I saved hundreds by switching to LED bulbs - but the 5 other benefits truly impressed me

Vladimir Sukhachev/Getty Images As a kid, I was inspired by the decorative lighting in my grandparents' finished basement. They had festooned the place with multicolored C9 string lights (aka old-school Christmas lights) from wall to wall, beneath the built-in wet bar, around hanging mirrors, and anywhere else they could add an ambient accent for the parties they hosted down there year-round. Since then, I've festooned every home I've lived in with decorative lighting, whether in a sequestered man cave or throughout my apartment. In short, I've spent an embarrassing amount of money on lighting up my abode like a carnival attraction. So it was good news for me when manufacturers introduced a more cost-effective, environmentally sound lighting option: the LED (light emitting diode). Also: Your TV's USB port is seriously underrated: 5 benefits you're not taking advantage of A rudimentary form of LED tech surfaced as far back as the late 1960s, but its illumination was weak and limited ... Read full article.