It Pays to Be Efficient – Save Money with Energy Star

With Summer approaching and the temperatures rising, power use will be on the rise, especially in the warmer parts of the country. And, for those still requiring the use of heat, energy saving tips that will save you money are every bit as valuable.

We just had the need to turn our air on last week when the temperatures hit 90 degrees and it didn’t work. This was the third year this happened and it was determined that it was time to buy a new unit. After a week of sweltering temperatures and no AC we finally have cool air flowing. And we got some cool savings too. The unit we purchased qualified for a $1,500 tax credit from the federal government for the purchase of energy-efficient or renewable energy systems for your home.

The energy efficient tax credit got me excited to learn about other ways to save money with newer, efficient ENERGY STAR products — you can save money with tax credits, save money with lower monthly bills … and you save energy and the impact on the planet. The Trifecta of savings! Here are some Living Frugal Tips for energy savings below:

Save Money and the Planet with these ENERGY STAR Frugal Tips

• Capitalize on Tax Credits – Check out all the home improvement and household items that qualify for Federal Tax Credits for Consumer Energy Efficiency before buying. Everything from windows, doors, roofs, heating and cooling systems, insulation, water heaters and solar systems offer tax credits on qualifying units and models meeting the required efficiency levels. Many of these tax credits expire December 31, 2010 so don’t wait.

• Use ENERGY STAR Appliances – If one in five homes changed to ENERGY STAR appliances,  it’s equal to planting 850,000 acres of new trees to provide comparable carbon offsetting.

• Replace an Old Refrigerator – Another frugal tip: By getting rid of your dated 90′s model and buying a new ENERGY STAR model, the energy saved would be enough to light an average home for four months. The new models can use up to 75% less energy than the old ones, and since the refrigerator is the appliance that uses the most energy, this can be a big savings!

• Use CFL Light Bulbs (Compact Fluorescent Light bulbs) — These are the new corkscrew bulbs. If all 200 millions of us here in the little USofA just replaced ONE 60-watt regular bulb with a CFL light bulb, it would be the equivalent of removing 9 million cars off the road for one year! Another CFL fact, changing just one standard bulb to a CFL light bulb can save you up to $44.00 in energy costs over the life of the bulb.

• Save While Watching TV – An ENERGY STAR qualified television set uses approximately 30% less energy than older models.

• Reduce Printer Costs - I did not realize that there are ENERGY STAR rated printers and copiers that run cooler so they will last longer and they make 2-sided copies so you can save paper … and trees.

• Replace Your Roof and Save – If it’s time for a new roof, make sure that you check out the available tax credits for qualified ENERGY STAR products that can save you via a tax credit (up to $1,500) and with the improved insulation to your home.

Check out the official ENERGY STAR website for all the exciting details, energy saving tips, and ways to save big.

• Find ENERGY STAR products.
• Learn how to save energy at home.
• Read about the ENERGY STAR appliance rebate program.

Start saving now … one frugal tip at a time. And, remember that saving a little saves a lot when we factor in the environmental impact.