Now that we are moving closer to the new year – many families and household enjoy planning out their goals and resolutions.

This is the time of year when people start thinking about which vacations they want to be saving for and where they could scrimp a little to do some home improvements.

One area that we can always stand to improve when it comes to saving money is utility bills. With just a few simple utility usage changes, you can see some serious savings in your power bill – and that extra money can go right into the budget for that new hot tub or Hawaiian vacation you want!

Here are a few of our best suggestions for energy efficiency and saving money on your power bill this year:

• Make it a family affair. No matter how old your kiddos are, it is important to make sure that everyone in the household knows how important it is to be energy-efficient. Things like turning the light off when you leave a room can make a huge difference and even preschoolers can understand that concept and help to make it happen. If you get everyone on board – they can all remind each other and that will help you from having to be the bad guy.
• Switch to LED where you can. As you are taking down your holiday lighting and putting it away for the season – double check to make sure that everything has an LED bulb and replace those that don’t. LED bulbs burn much brighter but they lose a lot less electricity than regular bulbs. Consider switching out your indoor and outdoor lighting as well. Any lamps in your home or lights in your bathroom vanity should be switched to LED as they are used several times throughout the day. Outdoor lighting like your porch light should also be replaced with LED lights – especially if you have the lights on all night while you are sleeping
• With the cold weather it is important to be thoughtful about how much you are using your heater. Experiment a little with the thermostat and find the lowest temperature that you can set it to without being uncomfortable. Put some flannel sheets and heavy blankets on the beds in your home so that you can set the thermostat even a couple of degrees lower at night and still be comfortable.

Stay focused on energy-efficiency this winter with these quick tips for keeping your power bill small and your vacation budget big!