Is the cost of your ENERGY BILLS depressing you? A few modifications to the way you live can save money on your water or gas and electric bill. Focus on energy efficiency, and form habits that work. You make energy decisions everyday, most without even thinking about it.

For example, if you decide to leave a light on when you go to work, you are making a decision that will cost you money. When you turn your thermostat down to 64 degrees, your heating bill will be higher than if you kept it at 72 degrees.

Be conscious of the actions you make, and you can save on your electric bill. Limit your shower time to 3 minutes, and save on your water bill. Thoroughly towel-dry your hair before turning on that blow dryer and you'll save time and energy. If you think about the decisions you make, you'll find endless ways to save money.

Here are some easy ways you can save money on energy costs:

DO AN ENERGY AUDIT: At www.energystar.gov you can do an energy audit. You need the last 12 months of your utility bills and it takes about five minutes. This process will compare your energy consumption to similar homes across the country. You will need to provide your zip code, the number of people living in your home, and the square footage of your home.

USE COMPACT FLUORESCENT LIGHT-BULBS (CFLs): Never buy an incandescent light bulb again. CFLs are great for the environment because they use 75% less energy than ordinary bulbs. Many local utility companies sell CFLs for discounted prices, so before you buy one in the store, make a quick call to your utility company and ask.

BUY ENERGY EFFICIENT APPLIANCES: Next time you are in the market for a refrigerator, dishwasher, or washer and dryer, ask your appliance salesperson which appliances are Energy Star qualified. You can often get additional rebates from your utility company for buying energy efficient appliances.

SEAL YOUR DUCTS: The Department of Energy estimates that 20 percent of air moving throughout your home is lost due to poorly sealed ducts, and holes and leaks in your ducts. Your best bet is to hire a contractor to do the job, although you can make it a do-it-yourself project. Don't use duct-tape though, that's won't last long enough.

TURN OFF YOUR COMPUTER: Don't leave that computer on all day. Turn off your monitor if you will be gone more than a half hour, and turn off the CPU if you will be gone more than a couple hours. Your PC will last longer if it is not turned on all the time.

USE SLEEP MODE INSTEAD OF SCREEN SAVER: Maybe your SCREEN SAVER will save your screen, but it won't save you any money on energy costs. You can program your computer to "go to sleep," thus saving your screen and your energy costs.

SWITCH TO DOUBLE PANE WINDOWS: Double pane windows will help stabilize the room temperature much better than single pane windows. Make sure your windows are properly caulked and weatherstripped.

USE LANDSCAPING FOR SHADE AND WINDBREAKS: Planting shade trees or shrubs outside your home can reduce the amount of sun coming in, if your home faces the south. A trellis can be highly effective for shading a kitchen window, for example.

TURN OFF HOME AUDIO EQUIPMENT AND CABLE BOX: Many times people just turn off the television, and leave the cable box and home audio equipment on. You will save costs, and your equipment will last longer if you turn off the power on these when not in use. You can plug them all into a power strip that you can unplug for even better efficiency.

ADDITIONAL WAYS TO SAVE ON ENERGY COSTS IN THE SUMMER:

INSTALL A CEILING FAN: A ceiling fan will lower the temperature in the room about 4 degrees Fahrenheit, or 2 degrees Celsius, and use quite a bit less energy than the thermostat on your wall.

TURN OFF LIGHTS: Keeping lights on in a room uses up energy, and makes the room warmer. If you are going to be out of the room for more than a minute, turn off the light. This is a good practice to do year-around, but especially in the summer, as it will keep your home cooler.

ADDITIONAL WAYS TO SAVE ON ENERGY COSTS IN THE WINTER:

WEAR A SWEATER, USE A BLANKET: In the middle of winter you don't need to walk around your house in your bathing suit. Save energy by using your thermostat within moderation. Don't blast the heater too high in the winter, and your gas and electric bill won't be so high.

LET NATURAL LIGHT IN DURING THE DAY: Don't keep all the curtains closed during the winter. Allow natural light in to warm up your home, and you won't need to turn the thermostat so high.

The United States Department of Energy has set up an extremely useful website (www.energystar.gov) that is committed to protecting the environment for future generations.