Go Fluorescent

Hey, how many light bulbs does it take to change a homeowner? Over to fluorescent bulbs, that is.

Eight, maybe 10. Change a hard-to-reach bulb that many times and you’re thinking, man, there must be a better way. And, there is. Switch to a compact fluorescent light bulb (CFL).

CFL bulbs last eight to ten times longer and use up to 75% less energy than the incandescent variety. Fivecentnickel.com offers this analogy: The gasoline equivalent of the energy saved over the life of one 24W compact fluorescent bulb (compared to a 100W incandescent bulb) could drive a Toyota Prius from San Francisco to New York City.

For our next trick, we’ll show you how to convert that energy into gasoline…

No, really. Bottom line: CFL bulbs may be more expensive up front, but over time, they’ll save you money and help the environment (less energy = less pollution).