It’s never too late to put the household on a manageable budget. Along with clipping coupons, preparing meals at home and reducing the temperature on the thermostat, the residents of St. Louis, Ladue, Chesterfield, Florissant, St. Louis, Collinsville and other nearby towns shared their most successful budget strategies. St Louis heating and cooling contractor, Hoffmann Brothers published the best eight budget strategies.

1. Replacing the furnace’s air filter saves between 1 and 2 percent on monthly energy bills for the heating and cooling system.

2. Programmable thermostats assure indoor comfort while managing the abode’s temperature when the house is vacant.

3. Close doors to quarter off drafty, vacant rooms in the home.

4. As heating water accounts for the second greatest expense after heating or cooling a home short baths, full loads of dishes and laundry economize on the hot water supply.

5. Some residents in Ladue, Chesterfield, Florissant, St. Louis and other nearby towns suggest lowering the temperature on the hot water heater to 120 degrees Celsius.

6. When incandescent light bulbs burn out, replace with a compact fluorescent light (CFL) with the appropriate wattage. Note that yellow CFLs are dimmer and less harsh than ones emitting hues of white and blue.

7. Set the thermostat five to eight degrees below 69 degrees when the home is unoccupied to recoup a one percent saving for every degree below 69 degrees.

8. Biannual residential HVAC maintenance circumvents any unforeseen major heating and cooling appliance replacements. Households with an irregular HVAC maintenance schedule are more prone to invest in a last minute upgrade.