Every little bit saves.

You may not think there’s much you can do to lower your electricity bill. But the truth is, lots of tiny, easy-to-make changes can add up to big savings—as much as 50%, in fact. And beyond the monetary savings, using less electricity is better for the planet. Here are just a few ideas to get you started.

Change your light bulbs. The typical household spends up to 10% of its energy budget on lighting. Replace standard incandescent lighting with fluorescent lighting and save up to 75% of that. Fluorescent bulbs can last ten times longer, too.

Replace old, wasteful appliances. Aging refrigerators, dishwashers and washers and dryers can be huge energy guzzlers. It pays to buy the most energy efficient new models you can afford.

Keep your cool. The biggest chunk of most families’ energy budget, by far, goes to heating and cooling your home. Save big by using ceiling fans to help you comfortably set your thermostat a little higher in summer and a little lower in winter. Make adjustments when you leave to save even more.

Pamper your air conditioner. Replace the filter every month so the system can work as efficiently as possible. And clean the lint filter on your clothes dryer every load, too, for the same reason. It works.

Swimming pool pumps zap energy. By reducing your filtration time to six hours a day, you’ll see tremendous savings. Timers can be set to run the pump in short spurts throughout the day to keep the pool cleaner.

Make some shade. For natural energy efficiency, plant shade trees on the sunnier south side of your home. Deciduous trees like oak, maple, gum, ash or dogwood are a good choice. They’ll drop their leaves in the winter, letting the sun through to warm your home. In summer, their leaves will provide cooling shade.

Stop throwing money out the window. Even the smallest leaks in windows and doors can waste hundreds of dollars in energy costs every year. Look for the hidden culprits around plumbing fixtures—many have gaping holes.

Put your computer to sleep. Idle office equipment continues to consume electricity. Use the sleep feature on computers, printers and scanners when you can, or plug them into a power strip that allows you to turn them off easily when not in use. As for home audio equipment like TVs and DVD players, you actually spend more money to power them when they’re turned off than when they’re in use.

Dress your windows. Bare windows let in loads of heat during the summer and make your air conditioner work harder. Shades and draperies can make a significant difference.

Let the sun heat your water. A solar heating unit installed on an unshaded, south-facing location is an environmentally friendly way to heat water for less. Over the course of 20 years, one solar water heater can avoid over 50 tons of carbon dioxide emissions.