Energy-efficient upgrades under $50

By: McClatchy-Tribune |
Published: February 05, 2012

Do you cringe when your utility bills arrive during the winter months? You can save money with a few energy-efficient upgrades. Here are seven upgrades for less than $50.

Door sweep: This is one of the quickest, cheapest and easiest ways to save money instantly. A door sweep is something that attaches to the bottom of your door to keep the cold air out. For a couple of bucks, you can attach a thin piece of rubber to the door base to do the trick. You can also find door sweeps that attach with screws or self-stick adhesive.

Fireplace fix: If your fireplace is more ornamental than functional, use a chimney plug to prevent warm air from rising right up and out of your house. A plug will usually cost you about $50 and takes minutes to install and inflate.

Lighten up: Certain light bulbs can outlast traditional ones by 10 times, and others can save you 75 percent in lighting costs. Some energy-efficient options include CFLs, LEDs and halogen bulbs.

Programmable thermostat: Investing in a programmable thermostat will help you slash your utility bills by roughly 10 percent. You can use it to automatically adjust the temperature while you're away so your heating system won't run when you don't need it to. You can also program it to lower the thermostat while you sleep.

Water heater blanket: This is one of the most inexpensive ways to make your conventional water heater run more efficiently. A water heater blanket costs about $20. It's easy to put on and helps keep the water inside the tank warm, which means the heater won't have to work as hard.

Power strip savings: Anything with a remote, continuous display or a charging cord sips power even when it is not in use. That can add up to a 10 percent increase in your power bill. Some electronics need power to remember programmed settings (DVR, alarm clock). All of the others should be plugged into a power strip with an on/off switch. This is the only way to truly cut the power to the others that don't need continuous power.

Go old school: Clothes dryers are one of the biggest energy hogs in any home. To slash your utility bills, line-dry your clothes. Even if you don't have the room outside for a clothesline, there are plenty of new indoor drying rack options that will hold a complete load of clothes.