Of all the tips I've learned and advice I've received, the following are my favorites and most used:

1. Unplug things. Basically, unless something is a huge hassle to unplug (i.e. all the cords behind the television, alarm clocks, etc) it stays unplugged. I even flip the breakers off to the washer and dryer when I'm not using them. No phantom electricity zappers in my home.

2. Keep lights off. With the exception of the bathroom and kitchen, which both have energy efficient CFL bulbs, I keep lights off. During the winter months, and the summer if it's not too sunny out, I keep the curtains open and use the light from that to do my daily activities.

3. Minimize the a/c in the summer. I keep our air conditioner set at 80 degrees F during the summer. We try to wear minimal clothing when we're home and use box fans to keep the air circulating (we don't have ceiling fans) if it's really hot. I also have a stash of freeze pops that are down to the flavors nobody likes (at least in my household!) - red and yellow, but I eat them when it's really hot and boy do they taste great then!

4. Minimize the heat in the winter! We keep our heat no higher than 60 degrees during the winter. We bundle up in sweats, hoodies, and toboggins and use lots of blankets on the bed at night. I also like to leave the oven open after cooking (with it turned off!) to warm up our home too.

5. Free samples! I am always on the lookout for freebies. I use free samples to prevent having to buy things like deoderant, shampoo/conditioner, toothpaste, etc. as much as possible. I also collect freebies if I am not interested in them to create gift baskets to give as gifts during birthdays and such. This is especially helpful with people who are hard to shop for, as they have lots of variety in their gift (perfumes, lotions, body washes, etc).

6. Save Gas. I try to leave early to get to my destinations so I can drive the speed limit and save on gas. I also regularly check the air pressure in my tires (we have a local gas station where the air is free!) and keep them properly inflated. I keep our windows down when driving under 45 mph and up with fan if possible, otherwise air if needed when driving on the highway. I try to avoid letting stuff sit in the car. I like it to be as light as possible to keep the gas use down. I also regularly use the sun visor and keep the windows cracked. I figure keeping it cooler in the car as long as possible should help reduce how much gas evaporates when I'm not in it. I also make sure to drive responsibly: always use my turn signal, headlights during the day if it's cloudy, completley stop at stop signs, etc. to help reduce my risk of an accident. I also park far away when I go places to A) reduce how many cars park nearby which could ding my car with their doors and B) get in some extra walking, which is always a good thing for me anyways.

Well, that's all for now. Perhaps I'll post more in weeks to come.