With interest rates on the rise, and heating costs going up every year, many Americans are finding themselves in a bit of a money pinch. There are many ways to help lower bills to make them more affordable, and most things you can simply change around your home are also good for the environment and should been done anyways! Here are four ways to lower your bills at home, and run a more responsible household:

1) The washing machine. Only run your machine with full loads, if the load must be washed before make sure to adjust to a smaller load size setting. If the garments to be washed are not very dirty use a very small amount of detergent and set to a lighter wash setting that features fewer cycles. Most detergent now can clean clothes well on a cold water setting, you do not have to wash on warm or hot settings. These tips will reduce your gas bill for the water heater, reduce the electric bill for your washer and reduce your water bill and overall consumption. The average cost savings of homes switching their laundry to cold water only is over $50 per year!

2) The dishwasher. A light rinse beforehand makes dishes come clean much easier in the dish washer. Only run it when it is full, but fill it properly do not load in a manner that obstructs items from being cleaned. This is a common problem that causes items to be washed twice. Also, if you have time, or dont have clear glass, you dont need to power dry. This will also help with the water, gas and heat bill, although on a smaller level. The average home can save over $20 a year running their dishwasher properly.

3) Heat and Air Conditioning. For those rooms that are not used often, make sure that you seal the vent. You can even be able to shut off a redirect shutter closer to the heater fan and AC compressor. This is much more effective than just closing the floor vents which still leak when closed. The closer to the main fan that you can eliminate the waste, the bigger difference you will see in your bill. You can even buy remote controlled ceiling fans than feature a heater built in. They work well for cooling in the summer and heating in the winter, and they work quickly. These tips can often save a hundred dollars a month or more!

4) Water Heater. On average, 15% of your home energy bill goes to heating water. This can be reduced drastically by replacing a worn out water heater with a tankless heater. A tankless heater only heats water as it is needed. You may give up a bit of heat although the newest models are getting much better, but you will save a lot of green! Expect savings of 7.5%. Also, just by taking shorter showers and running faucets and spigots less, reducing your bill over 10% is easily achieved.

There are many more tips to lowering your bills and to free up more cash without raising your income. Your home and lifestyle are generally the two largest items that can be changed to improve your comfort and quality of life.