incandescent.  You can save over $100 in around three years just by replacing four frequently used 100 incandescent bulbs with 23-watt CFLs

Switch Them Off
While this is regular common sense, it is a reminder than many of use need every once in a while.  This is a sure fire way to reduce your energy bill that costs you nothing.  Lights that are not in use should be turned off immediately.  For those that have a hard time remembering to turn off lights it may be a good idea to install timers. 

Energy Efficient Appliances
Each of the appliances that you use in your home adds to your energy bills.  The appliances you choose can really help to reduce those costs.  You can get a great idea of the most energy efficient appliances on the market these days by visiting energyguide.com.   The yellow Energy Star® label on appliances can also give you a good idea of the appliance’s energy consumption while you are shopping around.