There are countless ways to reduce energy costs, but few are as
easy as changing your home’s lighting. In fact, lighting
consumes about 10 percent of the average home’s electricity use,
and using energy-efficient lighting strategies can reduce the
average home’s lighting costs by up to 75 percent. To help you
get started, here are seven tips for saving money by making your
home lighting more energy efficient. 1. Use more direct “task”
lighting Task lighting is direct, overhead lighting for desks,
kitchen cooking areas, tool benches, craft tables and other
areas. In cases like this, you don’t need to light the whole
room to accomplish your task. You can just light the area you
need illuminated, thereby preventing waste and cutting lighting
costs. 2. Install energy-efficient light bulbs Energy-efficient
light bulbs are designed to provide the same amount of light
while using less electricity: --Compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs)
will provide the same quantity of light as incandescent light
bulbs while using about