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" While it&amp;#039;s important to be eco-conscious year-round, we love when Earth Month rolls around and puts a focused lens on the environment. It&amp;#039;s a win-win, really: Help the planet and put a few extra dollars in your pocket. 1. Change your routine with your appliances.  Washing clothes in cold water can save you up to $40 a year in water-heating costs (and yes, your clothes will still get clean). Save energy and water by scraping off dishes instead of pre-rinsing them before you load the dishwasher, and always run a full machine. And are you guilty of making your electric stove&amp;#039;s small burners work extra hard heating large pots? Pair your burners and pots correctly, and you&amp;#039;ll keep $36 more annually. RELATED: Top 10 Energy-Saving Tips 2. Reconsider your heating needs.  Heating and cooling accounts for half of the energy used in your home. Start spending less by lowering your water heater&amp;#039;s temperature. Many are set to 140 degrees but most homes don&amp;#039;t need water hotter than 120 degrees, and you can save $12 to $30 per year with each 10-degree reduction. Also, consider whether its time to get rid of an old water heater, furnace and air conditioner. Replacing at least 10-year-old equipment with Energy Star products can save you $115 per year. Finally, make sure your home is properly insulated, so heat doesn&amp;#039;t escape easily. Light an incense stick and watch where the smoke blows to seek out drafts. Or try a thermal leak detector \u2014 the one- time cost could save you big bucks over time. 3. Beware phantom power.  Even when some electronics are turned off (like TVs, DVRs, and computers) they can still consume &amp;quot;phantom&amp;quot; energy if they&amp;#039;re plugged into an outlet. This trickling of electricity can add up to $100 per year. Avoid it by unplugging your devices when you&amp;#039;re not using them, or using a power strip so you can cut off the juice with a flip of a switch. RELATED: 19 Ways to Save Money By Going Green 4. Swap out old light bulbs.  Replacing the bulbs in five of your most-used light fixtures with Energy Star-qualified lights can save you $70 each year in energy costs. Rachel Rothman is the director of the consumer electronics lab of the Good Housekeeping Research Institute. "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/home/a20003/save-energy-money-at-home/>