Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs Many of you probably didn't realize that you could spend twenty dollars on a light bulb, and many of you wondered why you would. The answer will surprise you: to save money. Before you decide that I've completely lost my mind, hear me out. The bulb I'm referring to is a compact fluorescent bulb, commonly called a CF. This is a self-contained fluorescent light that fits into standard 120-volt lighting systems. Compared to incandescent bulbs, CFs use only 25-30% of the energy and last up to ten times longer. Even though they cost more, from eight to twenty-five dollars each, the CFs you install in your home not only pay for themselves, but also save you a significant amount of money. To understand how these lights can save you money we need to look at how they work. CFs are made of glass tubes whose internal walls are coated with a material that fluoresces when an electric current is applied. Incandescent lights contain a filament that is heated by an electric current to the point that it glows; but most of the energy put into the bulb produces heat, not light. The CF is more efficient at turning electrical energy into light than the incandescent bulb, and electricity costs money. Locally, the utility charges about 6.1 cents per kilowatt hour. Table I shows a comparison of three compact fluorescent bulbs and incandescent bulbs of similar light output, all made by Philips Lighting Company. The lifespan of CFs is 10,000 hours, so this is the length of time we will be using. The two important columns in Table 1 are Light Output and Money Saved. Light output is a measure of the light from a bulb p...... middle of paper ...... convenience, or environmental concerns, by making informed choices you won't even notice you have a different type of light bulb a your house. Start slowly, perhaps with just one or two bulbs, to make sure they fit and the light output and color work for you. Be reasonable with your expectations; Your bill varies from month to month, so you may not even notice a decrease of a dollar or two. Just remember that the savings are really there. Finally, don't think about the price of the CF; instead think about the money you will save by using the light bulb.Note1. All data on CF bulbs from the National Lighting Product Information Program, LightingResearch Center, School of Architecture, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, June 5, 2001.2. “Compact Fluorescent Lamps Come of Age,” Consumer Reports, January 2019. 1999: 37.