An Easy Way to Save a Lot of Money

I live in a church parsonage which affords me two things: I don't have to pay rent or electric/heating bills. Still, I am careful how I use my electricity and am careful to keep the thermostat set at a reasonable temperature (as opposed to actually staying warm or cool). Still, I am comfortable and I think that's just groovy.

I ran across this article about easy ways average consumers can save a bundle off their electric bills. And, one of the ways is so easy that its scary. Simply replace your average light bulbs with compact fluorescents. These bulbs fit into standard light sockets but look a little funny. (See picture at left.) Ikea sells the bulbs, 3 to a pack and costs a little over $2. Each bulb is supposed to last 10,000 hours (compared to 1-2,000 hours for regular bulbs). And, installing a surge protector to stop energy leaks even when your appliances/computers are turned off is another help. Finally, caulking your home helps dramatically reduce the heat/cooling needed for any one house.

Go here to read the entire article. It is actually rather surprising.