Trim Home Energy Bills By 30%

With today's high gas prices, many people are looking for ways to cut back at home on energy costs such as heat, hot water and electricity. In the second part of the "Energy Crunch" series, learn easy ways you can save big bucks on those bills.

CBS News correspondent Mika Brzezinski says her husband is always telling her to turn out the light when she leaves the room or "Don't run the hot water so long, you're wasting money!"

In her report for The Early Show she found out he was right. Experts do say simple changes around the house can save hundreds of dollars on energy bills. But can a busy mother — who just wants to be known as Tammie G — mend her wasteful ways?

"My name is Tammie. I have three kids, I drive a 2005 Suburban, and I use a lot of energy," is how she introduces herself. She is guilty of wasting a ton of energy.

"I just live. I've never thought about it," she says. But when the cost to gas up her SUV hit nearly $100, she knew things were bad and it was time for a change.

Home energy auditor Steve Luxton says she can save up to $300 a month on her home energy bills by making some easy changes.

"Tammie can improve first and foremost — without spending any money — on what we call lifestyle or behavioral changes," he says.

Energy Saver No. 1: Go easy on the A/C

This is Tammie G's biggest crime. She keeps the air conditioner on round the clock at full blast.

Luxton says Tammie G can cut her bill by 20 percent simply by adjusting her thermostat a couple of degrees when she's not home or asleep. When asleep, she won't really feel it, he says. But can she make that change? "I don't know, maybe," Tammie G says.

If Tammie can't do that, Luxton says she can do something else. He notes the bushes around her A/C compressor heat it up and makes it work less efficiently. By cutting back on the bushes around the A/C, he says Tammie G could save hundreds of dollars.

Energy Saver No. 2: Lower the temperature on your wash

Tammie G has always used hot water on her whites. "I would just think that would make them whiter," she says. But Luxton says cold cleans just as well for a lot less money.

"Heating water is expense," he says. "The savings for Tammie would be equivalent to buying a new washing machine at the end of the year."

Energy Saver No. 3: Close window shades during winter nights

Luxton says that installing new windows is a total waste of money because you'll never make up the cost in savings on your bills. The best thing to do to save energy is to close the shades on your windows.

"As soon as the sun sets," Luxton says, "you want to close the curtains or close the drapes to stop the heat that naturally wants to travel through the glass and get to the outside. It will improve comfort and save energy at the same time."

Energy Saver No. 4: Use the fireplace as little as possible

Nothing seems easier than a fire in the fireplace. Tammie G even thinks it helps heat the house. In fact, she uses it almost every day during the winter months.

"It's fun. The kids like it. It's pretty," she says.

Pretty expensive, says Luxton. "The fireplace actually pulls heat out of our house and up the chimney. You're losing a lot of energy every time you have a fire. You're literally burning money, going up the fireplace, up the chimney."

Experts say that if you follow these tips, expect to save about 20 percent to 30 percent on your monthly energy bills. Tammie G says she can do it: "I will try to be energy efficient."

Here are some other energy-savers that can help cut your bills:

• Use fluorescent light bulbs. They use a lot less energy than regular halogen bulbs.
• Try to change the filter on your furnace every month. Most people do it only once a year.
• If your refrigerator is more than 15 years old, buy a new one. You'll see immediate savings on your electric bill.