Save More—and Waste Less—All Around the House

By changing a few habits and investing in innovative products, you can live more sustainably—and save as much as $2,700

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Your home just seems to eat money sometimes, doesn't it? One big cash drain: the higher energy expenses many Americans have had to adjust to. In a November 2022 nationally representative survey by CR of 2,185 U.S. adults, about half of respondents said their monthly heating (51 percent) and cooling (50 percent) bills had gone up compared with the amount they spent the year before. And two-thirds told us they had taken action to reduce their heating or cooling bills.

But with strategic moves, such as proper equipment maintenance and thermostat settings, the average household can save 30 percent on their energy bills, according to the Department of Energy. And it's a great time to upgrade to more energy-efficient products because the money-saving tax credits from the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 start to kick in this year. Plus, there are all sorts of tricks and smart new products that can help you save.

Read on to see how the savings can add up—and how you can live more sustainably—with these simple, energy-sparing steps. And follow these links for ideas on saving even more in other rooms of your house.

How to Save More at HomeSave More—and Waste Less—in the BathroomSave More—and Waste Less—in the KitchenSave More—and Waste Less—in the Laundry RoomSave More—and Waste Less—in the Yard and Garden

To cut your heating and cooling costs, don't let your air conditioning go on automatic pilot. Take control with a WiFi-enabled smart thermostat like the ones below. They’re easy to install and let you manage your central AC via smartphone or tablet. (Other products, not rated by CR, work on window units.) Plus, most of these thermostats "learn" your family's daily routines. Why cool rooms when you’re out all day and the house is empty? The average Energy Star certified smart thermostat can save about 8 percent of your annual heating and cooling bills, putting $50 or more back in your pocket.

To save energy and cash, go old-school instead of flicking on the AC. Ceiling fans are much more energy-efficient, using just 10 percent of the electricity that air conditioners do. In fact, you could leave a fan running for a full 24 hours and still use less energy than about 2½ hours of air conditioning.

If you typically use your AC for four to six months of the year, pulling the plug on running it could cut up to $87, or 12 percent of your energy costs, which average $121 a month countrywide.

You can also cut costs with tower fans. Reader Jennifer Stenkamp of Oregon bought two cooling towers for the rooms where she spends the most time: the bedroom and the family room/kitchen area. They offer the choice of cooling and oscillating, are equipped with a timer (perfect for bedtime), and cost $50 apiece. Stenkamp says she's been able to keep the thermostat higher by several degrees as a result and has saved more than quintuple her original investment of $100.

Illustration: Simone Massoni Illustration: Simone Massoni

Three out of four U.S. homes have an air conditioner, and these units use about 6 percent of all the electricity created across America. ACs also release about 117 million metric tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere each year. Here are some tips to help you live a little more lightly with your AC on.

Opt for a High-Efficiency Air ConditionerAlong with making other stay-cool moves, it could help you slash your AC energy use by 20 to 50 percent. When you trade a standard unit for an Energy Star certified one, you can reap about $540 in savings over the 15- to 20-year life of the air conditioner (about $27 to $36 per year). You may be able to get a rebate on a new energy-efficient AC, too. And if your old one still works, consider giving it to a friend or relative who doesn't have one.

Clean or Replace Filters MonthlyDoing this during the cooling season will help your AC run efficiently.

Set Your Thermostat a Little HigherFor every degree you set your thermostat above 72° F, you’ll save 3 percent on your utility bill. On an average monthly bill of $122, that would snip off $43.92 per year. Also be sure to raise the temperature when you’re sleeping or away from home.

Close the Shades During the DayYou can keep your home cooler by blocking the sun's heat with tightly installed shades. About 76 percent of the sunlight that comes in through standard double-pane windows becomes heat during the warmer months, potentially making your home too toasty. Insulated cellular shades, also known as accordion or honeycomb shades, are composed of fabric "cells" that collapse and expand when raised and lowered. These window coverings can block solar heat, and they also save you about 10 percent on heating costs, or $72 per year on a very modest bill of $60 per month.

Check out eco-friendly products and simple solutions for a green home.

Water heating is typically the second-largest energy expense in a home, averaging as much as $600 each year. To manage costs, consider insulating your tank water heater. You could lower standby heat loss by up to 45 percent and slash up to 16 percent off your bill, saving as much as $96 annually. It's an easy fix using precut "jackets" or blankets that cost around $20 at home centers. But to prevent the wiring from overheating, don't set the temperature above 130º F. Bonus: Dialing down your tank's heat setting is another way to lower your energy bill, according to the Department of Energy.

