According to the Energy Savings Trust, home based business folks who are not into saving energy in their home offices or just about any part of the house they conduct their business will be wasting money, approximately, 900 pounds over the next three years.

So if you'd like to avoid being a part of the statistic, learn about Trust's saving tips:

Included in the Trust's top savings tips is the recommendation to insulate loft and walls - the reason why you turn up the heating, as 50% of heat is lost this way in the average home.

Similarly, the amount of heat loss through windows can be cut by half by installing double glazing - an investment that may take longer to return, but boasts the priceless perk of quieter home working.

Inside the home, treat your hot water tank to three-inch thick jacket, costing only a few pounds, to save around £20 a year, the EST advised.

A further 33% will instantly come off your heating bill by opting for a high-efficiency condensing boiler, with super-efficient versions promising even more savings, instantly and long-term.

In the kitchen, fridge freezers should be treated with care; don't - open it longer than needed; put hot food into the fridge, defrost it only annually or ignore the state of the door seals.

Around the home, replace ordinary light bulbs for energy saving ones, to yield £9 a year for every bulb you fit. The Trust estimates that if every home used just one eco-friendly bulb, the UK would save £66million every 12 months.

When shopping for electric appliances, prudent home-based workers should keep an eye out for the 'energy saving recommended' logo, that is, if they want to replace an old freezer to make a saving of £45 a year.

Overall the best recommendation for cutting costs the 'green' way seems to be a modicum of common sense: do the small things like pull curtains at dusk, and fit draft excluders - a move that can save up to £20 annually.

Listing ways to save 'at-home' workers money now, and in years to come, may inspire some to take immediate action: the Trust offers a Home Energy Check, which probes to see how much energy, and therefore money, could be saved in your home.

You can sign up for an HEC by filling in details at www.energysavingtrust.org.uk, or obtain a paper form by calling your local Energy Efficiency Advice Centre on 0800 512 012.

via FreelanceUK