With the New Year fast approaching most of us begin making lists of resolutions that we hope to keep, at least for a little while. Saving money by cutting down on energy consumption in the home should be somewhere on everybody’s list, especially in these eco conscious times. But why wait until the ball drops? Here are some energy saving measures that you can begin implementing today.

Let the Light Shine For Less – Even if you only replace the traditional light bulbs in your five most used light fixtures with compact fluorescent bulbs, you will still save about $65 every year, so just do the math and see how much you can save by switching them all. Using the lowest wattage suitable for each light’s purpose helps as well.

Get With the Program – If you have not replaced your thermostat recently, do it now. Choose an Energy Star rated programmable thermostat and, once you have had it installed, remember to actually program it. Many consumers skip that step, missing out on savings of up to $150 annually.

Go Low – Low flow that is. Replace your old shower head with one of the new low flow models that use far less water to do the same job as their older counterparts. When you are at the home store picking one up check out the low flow toilets as well, as having one of them installed delivers even bigger savings, as they use approximately half the water per flush of an older model.

Chill Out on Wash Day – Thanks to a new generation of laundry detergents that are specially formulated to get clothes clean in cold water, you no longer need to run the hot cycle on laundry day. Such products are now readily available at your local supermarket and should cost about the same as the brand you’ve been using for years.

Check the Lint Filter – A dirty lint filter on your clothes dryer reduces its efficiency, meaning it has to gobble up more electricity to get the job done every time. Just by taking two minutes to dust off your dryer you can save as much as $30 a year on your energy bill.

Dial it Down – Turn down the temperature on your hot water heater to 120 degrees (most people set it at 140 or above). The only time you and your family will really notice a difference is when your utility bill arrives, as the 20 degree drop can result in savings of up to $60 each year.

Unplug – Even when they are not in active use, if household appliances are left plugged in they are consuming electricity all the time. Without you ever realizing it all that stand by energy use can really add up over time. For instance, unplugging your plasma TV every night when you go to bed saves an astonishing $140-$160 over the course of twelve months.

Repair or Replace? – Replacing your old water heater or furnace with a newer Energy Star rated model can save a small fortune on utility bills. The same goes for outdated windows and even exterior doors. Consider calling in a specialist to perform an energy audit on your home. Chances are you will be very surprised by how much you can save by just making some very simple repairs or replacements.