When people start discussing how to save electricity at home, the first image that often comes to mind is a light bulb being turned off. No doubt about it, your lighting represents a significant part of your average home utility costs.

By switching out your older, inefficient light bulbs for the newer saving energy light bulbs where it makes sense to around your house, and introducing some advanced lighting controls, you will be able to increase your energy light savings and reduce your monthly electric bill significantly.

As you may realize, achieving these two objectives is going to cost a little upfront, but if saving electricity at home is of particular importance to you, not to mention receiving a much cheaper electricity bill, then taking action on the following saving electricity tips is a smart thing to do.

The first thing you can do to increase your energy light savings is to choose your lights wisely. A surprising number of people still use and purchase incandescent and halogen light bulbs.

Incandescent light bulbs consume a lot of electricity while providing little illumination. The yellowish light they produce can also strain the eyes. Halogen lights, on the other hand, can be fire hazards, which is mainly the reason why they are mostly used outside.

So which of the newer energy saving light bulb solutions available on the market today should you use?

Well, you have two choices when it comes to this matter: fluorescent and LED low energy lighting. Fluorescent tubes or fluorescent compact bulbs have long been considered by experts and non-experts alike to be the ideal replacement for incandescent light bulbs.

These saving energy light bulbs produce better illumination that doesn't strain the eyes. They also produce less heat, making them better for bedrooms and other enclosed areas, and they last 10-12 times longer than the older bulbs.

LED lights are also making their mark in outdoor lighting options. Because LED lights require a lot less electricity to provide illumination, they can be used in conjunction with rechargeable battery packs that will let you install your outdoor lights without having to mess around with wires. They also produce virtually no heat, so you know they'll be safe.

Installing advanced lighting controls such as a timer and dimmer switch in place of your typical light switch is another smart way to increase your energy light savings.

A timer will help you reduce the amount of energy wasted when your lights are on even when you are not using them. By timing your lights properly, you will be able to responsibly monitor your lighting energy consumption.

A dimmer will help reduce your energy consumption simply by making sure that no energy is wasted in providing you with the amount of illumination you are comfortable with.

It's important to note that you will want to purchase energy saving dimmable light bulbs for use with a dimmer switch for this advanced lighting control to be effective.

Using timers and dimmer switches give you control over your energy usage that your typical light switch simply cannot. In the case of the latter, you would either turn off the light or have it on at maximum output.

If you want to increase your energy light savings and start receiving a much coveted cheaper electricity bill, then start evaluating your current home lighting situation and move out on replacing your old bulbs for the newer saving energy light bulbs.

Go ahead and introduce timer and dimmer switches in areas of your home where they can effectively make a difference and start saving your home energy and hard-earned money today.