These days everyone’s looking for ways to save money and avoid costly personal loans. Here are a few easy things you can do:

Install a programmable thermostat. Rather than cranking the temperature up or down, it’s much more efficient to keep it within a comfortable range.

Trade out your old light bulbs for compact fluorescent bulbs.

Air dry dishes and laundry instead of using your appliances.

Turn off your computer and monitor when not in use.

Plug home electronics, such as TVs and DVD players, into power strips; turn the power strips off when the equipment is not in use (TVs and DVDs in standby mode still use several watts of power).

Lower the thermostat on your hot water heater to 120°F.

Take short showers instead of baths.

Wash only full loads of dishes and clothes.

Drive like an old lady. Aggressive driving (speeding and slamming on the brakes) wastes gasoline.

For more ways to save money, check out these tips to avoid  Payday Advances.

U.S. Department of Energy