Holiday lights don't have to short circuit the seasonal budget, according to regional and national energy experts.

As a low-energy showcase, representatives from Florida Power & Light, a regional utility company, once decorated a small South Florida home for an additional cost of just $1 for the holiday season running from Thanksgiving through New Year's Day. Money-saving solutions included the use of solar, battery-operated or LED holiday lights. Alternative or energy-saving sources enable you to reduce your carbon footprint and holiday budget.

LED lights, sold by traditional retail outlets and local utility companies, cost more than standard holiday lights. But LEDs can reduce energy costs by up to 98 percent. And due to lower energy costs, LED lights can pay for themselves after three holiday seasons, according to energy data.

LED light bulbs use 10 times less energy than standard incandescent light bulbs. You can find LED lights fashioned into icicles, tree lights, snowmen and other holiday figures, according to FPL. As an added bonus, LED lights are safer to operate because they generate significantly less heat than standard bulbs.