Many people are having a difficult time paying their bills due to the current bad economy. One of the worst offenders is the power bill – and it’s only going to go up when the A/C comes on in the hot summer months. Fortunately, there are some things you can do to help keep your electric bill under control. Check out these simple tips for home energy savings:

* CFLs (Compact fluorescent lights) are one of the easiest ways to really save money on your electric bill, simply by using them to replace all your current incandescent bulbs. CFLs are more expensive to buy, but they have a much longer lifespan and will help you save money on your power bill each month. While in the past, fluorescents were only available in bright white, they are now available in assorted colors, including a warm yellow light.

* Unplug electrical devices you aren’t using. Although it can be a pain, you should always unplug items you aren’t using, because they often draw power even though they may be turned off. For example, if you never use the clock on your microwave, that’s energy being spent to keep it on for no good reason.

* Clean out or change your AC/heater filter once a month. It’s important to keep those filters clean – a dirty filter means the unit has to work harder – that’s less efficient.

* A lot of energy is wasted when you have leaks or drafts in your home, so you should use caulk to seal up the areas around door and window frames where they happen. Don’t forget the space at the bottom of the door – there are lots of cute ‘draft stoppers’ you can buy, but a rolled up towel at the base of the door will work just as well. If you’re windows are particularly drafty, consider heavy curtains to block the air flow. And of course you’ll want to insulate your attic to prevent heat loss in winter.

* Most people sleep better when it’s slightly cool, so there’s no excuse not to lower the thermostat on winter nights! Lowering it by a mere 10 degrees can give you a very impressive saving on your electric bill. Actually, keep the thermostat lower in the daytime too, and put a sweater on – you’ll save on your bill and know you’re doing the earth some good.

Turning the thermostat down at night means bundling up – flannel sheets and a king size down comforter will keep you toasty warm even when it’s cool. We don’t have heat in our houseand nights get down to 60 degrees, but with my king size down comforter I never feel cold.