If you want to reduce your monthly expenses, try to save energy at home. Angie's List, a consumer ratings service, surveyed many of its highly rated service providers for suggestions to make homes more energy efficient. Many of the following tips won't cost you money, and they are based on preventative maintenance.

Angie's List is designed to help consumers find high-quality contractors, service companies and health-care providers. According to the service, more than 650,000 consumers use the site, which contains reviews and ratings and doesn't allow companies to pay to be listed. The address is www.angieslist.com/Angieslist.

Here are some energy-saving tips from Angie's List to lower your energy bills.

ENERGY-saving tips

Get Audited: A home-energy audit can help you assess how much energy your home uses and evaluate what measures you can take to improve efficiency. Contact your utility company to see whether it offers free or discounted audits.

Feel insulated: More than 50 percent of homes in the U.S. don't have enough insulation. Different companies use different types of insulation. Find out which type you already have. It is not recommended to put heavier insulation on top of existing insulation.

Fiberglass and cellulose are two of the most common, but there are other forms you can use. Research or ask your installer what your options are and the differences among the varieties. If possible, use insulation that is free of volatile organic compounds.

Turn it Down: Lower your water heater base temperature to 120 degrees. You won't notice the temperature drop, but you'll notice the savings.

Down the Drain: Drain a quart of water from your water heater tank every three months to remove sediment that slows heat transfer and lowers the efficiency of the heater. Follow the steps suggested by your manufacturer, because the type of tank you have can determine the best procedure.

Flow Down: Install low-flow showerheads, faucets and toilets. Low-flow faucets reduce water consumption and the cost of heating water by as much as 50 percent.

Check the Fridge: The proper refrigerator temperature can save a lot of money over time. Recommended settings are 37 to 40 degrees for fresh food and 5 degrees for the freezer. Stand-alone freezers should be kept at 0 degrees.

Chimney Sweep: A dirty chimney doesn't perform efficiently and can let smoke and other by-products into your home.

Have your chimney checked every year to make sure it can do its job of properly venting carbon monoxide and other toxic gases from the heating system to the outdoors.

Get flora: Plant trees and shrubs on the east and west sides of the house to shield the rays of the sun. Also, trees alone can add 7 percent to the value of your home.

Make your own compost: An organic compost pile is one of the easiest and most environmentally friendly additions you can make to your garden. Good materials for composting can be divided into two large groups: those with lots of carbon (dry or brown materials such as papers, straw and wood chips); and those with lots of nitrogen (green or wet grass clippings and weeds, and horse, cow or rabbit manure.

To prevent attracting mice and other unwelcome visitors, do not let your mixture "simmer" next to your home.

Conserve water: Use a rain barrel to collect water from your roof to your garden. A 55-gallon barrel costs about $20. The water you collect could save a lot of money on water bills.

RECAP

If you missed The Pinch online last week, here are some highlights:

SCHOOL DISCOUNT CARDS: If you're looking for a bargain, many schools are selling discount cards for retail stores and restaurants.

School discount cards offer "buy one get one free" or other deals. The school charges a fee for the card, and the money is used to benefit students.

At the same time, you get to keep some money in your pocket.

Don't forget to use your card after purchasing it -- if you don't use it, you can't save money.

FREE HOUSECLEANING: Summer-ville Maids is offering free housecleaning services for patients who are battling cancer and undergoing chemotherapy.

To qualify, complete a profile at www.cleaningforareason.org, said owner Stuart Rayburn. For more information, contact Summerville Maids at (706) 830-3995. All consumers can try to win a free cleaning from Summerville Maids by visiting www.summervillemaids.com.

Read LaTina Emerson's blog on saving money and shopping smarter in Augusta at blogs.augusta.com.