Easy Ways to Lower Your Home Energy Costs and Save Money

Let's be honest — most of us aren't about to rip out our water heaters or add insulation to the attic this weekend. But here's the thing: you don't have to make big, expensive changes to meaningfully cut your energy use. Some of the most effective moves cost nothing at all, and a few others are one-time fixes that pay for themselves quickly.

Here's what I actually do — and what the experts back up.

Start in the Laundry Room

This is where I've found the easiest wins. Most washers and dryers have quick-cycle options — I use the 'Speed Wash' and 'Speed Dry' settings almost exclusively. Unless clothes are genuinely filthy, a shorter, cooler cycle does the job just fine. As a bonus, high-temperature wash settings (think 140°F) use dramatically more energy than cooler water settings, and for everyday loads, they're just not necessary. Modern detergents are light-years ahead of what our parents used and clean much more effectively at cooler temperatures. Plus, your clothing will last longer since cooler temperatures minimize shrinkage, fiber breakdown and fading.

A couple of other no-brainers:

• Always run a full load. The medium setting on your washer uses almost as much energy as a full load — so waiting until you have a full basket is one of the simplest things you can do.

• Clean the lint trap every single time before you run the dryer. It's not just a fire hazard — a clogged lint trap makes the dryer work harder and run longer.

• Air-drying clothes on a rack, on a nice, sunny day is free and gentle on fabrics.

Rethink the Dishwasher

I pre-rinse and scrape dishes before loading, which means I can use the Express (short) cycle pretty much every time. It cleans just as well for regular meals, and it uses less water and energy than a full cycle. And, here's a tip that my local NVEnergy home energy auditor told me: Running hot water at the sink, just before starting the dishwasher, purges the cold water sitting in your plumbing lines. This ensures your dishwasher immediately receives hot water from the start, eliminating the need for the appliance's internal heating element to expend extra energy trying to warm up frigid water. Hot water immediately dissolves detergent and grease.

If your dishwasher has an air-dry or heat-dry toggle, turning off the heated dry and letting dishes air-dry is another easy save.

Use Fans Instead of Cranking the AC

This one has made a real difference for me in summer. Ceiling fans and small portable fans don't cool the air — but they make you feel cooler by moving air across your skin. That means I can set the thermostat a few degrees warmer and still be comfortable.

The math works out nicely: a ceiling fan uses a fraction of the electricity that central AC does. Running a fan in the room you're actually in, rather than cooling the whole house to the same temperature, is a genuinely effective strategy. Just remember — fans cool people, not rooms. Turn them off when you leave. BTW: Remember to reverse the fan direction according to the season. Summer: Counterclockwise - pushes air straight down creating a 'wind chill' effect. Winter: Clockwise - pulls cooler air up towards the ceiling which displaces (pushes downward) the warmed air that accumulates there.

Set Your Thermostat Smarter

You don't need a fancy smart thermostat to do this (though they can certainly help). Simply turning the thermostat down at night and when no one's home makes a measurable difference. Lowering it by even a few degrees for eight or more hours a day can shave roughly 2% off your heating bill per degree. That adds up over a winter.

If you're in the market for a programmable or smart thermostat, it's one of the better home upgrades for energy savings — some can save up to $150 a year in certain climates. You might want to check with your local utility provider to see if they can help with an upgrade to your existing thermostat. My local utility, NVEnergy has a free Powershift Smart Thermostat program that you might like to check out.

Put Your Hot Water Recirculating Pump on a Timer

If you have a hot water recirculating pump (the thing that makes hot water arrive at your tap quickly), it's probably running 24/7 — including at 3am when nobody needs it. Installing a simple timer so it shuts off overnight is a low-cost fix that eliminates hours of unnecessary energy use every single day.

This was one of my favorite changes. The timer itself is inexpensive, installation is straightforward taking just a few minutes and I can manage it from my phone. You'll never notice the difference in your morning routine but will notice a difference in energy savings. A friend, who's an energy auditor, figures that I could save a couple hundred dollars per year by doing this.

Change Your HVAC Filters Regularly

I know, I know — it's easy to forget. But a clogged air filter makes your heating and cooling system work harder than it needs to, which means higher energy bills and more wear on the equipment.

Replacing filters on a consistent schedule (check yours — some are monthly, some are every 3 months) is one of the most cost-effective maintenance tasks a homeowner can do.

Set a phone reminder. It takes five minutes and costs a few dollars.

Swap Out Old Light Bulbs

If you still have any incandescent bulbs in your home, replacing them with LEDs is one of the highest-return swaps you can make. LEDs use 50–75% less energy for the same amount of light, and they last far longer — so you're saving on replacements too.

They've come down so much in price that there's really no reason to wait.

A Few Other Low-Effort Wins

• Unplug chargers and electronics when not in use. Chargers draw power even when nothing is connected to them.

• Draw curtains at night in winter to keep heat in, and during the hottest part of the day in summer to keep it out.

• Don't place your fridge near heat sources — a refrigerator next to the stove or in direct sunlight has to work harder to stay cold.

• Use lids on pots when cooking — food heats faster, and you use less energy on the stovetop.

The Bottom Line

You don't need to overhaul your home to make a real dent in your energy bills. Most of these changes are free or very cheap, and once you build the habits, they become second nature. Individually, each one might seem small — but together they add up to consistent, year-round savings.

Start with one or two that feel easy for your household. My picks for the highest-impact, lowest-effort changes: run shorter appliance cycles, keep up with your HVAC filter, and use fans strategically in summer. You might be surprised how quickly it shows up on your utility bill.

Have a favorite energy-saving habit I didn't mention? I'd love to hear it in the comments!