Saving money is becoming common for families across the world. Two resources most people are not willing to go without are electricity and water. There are plenty of ways to reduce these bills with a few simple changes in your lifestyle.

Electricity is used everywhere you go, and in your home it is no different. However, being more conscious of your usage can drastically reduce your monthly bill. Being conservative with lights is a great place to start. Always turn the lights off when you leave a room and use CFL (compact fluorescent) light bulbs, which use less energy and last longer than standard bulbs. Keep your thermostat at a reasonable level. In the winter, keep it close to 65 and bundle up with sweaters and blankets. In the summer, keep it close to 75 and use ceiling fans if possible. Covering windows with plastic and drapes will also help keep the home insulated. Unplug electronics that are not in use, such as toaster, phone chargers, VCR, computer, etc. Using your dryer for laundry uses a lot of electricity and you can drastically reduce your consumption by line drying your clothes. Hanging them outside in nice weather is great, but you can also hang them indoors year round.

To conserve water, there are plenty of steps you can take. First of all, make sure you don’t have any leaky faucets as these can get costly rather quick. Putting a large rock or a 20-ounce plastic bottle filled with water in the tank of your toilet can cut down on the water used when flushing. Low-flow shower heads and taking short showers can cut costs daily. Collecting rain in rain barrels for watering your lawn, garden, or just washing your car can also help out.

Saving money on your bills by being conservative is great, but you are also helping to reduce your environmental footprint. All of the things you may to do save money are in turn, being green. Just being conscious of your consumption of these resources can set you on the right path to being conservative with energy and money.