Reader Anthony Albertini of Massachusetts installed a timer for his electric hot water heater (from $69 for a manual model to $164 for a digital model at Amazon) over 15 years ago and has been saving money on electricity ever since. He says he immediately saw a decrease in his electric bill after installation. The water heater turns on at 5 a.m. and goes off at 8 p.m., and supplies his household with plenty of hot water. It has a manual on/off switch, so when the family leaves for a few days, he just turns it off. It can be set for any day or night schedule, too.

The typical American household spends an estimated $2,000 per year on utility bills, and heating and cooling a home accounts for a big bite of that. For heating with gas, last winter's costs are estimated at $931; for electric heat, $1,359; for oil, about $2,354.

To shrink that bill, now is a great time to switch to a heat pump. The most common type, called an air-source heat pump, absorbs heat from the air, shifting it indoors or outdoors, depending on the season.

Heat pumps are a significant investment, costing (on average) $5,895. But the latest systems can save up to $948 on energy bills per year compared with oil heating and $459 per year vs. electric baseboard and radiant floor heating. Plus, federal tax credits and state rebates make investing in a system now more affordable than ever.

When buying new audio/video equipment, look for Energy Star certification. These components can be up to 70 percent more efficient than conventional models. Running a TV alone usually isn't a huge expense—one study found the worst power-guzzler to be a 10-year-old 65-incher, at about $81 a year. But when you consider all the devices many of us use (soundbars, receivers, etc.), it can add up to a decent energy suck and expense.

Illustration: Simone Massoni Illustration: Simone Massoni

Extend the Life of Your PhoneHere's an easy way to avoid paying for a pricey new phone and creating waste: Replace your current phone's battery. At the Apple Store, the out-of-warranty cost for this repair is $49 to $99, depending on the phone model. Because even the lowest-priced iPhone SE costs $429, you could save $330 or more. Best Buy's Geek Squad will provide the service on Samsung Galaxy models for $70 to $80.

Buy Refurbished ElectronicsApple, Dell, and Samsung sell refurbished tech (such as laptops, smartphones, and tablets). This is a great way to save money, extend the life of a device, and keep it out of a landfill. On Apple's website, for example, you can purchase a refurbished 13.3-inch MacBook Air for $849, saving at least $150 by not buying a new Air ($999 and up). Interested in headphones or speakers? Bose and Sonos also have programs. But first:• Look for "certified pre-owned" products with a new rechargeable battery and all the standard accessories.• Get a warranty. You have no protection without one.• Ask about the return policy. At least a month is best (leaving time for problems to arise).

Donate Used TechIf your old gadget still works—and often if it doesn't—a charity or nonprofit will probably take it. Check local recreation centers and organizations for older people first, and get a receipt so that you can deduct your donation on next year's tax return. Or try:• Dell Reconnect, a partnership with Goodwill that accepts computers and "just about anything that can be connected to a computer," according to the website. You can drop off used devices at Goodwill locations around the U.S. Find one at dell.com/reconnect.• The World Computer Exchange, which aims to close the digital divide in developing countries and promote the reuse and recycling of electronics. It provides used computers and many other types of gadgets to communities worldwide. Go to worldcomputerexchange.org.

The average homeowner can slash energy costs by 11 percent if they fill cracks and add insulation to attics, floors over crawl spaces, and any basement rim joists within reach, according to the EPA. That means you could save about $220 per year on a typical energy bill of $2,000 (and qualify for a federal tax credit of up to 30 percent of costs). When shopping for insulation, the higher the R-value, the better its thermal performance. Check out the EPA's recommended home insulation R-values for the recommended R-value where you live.

Drafty old windows let cold air in and warm air out as temperatures dip. Play defense now and consider adding low-emissivity (low-E) storm window inserts; their thermally efficient coating helps control heat transfer. At $60 to $200 each, they pop into place for a simple DIY job. The payoff: lowering your energy cost by 10 to 30 percent, or up to $300 on $1,000 annually. For more savings, don't forget to check for rebates on energy-efficient replacement windows.

These small, budget-friendly devices plug into wall sockets and work via a smartphone app, making it easy to remotely control and automate lights, fans, coffee makers, electronics, and more. Some smart plugs also monitor energy use, so you can figure out which devices in your home guzzle energy. (A CR writer's home test found that a space heater consumed 2.65 kilowatt-hours, or about 35 cents, in one day.) Tip: Make sure the plug can handle the wattage of the device you use it on so it's not overloaded.

Editor's Note: This article also appeared in the May/June 2023 issue of Consumer Reports magazine.

Janet Siroto

Janet Siroto is a writer and content strategist specializing in lifestyle and wellness topics. She's held senior editorial positions at Good Housekeeping, Vogue, and Cosmopolitan, and contributes to Real Simple, Next Avenue, and other titles. She is also a trend tracker whose work has been presented at South by Southwest, the Wall Street Journal's The Future of Everything, Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, and other summits.