Energy is an everyday thing we take for granted. We use it every second— from typing  essays on the computer to charging our phones, and even while taking a shower.  Energy  is a great and useful tool, but if we cut half of the energy  that we use, it would be great for the environment and our checkbooks.
Saving energy is an easy thing to do. Everyone can participate and cut their costs.  Here are some tips so you can save energy at your home.
You can start by saving energy by starting with appliances in the kitchen. Use the microwave more often. It will shorten cooking times which in turn will help you save energy.
Reduce the heat when  cooking, it will help reduce the energy when cooking. When you run the disposal use the cold water it solidifies grease, moving it more easily through the garbage disposal and pipes. Cold water saves you energy, hot water requires  you to use energy.
When buying a new refrigerator or freezer, look for the energy star label. Energy star refrigerators and freezers can save you hundreds of dollars on your electric bill over the life of the appliance.
Remember, older refrigerators and freezers use two to three times more electricity than the Energy Star appliances. Set your refrigerators temperature between 36 degrees and 42 degrees. Set the Freezer temperature at -5 degrees  and +6 degrees. This will help you lower your electric bill.
    When doing laundry we use energy to wash and dry our clothes. Using our washers tend to use a little more energy than other appliances. If you have a washer that allows you to control the water level for your loads, adjust the level according to laundry load size.
You can save energy by using less hot water for small loads. Wash laundry in warm or cold water, it works your water heater less.
Use hot water only when the greatest cleaning is needed. Drying laundry excessively uses more energy than is needed and is hard on fabrics. Purchase a dryer that has an electronic sensor that shuts off the dryer when clothes are dry. This will help you save energy not waste it.  Also clean the lint filter after each load, a clean filter will help keep the dryer running efficiently.
Lighting in you household is very important. Use energy star fluorescent light bulbs. Energy star compact fluorescent light bulbs(CFL) last longer and use up to 75 percent less energy than standard light bulbs. You can cut your electric bill by sixty dollars per year if you replace the standard bulbs in your  five most frequently used light fixtures.
If every family in the U.S. made the switch, we’d reduce carbon dioxide by more than 90 billion pounds. The quality of light from compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs has come a long way. No longer do they have to be banished to attics, basements and storage closets. New CFLs last up to 10 times longer than regular bulbs, all while providing good quality light.   
One of the best ways to reduce carbon dioxide is to use less power. Which is exactly what CFL bulbs do. When you multiply CFLS by 5 or 10 bulbs per house, it really adds up.      Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) spokesperson Jeff Smith said that PG&E offers a special rebate to households that replace their regular light bulbs to CFL bulbs and to customers who reduce their energy by 10 percent .
We have many electronics in our households that have a standby power mode: computers,radios, television, telephones, and cable/satellite box etc. They all have a standby mode in them. If we can cut some of this, it will help save energy.
Your PG&E bill will be at a decrease. Also, plug out your cell phone charger out of the power socket wasting energy when you are not charging your phone. For the matter unplug any appliances that are not in use to preserve energy.
PG&E has been working with consumer groups and federal agencies to curb standby power consumption over the past decade.
Their collective efforts have helped lead the way in creating energy standards for consumer appliances in California that are far lower than the federal standards. Their work in California continues today.  PG&E wants customers to take a stand and take standby mode out of their households. Purchase a power strip for your household that will have all of your standby power appliances all in one strip.
PG&E says to turn off your power strips. Fighting standby power is as easy as turning off the power strips for your computer and entertainment centers when they aren’t in use.
This keeps your printers, monitors, stereos, dvd players and televisions from using up your energy when you aren’t around. It might take a little dedication, but considering that standby mode can account for more than half of some appliances’ lifetime energy costs, it’s well worth it.