12. Use programmable thermostats
If your home uses old-fashioned thermostats, you can do better — and can save money — by switching to programmable thermostats. (It’s been estimated that you might save between $100 and $200 or more annually.) With old-fashioned thermostats, it’s up to you to turn them up or down. If you set your home to a cozy temperature and then forget to lower it before you leave for vacation, you’ll waste a lot of energy and money. Programmable thermostats, on the other hand, let you set different temperatures for different times of the day or week, so that the house can be warmer when you’re home and awake and cooler when you’re away or asleep. Some are extra clever and can set the temperature lower when they don’t sense you around — and they can even be tied to apps that let you adjust temperatures when you’re out of the house.