Home is where the "heat" is and so it was in the year 2009 here in the lower half of Texas.

Here are some tips on where to start with your remodeling and some of the following projects will get the biggest bang for your buck and maybe come with an guarantee huge monthly savings when you're done.

Details: How much "Green" does it take to make a difference? Start small, since everything counts. You don't have to make drastically changes, but you can make a difference starting in your home.

1. Recycle everything you can from paper, cardboard, plastic bags and bottles, glass bottles, aluminum cans, metal cans, wire hangers, batteries, and used cabinets. Your next deck could be part of the recycled plastic you turn in at the local supermarket.

2. Simple as switching your light bulbs to a more efficient compact fluorescent light bulbs. A 15-watt fluorescent (compares to a 60 watt light bulb) will save you up to 75% just on that one bulb.

3. Always look for the Energy Star® label when purchasing new appliances. Don't buy more then you need.

4. Replace old showerheads and kitchen faucets with low-flow models and you can help save water.

5. Replace your landscaping plants with water saving plants.