Cut your utility bills without paying a dime

These days, it seems like you can't visit Lowe's, Wal-Mart, and the Home Depot without tripping across a few hundred "low-cost" ways to reduce your utility bills. While these can be tremendously helpful (and I'll probably mine them for a future post), they require time and money, not to mention the irritation of installing new items, adjusting them, and so forth. If you want to start saving now, don't worry about visiting the local DIY center. Just jot down a few notes (or print out this post), push your chair away from the computer, and start saving money!

Sweaters: You know all those nice sweaters hanging in your closet? Try wearing them around the house. According to some sources, lowering your thermostat in the winter can save you roughly $10 for every degree that you drop. Besides, sweaters give you that Nordic look that all the cool kids are lusting after.

Cold Water Wash: In addition to preserving the bright colors on your clothes, a cold-water wash will save you the cost of heating up all your laundry water, which can really add up. At the very least, wash your colors on cold and save the hot water for your whites.