There are a lot of things you can do to save a little money on your electric bill this holiday season. Even while researching this article, I found that there are things that me and my family are not doing (yet) that we could do to save electricity. So, without further delay, here are the top 10 things you can do to save money on your electric bill this holiday season.

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1. Use LED Christmas lights.
If you’re going to use Christmas lights, consider using the more environmental-friendly LED Christmas light strings. They may cost a little bit more than the typical old-style Christmas lights, but the LED lights last longer and use less electricity.

Decorate with Energy-Saving Christmas Lights is a great article about how to save electricity by using energy-saving Christmas lights.

LED string lights use much less electricity, reduce pollution from power plants and last longer. And they stay cooler, too. While they cost more than traditional strings of lights up front, the electricity savings easily make up the cost difference within a season or two.

2. Turn your thermostat down and Use Your Fireplace
Turn your thermostat down a few degrees and get your fireplace going. Using other forms of heat such as your fireplace will allow you to turn your thermostat down and it won’t be as cold in the house.

3. Put Outdoor Lights on a Timer
Sometimes when I go to bed I forget to turn off the Christmas lights we have outside. Even running them for a few extra hours at night will end up costing you more money. Consider putting them on a timer and only running those outdoor lights for a few hours in the evening.

4. Put Covers on your Roof Turbine Vents
Do you have turbine vents on your roof? (We call them “whirlybirds”. The turbine vents on the top of your house that vent off the heat in the attic should be covered. Consider covering them up during the colder months–or whenever you’re running the heat in your house so that heat doesn’t escape as quickly.

5. Don’t be “Clark Griswold” with your holiday lights this season
I already mentioned using LED lights, but consider the fact that you really don’t have to be “Clark Griswold” from National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation movie. Remember that Your electric bill will be determined by how many strings you use and how long they are on each day.

6. Use Space Heaters
Use a space heater to heat only the rooms you use rather than a using a central heating system that heats the whole entire house. You can close interior doors to keep the heat in certain rooms, too.

7. Use a Slow Cooker for a Holiday Meal
Slow cookers can cook a whole meal for about 17 cents worth of electricity. So, consider using a slow cooker to make a batch of stew or vegetable soup.

8. Check your Weather Stripping and Caulking
Sealing air leaks with caulking and weather stripping and installing adequate insulation in walls and the attic are some of the most cost effective savings measures you can do in your home. If you have already done this, you might take a few minutes to make sure that there’s not any old weather stripping that needs to be replaced.

9. Change the Direction of Your Ceiling Fans
Use your ceiling fans on a slow speed with the fan direction UP during the winter months. This will push warm air away from the ceiling and move it around the room without creating a cool breeze.

10. Save If You’re Going Away
If you’re going out of town, make sure that you put some lights on timers and unplug any unncessary appliances. Turn down your thermostat, as well, since you don’t need to heat your house while you’re away.