The Fed has just raised the main borrowing interest rate to 5.25% - the 17th consecutive increase!  If you are looking to save money, and not have to borrow, then here's one area that many people overlook:  Your home waterheater(s) - especially electric units - consume more energy than all other household appliances, except your AC units.  If you do not have them on timers, so that you always have hot water available when needed, and can manually run the unit(s) when necessary, then you are literally spilling money down the drain!   

     Your local home improvement store can sell you the appropriate timer(typically only $50 to $100), usually offering professional installation(typically 1 to 2 hours at most), and this minimal expenditure may save you several hundred dollars each year!  Other than a load-controller, this is the single most effective way to save on household appliance energy consumption!