Go green with your thermostat

Install a programmable thermostat.
If your house is empty for long periods of time while your family is at work or school, a programmable thermostat may make
sense. It allows you to use less heat or air conditioning when you're away from home or sleeping.

Programmable thermostats start at about $30, are easy to install and will shave about 10 percent off of your heating and cooling bills, says Ronnie Kweller, spokeswoman for the Alliance to Save Energy. The average annual savings is about $100

A little warmer, a little cooler.About 47 percent of the average household's annual energy bills stem from heating and cooling. Every degree you raise your thermostat in the summer will reduce air conditioning bills by about 2 percent. Lowering the temperature by one degree in winter will save you 3 percent on heating bills. Regular maintenance and a tune up every two or three years will keep your heating, ventilation and air conditioning, or HVAC, system operating efficiently, saving energy and money. A programmable thermostat -- excellent for a family that spends a good part of the day at work or school -- will shave 10 percent off your bill.

Adjusting your thermostat is free, easy and can yield big savings. A programmable thermostat starts about $30 and produces an annual savings of about $100.