by Susan Klatz Beal

Created on: November 14, 2009

The cost of energy is rising all the time, and no one is immune to those rate increases. It doesn't matter whether you are a renter or a home owner; finding ways to cut back on water and electric usage will save you a substantial amount of money. It isn't necessary to buy elaborate equipment or make huge sacrifices.

By learning how to be more conscious of the energy you use and to develop some easy to learn habits, you can cut your energy bill by quite a lot. Here are some suggestions.

*Turn the thermostat on your hot water heater down -

Turning the hot water heater thermostat down won't mean that you don't get enough hot water or that the water won't be as hot. It simply means that the water heater won't have to work all the time heating the water. You use what is already in the tank and the heater will heat the water as you need it.

*Wash clothes in cold water -

Many brands of laundry detergent have tailored their product to work better in cold water. It isn't necessary to wash anything in hot water to get it clean. Using cold water will lower both your water and electric bills by quite a lot.

*Clean your dryer vents regularly -

One of the biggest reasons that dryers start to become inefficient is that the lint traps and vents aren't cleaned properly or often enough. The vent should be cleaned every three months or so. The lint trap should be cleaned out with every use.

*Don't waste water -

There are several ways by which people waste water without even thinking about it. Most of us leave the water running as we wash our face and brush our teeth. If we turned the water off until we needed it, we'd be wasting a lot less water. This is especially true if you are running hot water.

Don't leave the water running when washing dishes. If you've got a bunch of dishes to wash, fill a dish pan with soapy water and wash with that. Turn the water on only when you need to rinse the dishes.

Take fewer baths. It takes many times more water to fill a bathtub than what you use when you take a shower. If you are running hot water to fill the tub, you are emptying your hot water heater pretty quickly. That will mean that the hot water heater will have to work more to make more hot water, and you are paying for the electricity to heat the water and the actual water.

*Turn your thermostat down -

Rather than turning your thermostat up to make your house warmer, make sure that you've sealed off all windows and doors properly. If you can afford to do so, purchase

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