First let me preface this hub by mentioning that by no means am I a tree hugger. I am guilty,just as many people are of not always taking extra steps to save energy. As I unplugged my phone the other day it asked me if I had unplugged the charger from the wall. I was caught off guard, how nice of my phone to be so thoughtful. All kidding aside it was a great idea for this company to do this. Many companies talk a big game when it comes to acting green but often look the other way when certain procedures waste resources. With some simple household changes we can save money and help save valuable resources.

Unplugging appliances- This one by far is the most annoying of them all and I won't wish it on my worst enemy but it works. Some appliances such as high definition televisons consume quite a bit of electricity while plugged in. It isn't an exuberant amount you will save, but why throw away your hard earn money? It is estimated on that a plasma t.v. can cost you over $150 dollars a year just being plugged in while not in use. This wasted energy is right around 1% of the worlds wasted energy. Buying energy efficient appliances is a great way to lower your bills. The best solution for most of these items such as a t.v and dvd player is to connect them to a power strip. Just remember to unplug the power strip when the items are not in use.

Recycling- is another way to come up with a little extra cash at the end of the month. This is pretty much an effort free way to keep more of your money. Simply set aside an extra container with a bag in it. When the bag is full drive it down to the recycling center and cash them in. Most recycling centers are located in or near a shopping plaza, so you can do this on your way to the store. It might only be $2-5 dollars a month but that is $24-60 dollars a year.

Florescent lighting is your friend- Changing your incandescent light bulbs and replacing them with florescent lighting can also put more money in your pocket. It is a small investment with a huge return. Replacing ten bulbs will save you close to 50 dollars a year. The great thing about the florescent lighting is that you receive the same amount of light. So you don't need to hamper your lifestyle.

Washing your clothes in cold water is another way to cut your electricity bill and taking the clothes outside and hang drying them will cut on drier costs.

Controlling your thermosat- Turning off the air conditioner or heater when you are not home and opening windows vs. turning on the air conditioner. Keeping your thermostat a couple of degrees warmer in the summer and colder in the winter  from what you consider a comfortable temperature.

Keeping your car tires properly inflated and your periodically changing your air filter. The harder your car works the more fuel it uses. You can easily reduce your monthly gas costs by $5 dollars.

Planting native plants - Everyone loves a lush garden and native plants will help you save money while keeping your garden lush. Native plants can be trees, flowers greenery that has existed in a particular area. These plants will naturally need less water and save you money on your water bill. The best time to water is in the early morning since the water will not evaporate as quickly. This will allow you to use less water and keep your lawn looking terrific. This will reduce your water bill another $5-10 dollars a month.

Lowering the theromostat on your water heater to about 125 degrees farenheit. This is plenty hot and will help in lowering consumption. Shortening showers from 30 minutes to 15 minutes will reduce your water consumption in half and will probably lower your bill by atleast 10 dollars a month.

There are many more ways to maximize your money while saving resources. These are just a few tips that if used can potentially save you about $500 dollars a year with little effort.