Times are tough these days and all of us want to learn how we can cut costs, save on energy and help our environment in becoming better by the day. Presented are certain tips that you might want to take into consideration to make your home energy efficient:

1. For starters, it is best to change your light bulbs to "Energy Star" qualified ones. According to several research studies, bulbs qualified as "Energy Star" are 75% more energy efficient as compared to regular light bulbs. The EPA believes that if all the Americans start using these bulbs, America would help reduce about one trillion pounds of carbon dioxide from our environment.

2. Insulating your hot water heater is extremely important. Even though water heaters these days are far better and more efficient, but you can help more by insulating your water heater in a wrap. This way you can cut down on the money being spent to just heat up your water.

3. Get yourself a digital programmable thermostat. You can easily program it to control the temperature all through the day. The temperature must be regulated so that you do not use much energy whenever you are not at home.

4. Get a professional to check out your duct work. Leaky ducts are a major source of energy wastage and can diminish your home's energy efficiency by 20%.

5. For fridges that are older than 10 years, make sure that you get them upgraded. According to the EPA, the latest models of fridges are far more energy efficient as compared to those made 10 years back.

6. Your ceilings, walls, under floor etc must be insulated. The most important of these is ceiling insulation, which is also the easiest to install. Whenever a new house is built, the ceilings and walls are usually insulated to add to the energy efficiency of the building. Remember that ceiling insulation can be added whenever you feel like it, but wall insulation can only be installed during renovation.

7. Even though solar power has previously been extremely expensive, it is now much more affordable with government rebates. Solar panels can easily be mounted on the roof of your place and it can even substitute your roofing material. The panels capture energy, after which it is run through an inverter which converts it into powers for you to use, thereby cutting down the cost of energy being used at your place.

Solar power has two main systems, which include battery and grid connected systems. Battery solar systems are efficient at storing power in batteries, which can be used whenever needed. On the other hand, grid connected systems provide power to the grid, which runs your meter backwards and then runs ahead as soon as you start using the power.

Not only does the use of energy efficient products help you save money, but they also make your home a more comfortable place to live in and help with the family budget. So, don't forget to install energy efficient products whenever you build or renovate.