Some folks hide their money in the freezer, but did you know you too may be able to get some spare cash out of your fridge? Your refrigerator uses quite a bit of power, which is power that you have to pay for. Cutting down on the power your fridge uses will save you a bit of money, as well as reduce your overall dependence on electricity. Your wallet will be happy and Mother Earth will love you.

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, the average Los Angeles resident typically spends about $120 a year powering their fridge. That makes the refrigerator the single most expensive household appliance to operate (except for pool heaters and pumps, though we feel safe assuming you don't have one of those), and it's five times more expensive than your TV. The best way to get your fridge to be more energy efficient is to buy an energy-efficient fridge. Look for the Energy Star logo and do your research. But you've probably already had your fridge for a few years and spending a bunch of money on a new fridge is not a priority of yours. The next best idea is to reduce the power your existing fridge uses.

Your fridge works as a result of endothermic processes undertaken by the coolant flowing through your fridge's valves, wherein the coolant absorbs the heat inside the fridge and dissipates it outside the fridge. In layman's terms, magic. The important thing to note is that it can only function properly if the coils where the coolant takes the heat out of the fridge can let out the heat easily. Make sure your fridge has some space between it and the wall, and that the coils in the back are dust-free. A vaccuum cleaner will do the trick nicely and keep your hands clean. This will ensure your fridge is cooling your food as efficiently as possible.

Next we have temperature. Logic dictates that the colder you set your fridge, the more power it takes. An ideal fridge temperature is somewhere between 35 and 38 degrees. Set it colder than that, you'll run up your bill, as well as run the risk of freezing your food.

Maybe you remember from science class that gases dissipate energy quickly, while liquids and solids take their time. Translation: having more things in your fridge lets the fridge do less work keeping everything cold. If your fridge isn't already full, keep things like jarred veggies (pickles, olives), condiments (ketchup, salad dressing, jam), and bottled drinks (soda, juice)--things that can be refrigerated but are not required to be--in the fridge even before you open them. Keeping your fridge stocked will make it run more efficiently, and the added bonus is that when you do open the food, it's already nicely chilled. You can also keep a pitcher of water or two in there, or even one of those two-gallon jugs (which you should have anyway in case of an earthquake or other emergency). If you need the space later on, just take stuff out and stick it back in the pantry.

The same is true for your freezer. If you don't have so much in there now, get an ice cube tray and make some ice. When it's frozen, dump it into a big container or plastic bag, stick that back in the freezer and fill up the tray again. By the end of the week you'll have ice enough for a party, spent nothing on it, and given your freezer a nice assist.

Be careful not to keep your fridge too crowded though. Having too much stuff in there can restrict airflow and make your fridge work harder. Along those lines, if your fridge has wire racks, never ever cover your racks in foil or plastic wrap to keep it clean. You'll be preventing the cold air from circulating and keeping things elsewhere in the fridge cold. Try all this and while your savings may be small, any money is good money when you don't start out with much.