So you want to reduce the energy consumption in your house, but you want to make as few changes to your lifestyle as possible? If so, you're at the right place. Whether you want to help your family budget or want to lessen your impact on the environment, there are quite a few things you can do to reduce your power needs.

Start reducing your bills from looking closely into your heating and cooling systems. Replace them if they are old or in poor condition, or perform regular maintenance if not. Especially, make sure that the air conditioning filters are clean - this is the top one reason for energy loss.

When you're done with the heating and air conditioning, the next step is to make sure your house doesn't have any leaks and drafts. Especially, make sure that your storm windows are in good condition. Use them to reduce the temperature loss. Also, make sure that your doors and windows close tightly. They are major sources of energy loss.

Use the best thermostat you can afford. Every dollar spent on it means five dollars saved per year on lower energy bills. Also, make sure that you place it properly - far from extremely hot or cold areas. You may also turn it up a bit in the summer and turn it a few degrees down in the winter. You won't notice the change, but your energy bills will fall another bit.

Do not cling to your old appliances - old dishwashers or refrigerators are truly terrible energy hogs. New models with the Energy Star certificate can use even three times as little energy as their older counterparts.

Remember that the water heater is probably set above the recommended 120 degrees. Turn it down or even better, use cold water during laundry if only you can. This will negate the risk of burns and thus get rid of a big problem for every parent.

The "sleep mode" is not the same as turning the appliance down. Perform hard power downs on any electronic appliance in the house when you don't use it. Keeping them on will cost you quite a bit per year. If your appliances have Energy Star features, make sure you enable them. It would be a pity to have energy saving options and never use them.

You can also save a lot of money by installing fluorescent bulbs. They cost a bit more than the standard ones, but they use much less energy and they last twice as long as the old bulbs. In short, they pay off very quickly and can help you reduce your electricity bills by a few hundred dollars.