Try these easy ways to cut your energy bill

Energy-efficient improvements not only make your home more comfortable but they can yield long-term financial rewards and reduce the amount of carbon dioxide released into the air. Here are a few tips on small changes you can start making today:

Turn off your lights. Be mindful about shutting lights off when you leave a room. If you have a forgetful family member or roommate, paste reminders on the switch plates or consider installing motion-detector switches. Also, replace your bulbs with CFL or LED lights.

Install Energy Star ceiling fans in the rooms you use most often. They'll help keep you cool in summer while your AC works less or not at all. In winter, switch them to turn clockwise to circulate the warm air rising up to the ceiling back down into the room.

The refrigerator is one of the biggest energy users in your home, especially if it was made before 1993. Clean the coils on your fridge every six months to keep it running efficiently and take up unused space inside the fridge with jugs of water, which hold in the cold better.

Use a programmable thermostat. Nearly half of U.S. homes already have a programmable thermostat. Dig out that owner's manual and learn how to use yours to maximize the efficiency of your heating and cooling systems. Program your thermostat to turn itself down or off when you're sleeping or at work or school.

Using your dishwasher instead of washing dishes by hand can save water in some cases. But if you let the dry cycle run, you're wasting energy and money. Skip the drying cycle and let your dishes air-dry. Newer, more effective dishwashers allow you to skip the step of pre-rinsing your dishes before you load them in the dishwasher.

Upgrade your appliances because appliances use 20 percent of the energy in the average U.S. home. When it's time to buy new appliances, look for the most efficient Energy Star model you can find.

Eliminate phantom loads. Many electronics suck energy even when they're turned off, such as that little clock on your microwave when it's not in use. Unplug your electronics or plug them into a power strip and switch it to off to save on phantom loads.

Plug air leaks around doors and windows with caulk and weather stripping. Also consider putting up insulating curtains or installing storm windows to further cut down on heat loss in winter. Get a home energy audit to help pinpoint your biggest energy losses in the home.

Washing clothes in cold water gets them just as clean as hot and cuts your washer's energy use in half. Drying your clothes on an outdoor clothesline or indoor rack can save around $100 in energy costs every year. Water and energy use are intertwined, producing energy uses water and providing clean drinking water requires energy. Take steps to conserve water everywhere in your home.

When you are ready to replace your hot water heater, consider switching to an on-demand or tankless system. These units heat water when you need it, rather than constantly heating a tank of water to be ready for use. Also, turn you water heater down by 10 degrees.