One way to cut costs is by using a good quality light bulb. The less expensive ones are tempting because they cost less in the store, but frequently they can end up costing you more on your electricity bill and they don't last as long as the more expensive, energy-saving bulbs.
Use fluorescent bulbs wherever you need a good amount of lighting. Fluorescent bulbs give off a nice soft, but sufficientlight and last a lot longer than regular light bulbs. These bulbs can be used in pretty much any light fixture and there are some that come in a more compact form so that they fit into a normal light fixture. You don't have to have long store-like lighting fixtures with long, narrow bulbs anymore when you're thinking florescent.
Halogen bulbs also provide plenty of light and will last much longer than regular bulbs. They do require much more attention when handling them and they tend to get hot when they've been on for awhile, but they bring down on energy costs within your house.
Use a smaller wattage bulb in fixtures or lamps that don't necessarily need that much light. If you can get by with a 25 watt bulb in an area, then change the higher 60 watt or 100 watt bulbs you probably have in there now.
Utilize different lighting techniques by trying track lighting if possible. Track lighting offers multiple light fixtures on one track that can be pointed in different directions in the room. By strategically pointing them to different areas of the room, you can eliminate the need for any more lamps or lighting choices in that area.
Install a light-dimming switch wherever you can. This allows you to adjust the amount of light within your room as you need it. If you need a lot of light, you can turn it on all the way and when you need only a little light, you can turn it down to the level of light that you want. By not using the full energy from the lighting all of the time, you can cut down quite a bit on energy costs.
Using these tips, you'll save money on your energy bill and in how much you have to spend annually on light bulbs because the cheaper ones fizzled out. Just remember that you don't have to sacrifice top quality lighting just to cut costs.
