Guest post by Mike Floeck

Saving money and energy at home isn’t as impossible as it might seem. While a complete renovation of your home to introduce modern, energy efficient touches might be impractical, there are many ways to introduce eco-friendly upgrades without breaking the bank.

Sustainability is an increasingly important issue in residential construction. As remote work gains popularity and people feel more comfortable moving away from urban centers, new construction projects are picking up pace in small and midsize towns across the country. Many of these homes will incorporate smart and sustainable technologies from the outset, but many will not, in the interest of cutting down on costs.

Change Your Habits to Boost Your Energy Efficiency

Regardless of how your home was built, you can cut your energy usage simply by changing a few behaviors around the home. For instance: did you know that your appliances are built to run most efficiently at full capacity? Keeping a stocked fridge (but not an overstocked fridge) helps cool air distribute easily without working overtime or being wasted on an empty space. Similarly, your dishwasher, washing machine, and dryer will not only reach peak efficiency when full, but also decrease the number of unnecessary cycles you end up running.

Do you ever catch yourself with the refrigerator door open, staring into an abyss and wondering what you’ll make for dinner? How about peeping in the oven while the Thanksgiving turkey roasts away to make sure everything looks good? These habits are costing you serious cash—an oven loses up to 25% of its heat when opened for just a few seconds, meaning it has to compensate for that lost heat by using more gas or electricity.

Small Renovations for Big Savings on Energy Bills

If you purchase a new home that’s not as energy efficient as you would like, or if you live in an older home that needs updating to bring it into the twenty first century, you’re in luck: the infographic below highlights simple changes you can make to boost your at-home efficiency, and therefore reduce the cost of your utility bills. Several of these changes can be made without any assistance, and some may require professional assistance from a contractor or electrician.

Check out these energy-saving tips for the home and click on the infographic below to find a printable habit tracker that can help you monitor behaviors that might secretly be costing you money (and wasting energy).

Mike Floeck is a writer and homemaker that enjoys making his dwelling functional, livable, and cozy. He still hasn’t figured out how to live without air conditioning, but he’s trying very hard to.