Take five minute showers instead of baths. Only wash full loads of clothes and dishes. Use cold water for laundry with specially formulated cold water detergents.

Install low-flow shower heads and sink aerators to reduce hot water use.

Consider investing in a power-usage monitor (typically around $25) to check the efficiency of your existing appliances, and see where you use the most power. An old inefficient refrigerator can use as much as $30 per month in electricity, compared to just $4-5 per month for a high-efficiency fridge.

Consider cooking with a microwave, electric skillet or toaster ovens. These small appliances are more efficient than stovetop pots and larger ovens.

When using the stove, keep lids on pots to hold in the heat.

Compact fluorescents have come a long way from the days of their flickery ancestors. CFL bulbs are even available in a variety of colour temperatures (daylight, incandescent, etc.).

Another option on the horizon are LED bulbs which are even more efficient, and do not contain mercury as compact-fluorescents do. They are unfortunately still quite expensive but have incredibly long life-spans.