There are three basic types of bulbs — incandescent, halogen, and compact fluorescent — and your light sockets will accept versions of all three. Incandescents are the most popular and the least expensive, but they are also the least energy-efficient and last only four to six months.

Halogen bulbs last up to five times longer than incandescents and produce a crisper, white light, but they can cost up to $6 each (compared with 50 cents for an incandescent).

At the high end of the price range (up to $10 each) are compact fluorescents, which last up to eight years and require 75 percent less energy to produce the same light as incandescents. But colors look slightly less vibrant under their light, and they generally can't be used with dimmers.

When shopping for bulbs, you may notice that one company shines more brightly than others: Philips is the largest worldwide manufacturer of lightbulbs and the innovator in problem-solving bulbs. You never know what selection the supermarket will have, so a trip to Home Depot (which carries Philips's complete line) may be worth the effort.