When it's time to get a new fridge, many people relegate the old one to the garage as a backup. Want to save about $150? Recycle it instead. Since the refrigerator is one of the biggest users of energy in the home, having an extra adds about 10 to 20 percent to your electric bill -- or about $150 annually. Recycling is pretty easy: Many electric companies offer a free service where they will come to your home and take away your old fridge. It will get recycled, and the Freon gas inside will also be safely removed.

When installing new carpet in a home, that smell that comes from carpet is actually something called a volatile organic compound, or a VOC. The VOCs come from the glues and dyes used to make the carpet and can lead to poor indoor air quality. One way to help lessen your exposure to VOCs is to ask the carpet installer to unroll and air out the carpet for 48 hours at their warehouse before bringing it to your home. This will help significantly reduce the amount of VOCs released in your house.

One of the biggest users of energy in the kitchen is the oven, but if you have to use it to cook something tasty, be sure it is working as efficiently as possible. Remove the drip pans and grate and give them a good soaking with baking soda and white vinegar. Then wipe the grime away, rinse them with running water and wipe them dry before placing back in the oven. Clean surfaces mean your oven will heat up more quickly and be more efficient, so be sure to make cleaning the inside a regular part of your schedule.