Day 12: Drive Your Way to Fuel Savings
Save money on fuel costs by emptying your car after all your shopping trips -- an extra 100 pounds in your vehicle could increase gas costs by up to $.08 a gallon.
Image: Sarah Gerrity, Energy Department
Day 11: Plug Holiday Decorations into Power Strips
Stop phantom loads -- which cost Americans $100 a year on average -- by turning off power strips when you aren’t using holiday decorations.
Image: Sarah Gerrity, Energy Department
Day 10: Install a Light Timer
Keep in the holiday spirit while saving energy by using timer controls to turn holiday lights on and off at specific times.
Image: Sarah Gerrity, Energy Department
Day 9: Use LED Lights
Light your tree with LEDS and save money -- it only costs $0.27 to light a 6-foot tree for 12 hours a day for 40 days with LEDs compared to $10 for incandescent lights.
Image: Sarah Gerrity, Energy Department
Day 8: Save Energy in the Kitchen
This holiday, don’t waste heat from your stovetop. Use right-sized pots on stove burners to save about $36 annually with an electric range or $18 with gas.
Image: Sarah Gerrity, Energy Department
Day 7: Purchase Rechargeable Batteries & an ENERGY STAR Battery Charger
This holiday, give the gift that keeps on giving -- rechargeable batteries are more cost effective than disposable batteries.
Image: Sarah Gerrity, Energy Department
Day 6: Buy ENERGY STAR Electronics
This holiday, ask for ENERGY STAR home electronics for instant energy savings. Depending on usage, an ENERGY STAR computer can save 30-65 percent more energy compared a computer without this designation.
Image: Sarah Gerrity, Energy Department
Day 5: Take Advantage of Sunlight
Open curtains during the day to allow sunlight to naturally warm your home, and close them at night to reduce the chill from cold windows.
Image: Sarah Gerrity, Energy Department
Day 4: Prepare Your Windows for Winter
Installing storm windows can help reduce heat loss through your windows by 25-50 percent.
Image: Sarah Gerrity, Energy Department
Day 3: Maintain Your Fireplace
Keep warm air in your house and cold air out with proper chimney maintenance -- like sealing your fireplace flue damper, caulking around your hearth, and installing tempered glass doors and a heat-air exchange system to blow warmed air back into the room.
Image: Sarah Gerrity, Energy Department
Day 2: Install a Programmable Thermostat
Use a programmable thermostat when you aren’t home -- lowering your thermostat 10-15 degrees for 8 hours can save 5-15 percent a year on heating bills.
Image: Sarah Gerrity, Energy Department
Day 1: Get a Home Energy Audit
Save 5-30 percent on your energy bill by making energy-efficient upgrades following a home energy audit.
Image: Sarah Gerrity, Energy Department