There are all kinds of creative and inexpensive ways to preserve energy in your home. The list doesn’t necessarily need to include bigger ticket items such as a new furnace, air conditioning unit, or energy saving heater. You can also adjust some of your home routines to save money as well.

Appliances count for about a fifth of the average household’s energy consumption. Buying and using them wisely means big savings on your monthly energy bills. Keep reading for great appliance tips that will keep your kitchen humming and your wallet singing.

1. Use your dishwasher.

It may sound strange, but a dishwasher actually uses less water than an average session of hand washing dishes. Thanks to modern technology, dishwashers are a lot more efficient these days and use about 5-7 less gallons of water than washing by hand. Meanwhile, replacing an older model can save you about $50 a year on your water and energy bills.

2. Never run an empty dishwasher.

Because a dishwashing cycle is going to use the same amount of water and energy whether it’s full or you have a single spoon in there, you ought to fill it up. Waiting until it’s full before you run it will reduce your energy bill along with the number of times you have to run your washer. It will also save you the additional physical labor of putting dishes away more frequently.

3. Use all the features on your dishwasher.

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