by Lisa Curcio

Created on: January 26, 2009   Last Updated: May 31, 2009

When money gets tight and jobs get harder to come by we all start to worry. How much more are we going to end up paying for gas? How can we afford to buy groceries? What are we going to do if we can't pay the bills? These are all questions that are being asked everyday by millions of people and families across the Nation. You can tune into any number of morning news programs, afternoon talk shows or nightly news reports and without fail, somebody will be reporting on how to survive this economic crisis. I have a few simple tips that you can integrate into your daily routine that know will help lower all of your utility bills.

Lowering your utility bills can be pretty simple. It's a basic idea of finding ways to always use only what you absolutely need, every day, every month, every year. You can look at your electric bill and blame it on the electric company, and you can blame your outrageous water bill on the city. You can also do something about it in your own home right at the source. They can't charge you for electric you don't use or water you don't let run down the drain. Make a choice and just do it.

You can start these simple ideas right now and by the time you get your next utility bill, you will see a difference.

1. Like I stated before, if you don't use it you can't be charged for it. During the day, there is no reason to have very many lights on. As soon as the sun comes up, you don't need the lights on. Open your curtains and blinds and let the light shine it. If you do need to turn lights on, don't forget to turn them off when you leave the room. I don't know who started the rumor that it takes more energy to turn lights on and off than to leave them on all day. That is simply not true and you can call any electric company and they will tell you exactly that. It's either on or its not, there is no start up energy. You are not starting an engine, you are flipping a switch. So flip it off.

2. I can honestly say that changing out all of my light bulbs for the new compact fluorescent light bulbs works. I changed out all of mine last year and I do see a difference. Yes they are expensive, but I have already saved enough money on electricity to pay for them. Will they actually last for 7 years like they claim? I sure don't know, but they are bought and paid for and I haven't had to change a single bulb since I changed them out. The light bulbs I started out with in my bathroom vanity almost a year and a half ago are still there. If you are worried about

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