Fall has been flirting with us for a few weeks now and has finally established itself in this northern neighborhood.

I just returned from my daily walk with the dogs on a most beautiful fall day. But something is weighing on my mind.

I have been mindful of the need to save money. Many of us are feeling the effects of our ailing economy at home and are concerned about being unable to pay bills once our electrical costs do their inevitable skyrocketing this winter.

Our family would like to be as green as possible, because we not only care about the health of our planet, but also care about the health of our grandkids and their kids.

Since Mike and I don’t have the money to invest in replacing our cars or the remainder of our appliances with Energy Star efficient counterparts at this time, we can only take steps that don’t cost a lot of money in hopes that it will bring down our energy bills and reduce our ecological footprint.

So how do we do this? Here are some very basic low-cost fixes to start with. If you have more ideas you’d like to share, please consider contributing them to the Kingston Community News website, as a comment to this post — or at least talking them over with your family and friends.

Leaks — Check for cold air leaks coming in around windows, doors, walls, baseboards, joints, foundation, ducts, pipes, vents, attics, basements, switches and electrical outlets. Use caulking or weather stripping to stop leaks.

Furnaces — Should have regular maintenance. Replace filters with the best available to keep indoor air healthiest and save up to 5 percent on heating costs. An average house uses just less than 40 percent of its energy on heating.

Thermostat — It’s recommended to set thermostats no higher than 68 degrees for maximum energy efficiency when at home and turned down to 60 degrees or below when sleeping or away during the day. It’s possible to save up to 5 percent for each degree you turn the thermostat down. Consider investing in an Energy Star qualified programmable thermostat that automatically adjusts home temperature so you don’t have to remember.

Blinds or drapes — Open south and west blinds during day to allow for solar heat and close them at night to keep warm air inside where it belongs.

Fans — Use kitchen and bathroom fans only for as long as needed to keep warm air inside.

Ceiling fans — Turn rotation to clockwise during colder months to circulate the warm air near the ceiling. Ceiling fans cost only pennies a day to use.

Lighting — Turn off lights when you’re not using them. Replace incandescent bulbs with energy-efficient bulbs like compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) which use up to 75 percent less energy and last about 10 times longer. CFLs can finally provide brightness and color comparable to incandescent bulbs. Also, Home Depot has just come out with a new energy-efficient line of LED bulbs.

Clothes washer — Wash clothes in cold water whenever possible and run only full loads. Use no more than the required amount of detergent to prolong the washer’s life.

Clothes dryer — Keep vents unclogged to save on energy. Blocked dryer vents can cause a house fire. Use a clothesline when possible, and then use the dryer for a few minutes to fluff and soften the fabric.

Dishwasher — Turn off the “heated dry” cycle to allow dishes to air dry. Run only full loads. Scrape dishes instead of rinsing to save on water.

Water heater — Try lowering the heater temperature to between 120 degrees and130 degrees. Heating water is the third largest energy expense for homes.

Refrigerator — Keep coils in back and the bottom of the fridge cleaned. Refrigerators use more energy than any other home appliance. Optimal fridge temperature should register at 41 degrees. Optimal freezer temperature is 5 degrees.

Stove — Toaster ovens and slow cookers can use less energy.

Computers — turn off computers and unused power bars at the end of a day’s use because computers use power even in hibernation mode. Also turn off monitors, printers and other office equipment at the same time. Laptops use about 50 percent of the energy used by a desktop PC when plugged in, and just 1 percent when running on batteries.

Recycle – Is free and saves on disposal bills. Practically everything is recyclable.

Bathing — Showers use less water than baths. Low-flow showerheads use less water.

Sweaters and socks — Dress warmly. Use a throw blanket in evenings while reading or watching television. Add an extra blanket on the bed.

Puget Sound Energy advises on their website, “Several programs are available to low-income customers of Puget Sound Energy to help reduce natural gas or electricity bills and make homes more weatherproof.

This assistance can help customers avoid having to choose between paying their utility bill and paying for other necessities such as food, rent, or medicine.

Share your own savings tips with us. Columnist Marylin Olds can be reached by emailing marylin.olds@gmail.com.