Firstly it was the cost of running your car which has dramatically increased in recent years, and with the cost of running your house quick to follow suit, will we ever see an end to rising living costs? Many people are not aware of the fact that we can affect how much we will inevitably fork out in our gas and electricity bills.

With the ongoing epidemic regarding climate change of how the earth's fossil fuels are being consumed at a devastating rate, we are constantly being reminded of the fact that we need to conserve energy not only to ensure the earth's safe habitat, but the fact that we can actually reduce costs.

This does not necessarily mean everyone needs to coat their homes in solar panels or everyone needs to erect a wind turbine in their garden. The small things make a big difference when combined in an energy saving mission.

Turning appliances off by the plug will help a lot to reduce your bill, especially if you often leave TVs or radios on standby. Using your dryer to dry your clothes will waste a lot of energy, even though you can now purchase more energy efficient machines it is more cost effective to hang your washing out on the line or even around the house. Try using energy saving light bulbs, they do not cost much and compared to standard bulbs, they save a lot of energy and money.

Obviously if you are in a position to make bigger changes e.g. wind turbines or solar panels then it should definitely be considered. Short term, it may seem expensive but in the long run it will save you a huge amount of money and in some cases even make you money.