Everyone is trying to save money these days. With a struggling economy, mounting job losses, and rising inflation, most Americans are looking for ways to reduce their monthly expenses both large and small.

Reducing home energy use has become an attractive cost savings measure for many individuals and families. Growing awareness of energy efficiency and the impact it can have on annual finances has led to the immergence of a new mainstream “Green” movement across the country. Perhaps the simplest way to save money on home energy costs is to use energy efficient light bulbs rather than the standard incandescent bulbs that have seen little change since Thomas Edison successfully tested the first carbon filament bulb in 1879.

An energy saving light bulb that uses only 16 watts of energy replaces a standard bulb utilizing 60 watts of energy. Although energy efficient light bulbs are slightly more expensive than traditional bulbs, this energy savings can save the average user approximately $30 over the life of each bulb that is replaced. In addition, these new bulbs last up to 10 times longer. If you have 30 light bulbs in your house, replacing them with energy efficient light bulbs will save you trips to the store to replace burned out lights, and around $900 over the life of the light bulbs

Consumers who have reservations about the light quality of these new bulbs can rest easy too. The actual light output of energy efficient bulbs is actually greater than their incandescent counterparts. An average incandescent light bulb generates 855 lumens (a measure of the perceived power of light) while today’s energy efficient bulbs generate around 900 lumens.

The environmental impact of switching to energy efficient bulbs is also a factor to take into consideration. Over a year’s time, switching to energy efficient bulbs eliminates the emission of 1,300 pounds of carbon dioxide and 26 pounds of sulfur dioxide from a coal fired power plant. Now you can tell your friends you are helping to save the environment and actually mean it!

And so, with energy savings putting money back in your pocket and a newfound mission to save the world, you can begin identifying additional ways to reduce home energy costs. Using the savings generated through these practices to help resolve outstanding debt problems can be a great way to work towards a, literally, brighter future.

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