Wendy Koch

With simple steps, you can save hundreds of dollars in home energy costs each year.

Many steps such as turning off lights don’t cost a dime. Others can include home automation devices to remotely adjust your thermostat or brew morning coffee, but low-tech efforts will also work. You can save up to $100 a year by replacing five incandescent light bulbs with LEDs, according to SmarterHouse.org. LEDs use 75% less energy and last 25 times longer.

An annual rite of passage is fast approaching. Parents, some wistful and others elated, will drop their kids off at college for the first time. To prepare for the big day, we’re launching the Shrink Your Dorm Print campaign.