The dollar certainly isn't worth what it once was. One needs only look at your utility bills to know that. As they go up, there are steps you can take in your yard that will actually help reduce them now and in the future.

Your home is a like the hull of a boat. It is designed to keep the elements out and you safe and comfortable in it. That being said, you need to consider something. Which boat hull is going to keep the water out better? One that is in a safe harbor during a storm or one out on the sea facing big waves and wind? The answer should be obvious. You might also find it interesting that the same lesson applies to your yard.

You can cut your utilities by doing some landscaping. It may sound strange, but it shouldn't. Let's assume it is a hot day. Do you turn on the air conditioning? Well, go stand by a window facing the sun. You will get pretty hot, pretty quickly right? The opposite is true. If you stand in front of a window that a cold wind strikes in the winter, you'll feel a definite chill.

The way to lower your utility bills in the summer and winter is to plant trees, shrubs and the like in strategically important position. For example, planting a tree in an area where it will block the rays of the sun from penetrating your windows can slash your utility bill in the summer since air conditioning will no longer be needed or much less so. The placement of a line of shrubs in front of a wall that receives a cold wind can break up that win and have the same effect in the winter. These may sound like small steps, but they can make a huge difference.

If your utility bills make you see red, do something about them. Slashing them could be as easy as spending a few hours planting on a lazy weekend day.