29 Ways to Conserve & Save
Quick, cheap and easy ways to cut your electricity and water use while also cutting your expenses.

Still stalling on going green? Procrastinate no longer. We give you 29 ideas for saving energy and water around your home that involve little or no installation and barely a bump in your routine. Individually, they cost less than $100. Collectively, they can save hundreds of dollars a year in household energy bills, thousands of gallons of water and thousands of pounds of carbon-dioxide emissions. You have every reason to follow these tips and not a single reason to ignore them.
Get cracking, folks.
How we calculated the savings
From just $107.88 $24.99 for Kiplinger Personal Finance
Become a smarter, better informed investor. Subscribe from just $107.88 $24.99, plus get up to 4 Special Issues
Sign up for Kiplinger’s Free Newsletters
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and more - straight to your e-mail.
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice - straight to your e-mail.
Many of these calculations rely on figures provided by Jeffrey Langholz and Kelly Turner in You Can Prevent Global Warming (and Save Money!) (Andrew McMeel, $11), updated to reflect an average electricity price per kilowatt-hour of 10.6 cents, the recent national residential average. Because unheated water costs less than a cent per gallon, we focus on conservation over cost.
Profit and prosper with the best of Kiplinger's advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and much more. Delivered daily. Enter your email in the box and click Sign Me Up.

-
Why Public Markets Don't Look Like They Used To -
Turning 65 in 2026? Here Is Exactly How to Sign Up for MedicareWhether you’re months away from your 65th birthday or plan to work past retirement age, here are the steps to secure your Medicare coverage and avoid costly mistakes.
-
A Free Tax Filing Option Has Disappeared for 2026: Here's What That Means for YouTax Filing Tax season officially opens on January 26. But you'll have one less way to submit your tax return for free. Here's what you need to know.
-
9 Types of Insurance You Probably Don't NeedFinancial Planning If you're paying for these types of insurance, you may be wasting your money. Here's what you need to know.
-
Amazon Resale: Where Amazon Prime Returns Become Your Online BargainsFeature Amazon Resale products may have some imperfections, but that often leads to wildly discounted prices.
-
Roth IRA Contribution Limits for 2026Roth IRAs Roth IRAs allow you to save for retirement with after-tax dollars while you're working, and then withdraw those contributions and earnings tax-free when you retire. Here's a look at 2026 limits and income-based phaseouts.
-
How to Search For Foreclosures Near You: Best Websites for ListingsMaking Your Money Last Searching for a foreclosed home? These top-rated foreclosure websites — including free, paid and government options — can help you find listings near you.
-
Luxury Home Prices Rise as the Rich Dodge High Mortgage RatesLuxury home prices rose 9% to the highest third-quarter level on record, Redfin reports, growing nearly three times faster than non-luxury prices.
-
Four Tips for Renting Out Your Home on Airbnbreal estate Here's what you should know before listing your home on Airbnb.
-
Five Ways to a Cheap Last-Minute VacationTravel It is possible to pull off a cheap last-minute vacation. Here are some tips to make it happen.
-
How Much Life Insurance Do You Need?insurance When assessing how much life insurance you need, take a systematic approach instead of relying on rules of thumb.