When it comes to energy saving, tips and products abound, leaving many confused as to which direction to go. A new study done of Americans and their energy usage habits sheds light on the confusion about what energy saving tips or products really work and what’s just for show.

If you’re like most energy-conscious people, you’re careful to turn the lights off when leaving a room and unplug appliances when they’re not in use. But how effective are those actions? Of those surveyed, 19.6 percent cited turning lights off more than any other method of conserving energy while only 3.2 percent had actually replaced their old appliances with newer and more efficient models.

“Relative to experts’ recommendations, participants were overly focused on curtailment rather than efficiency, possibly because efficiency improvements almost always involved research, effort and out-of-pocket costs (e.g. buying a new energy-efficient appliance), whereas curtailment may be easier to imagine and incorporate into one’s daily behaviors without any upfront costs,” noted the authors of the study.

Most people think of saving energy as they would save money: use less, spend less. But the reality is that turning off lights, though a noble habit, is not going to save much energy or money. More noteworthy savings can be obtained from replacing bulbs with more efficient CFLs or by purchasing a more fuel-efficient vehicle.

Also, renewable energy sources (such as solar power systems) will go a long way in saving energy while reducing costs when used in conjunction with your own energy conservation habits.