I sometimes think the greenest technology has already been invented. We just forgot about it, or it fell out of vogue. In fact, you probably already own some of the greenest gadgets ever invented. But, if you're like most people, you have them tucked away in a closet at home and haven't used them for years.

It's time to go back to the future and break out some of these oldies but goodies. Pull them out and start saving money at home, now. They're easier on the environment, and they'll save you a bunch of greenbacks, too.

Slow-Cooker and Fondue Pot
If you don't already have a 70's era slow-cooker ("aka "Crock Pot") collecting dust in your kitchen cupboard, you can buy a new energy sipping model for about $30. I call mine my "mean, green, recession fighting machine," because it costs only a few cents to operate and turns inexpensive ingredients into the comfort food we crave to get us through these tough economic times.

And, talk about a money-saving throwback to the 1970's: I challenge you to go into any thrift store in America and not find at least one or two virtually unused fondue pots (usually in mustard yellow or avocado green) priced at just a couple of dollars. I sometimes wonder if any of us who bought new fondue sets during the Nixon administration actually used them. The great thing is, fondue is truly fun, delicious, and cheap. In fact, fondue was originally invented as a way of using up leftover bits of cheese, wine, meat, and stale bread. Pickup a used fondue pot at a thrift store and give it a try. Who knows; if fondue pots make a comeback, maybe key parties will, too....