Cut Your Electric Bills

Use google to find solar power companies and look up your national government's energy department and your local government to see if there are any subsidies. Also get some wind speed measurements done, but in general note that small wind turbines are worthless. Unless you've got a great site.

In general, if you want renewable power, it's cheaper to simply change providers to one that invests in renewable energy. In the UK we have Good Energy and Ecotricity who only buy renewable & nuclear electricity and only invest in renewables.

This is more sensible, since big renewable power stations are usually more cost efficient than domestic ones!
References :

It takes a couple hundred dollars. You need a good website to teach you how to do it. Try http://tiny.cc/solarandwind
Since you have a lot of sunshine in your area, you could also try a solar water heater.
References :
http://tiny.cc/solarandwind
http://pl-greenlife.blogspot.com/

For a hot and open area, solar hot water is your best bet (after insulation and conservation).

Wind will be 1/3 the price of solar electricity, if you have a suitable location. Most cities will not let you erect the necessary tower – hopefully you live in a rural area.
References :

You stated the CHEAPEST ways to harness solar and wind energy.

In the winter, open drapes on the South side of your home for maximum solar gain.

In the summer, keep those same windows drapes pulled close. You may even want to add a second bamboo drape on the outside of your house to hang down over those windows, to shade them, to help keep them extra cool.

Opens windows and doors on the North side of your home to allow the cool air to enter at night, and early in the morning in the summer.

In the winter keep those same windows and doors closed, draped, and good insulation to prevent drafts.

Open a single window on the side where your prevailing wind is, and then open a window at the other end of the house. It acts as a wind tunnel. If your house and windows are well positioned you can actually cool your house 40 degrees within 10 minutes.

Harnessing solar and wind energy in well constructed, well insulated modern homes does not mean having to purchase and install expensive equipment.

We heat and cool our 1970's house in by major portions (40-50 degrees) just by what drapes we open for the solar gain, and what windows we open for the breeze.

40-50 degree temperature changes in the house absolutely for free…nothing more than our time and effort.

~Garnet
Permaculture homesteading/farming over 20 years
References :

One of the cheapest ways is to take advantage of any passive solar energy you can. If you have any south-facing windows, keep those curtains open all day to warm your home.

Solar hot water can be done very cheaply with a simple system that uses coiled black hoses on your roof. You pump the water up into the hose, it warms as it flows through the hose on the roof, then back down to be used as warm water. (that is a very simplistic explanation, but you get the idea)

For about $200 – $250, you can get yourself set up with a solar panel system or a wind power system, if you're willing to learn how to do it yourself. This is the method that will save you the most money in the long run, as it will eliminate your power bills. You can get the installation guide to do this here: http://www.solar-powered-home.com/solarpowerhomereviews.php
References :
http://www.solar-powered-home.com