Easy Ways to Save Money at Home

(MoneyWatch)  If the recession has taught us nothing else, it's that it's time to trim the fat from the household budget.

I recently realized I've been throwing money away without even thinking about it. After going through my bills, it suddenly hit me that I was spending thousands of dollars a year on cable, internet access, and cell phones. Then I examined my utility bills and credit card statements and found I was staring at other costs I could no longer justify. (Do I really need to spend $22 a month for the weekend newspaper when I can read it online for free?)

After completing my spending audit, I'm now confident I can trim about $50 to $100 a month without feeling much of a sacrifice. Just by dropping one of my premium cable channels, for example, I saved $12 a month.

Here are some easy ways you can save money around the home:

Cable, phone and internet

• Consider the double or triple play. If I consolidate my cable, phone and internet service through my cable provider I can save at least $90 a month. (I haven't done this yet since I want to first call my phone company to see if it can offer me a better deal.)
• Get rid of your land line. If you get good cell coverage at home, you may not need your costly traditional phone line. That can be a huge savings month after month.
• Cut your cell phone bill. If you're not using all of your minutes each month, downgrade to a cheaper plan. If there are multiple cell phone users in the house, consider a family plan.

Energy costs
The average household spends $2,100 on home energy costs a year. A few simple moves could save you hundreds of dollars.

• Plug all the leaks around your doors and windows with weather stripping. If you have an attic, lay some new insulation. (The new energy tax credits can even help pay for the insulation.) By doing this you can save up to 20 percent on your energy costs, or $190 for an average home.
• Even simple changes can cut your expenses. One bright idea: swap traditional light bulbs for CFLs and you'll save $30 over the lifetime of a bulb. Washing your clothes in cold water can wring out $60 a year. And using a programmable thermostat can save you a cool 20 percent on your a.c. and heating costs.

For more energy saving ideas go to the government's Energy Star website. Or try the U.S. Department of Energy's Home Energy Saver calculator to conduct a do-it-yourself home audit.

Have some money saving tips you'd like to share? Please let me know.