The average house in North America consumes about 21.5KwH /day. That means that if you pay the average 10 cents/KwH you could spend a grand total of over $700/year on electricity. You can cut those cost by as much as 50% by following simple energy saving tips.

Save electricity in the home by replacing all of your old Thomas Edison style bulbs with the new Compact Florescent Light-bulbs. They use about 78% less electricity without sacrificing any lumens (measurement of light output). They are getting cheaper by the day and are available in either True Light or Soft Light. Be sure to choose the one most appropriate for your needs.

Turn off your computer if it isn’t completing any overnight maintenance tasks or enable the Standby or Sleep Mode, as recommended by Energy Star. It will help ensure that the computer uses as little energy as needed. Or, at the very least, turn off the computer screen to save a few pennies. It’s just a switch and it won’t affect anything the computer is doing. Another suggestion is to pack up those old desktops in favor of the more lightweight and energy-efficient laptops. They consume less than 1/3 of the energy with almost all of the benefits of a desktop.

Make the transition from an old tube-television to the newer LCD HDTV’s. They use way less energy and some even come equipped with Energy Star standards. Plasma TV’s have their benefits but they use up a lot of electricity. They are getting temptingly cheaper but they will soon be phased out by the LCD.

The refrigerator and freezer are the most energy consuming appliances we have in our homes. They are on 24/7 non stop. Some are more efficient than others and they need to work hard to keep your food cold. Buy the best rated energy-efficient refrigerator on the market within your budget. If you insist on using a deep freezer, pick a size that suits your needs. Avoid placing them in a warm place like the kitchen. Opt for the basement or garage where it is already cooler. That way the freezer won’t have to work extra hard. Also, don’t forget that refrigerators pose a real hazard to the environment when not disposed of properly. Take the time to take them to a proper recycling facility.

Air-conditioners love to suck electricity. Acting on the same principles as the refrigerator and freezer; these things are on 24/7 during those warm days. If at all possible avoid using them by finding other ways to stay cool. Plan to spend the day at the mall or see a movie at the theater during the peak sun times. Leave your blinds shut during the day and leave the windows open at night to let in a nice cool breeze. Also, try using a dehumidifier to help draw the moisture out of the air.

Electrical vampires are little devices that use electricity merely by being plugged into the wall. This could be a phone charger, entertainment system, stereo… basically everything else. You’ve probably noticed that after turning off your television you see a glowing blue dot signifying that it is off. Well these small lights add up to serious costs in the long run so here’s what you do. Purchase power-bars with timer settings on them. Plug your TV, Stereo, DVD player, Xbox, Wii, everything to it. So when the timer turns the power-bar off you’ll be certain no juice is flowing into your expensive electronic equipment.