CFLs
Compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) are energy saving light bulbs that, while they cost more, save so much in electricity bills that they pay for themselves rather quickly. Then they save you money.
According to the US Government Energy Star website
CFLs “use 66% less energy than a standard incandescent bulb and last up to 10 times longer. Replacing a 100-watt incandescent with a 32-watt CFL can save you at least $30 in energy costs over the life of the bulb.”
A 32 watt CFL puts out the same amount of light as a 100 watt incandescent, yet burns so cool that you can turn it off by unscrewing it with your fingers.
I’ve used them for several years now, and recently bought new ones after at well over a year of not buying any. The good news is the price is dropping fast and the quality of the light is steadily improving.
100 watt equivalent CFLs used to cost $13. They are now $5. Yow, you say, that’s a lot for a light bulb. Well, yes and no. Is $5 a light bulb a lot to spend when the light bulb saves you $30 in electricity bills over its lifetime? Looking at it that way, what seems expensive becomes a bargain.
A few years ago, CFLs weren’t that easy to find. Now GE makes them and Target sells them. CFLs are going mainstream.