Lower the thermostat to around 65 degrees F--or even lower (to around 60 degrees F) when no one is home, or buy a programmable thermostat, especially if your home is vacant most of the day. Set it to turn the heat up half an hour before anyone arrives home.

Have the furnace (particularly oil furnaces) professionally cleaned, i.e. clearing it of carbon and other residue, to help it burn fuel more efficiently.

Take inventory of all windows, doors and outside vents, and check to see what areas might be letting cold air come in or allowing heat to escape. Apply weather-stripping around these windows and doorways to cut down on fuel consumption. Install storm windows or windows specifically made to keep heat from escaping and cold air from coming in.

During the summer, raise the temperature of an air conditioner to around 76 degrees F. Each degree increase will save approximately five percent in energy costs.

Keep the air conditioning filter clean to help the unit run more efficiently.

Install the air conditioning unit on the shady side of the house rather than in direct sun.

Ensure that refrigerator door seals are tight by placing a piece of paper between the door and refrigerator. After closing the door, if the paper pulls out easily, replace the seal. Also, cleaning the coils in the back once a year will help the unit run more efficiently.

Use compact fluorescent light bulbs, which last 10,000 hours, as compared to only about 750 hours for incandescent bulbs.

Reduce the temperature on the hot water heater to around 120 degrees F, and insulate the unit.

Plant trees or install awnings on outside windows and doors on the sunny side of the house.

Install an attic fan to eliminate hot air that can put a strain on an air conditioning system.

Check with your utility company for rebates for installing energy-saving equipment.

Fix leaky faucets--one drip a second is 20 kilowatts a month.

Turn off your computer when not in use, or use the energy-saving "sleep" mode.

Seal energy leaks. Caulk over cracks and small holes around windows and exterior walls. Look carefully around plumbing pipes, telephone wires, dryer vents, sink and bathtub drains and under countertops.

Participate in your power company's special energy-saving programs. Some programs shut down electric appliances for short periods of time during peak hours. You hardly notice the difference-except in your bill.

Consider a front-loading washing machine, which uses 50 percent less energy and one-third less water. They also remove more water in the rinse cycle, and that translates into big savings in dryer time.

Let the sunshine in. Open drapes and let the sun heat your home for free (close them at sundown so they help insulate).

Shorten showers. Simply reducing that lingering time by a few minutes can save hundreds of gallons of hot water per month for a family of four. Showers account for two-thirds of your water-heating costs. Cutting your showers in half will reduce your water-heating costs by 33 percent.

Use appliances efficiently. Do only full loads when using your dishwasher and clothes washer. Use the cold water setting on your clothes washer when you can. Using cold water reduces your washer's energy use by 75 percent. Be sure to clean your clothes dryer's lint trap after each use.

Plug "leaking energy" in electronics. Many new TVs, VCRs, chargers, computer peripherals and other electronics use electricity even when they are switched "off." Although these "standby losses" are only a few watts each, they add up to more than 50 watts in a typical home.