Naturally occurring power from the sun is the most abundant type of renewable energy we have. It can support the need of the living creatures on the Earth with some left over enough to support power needs of millions of households. But before solar panels have been invented there are natural and easy ways known to men that were somehow forgotten through time. And of all forms, these are the most common we now have.
Solar for heating. The heat exerted by the sun over the Earth is enormous that it encompasses the whole world. And this heat is just sitting there all day waiting to be harnessed. The simplest way to use this heat is to keep homes and buildings warm. Formerly, early people have used this heat to warm waters for home use. This technique should be utilized these days for the same purpose. This would save some electric bill without having to use complex processes or gadgets.
Drying clothes these days are done through dryers which could use a huge amount of electricity. With the same effect, why not use the sun's heat for this purpose? During summer season we tend to use more electricity for air conditioners. We can't help it as this season delivers enormous amount of heat which is quite uncomfortable. But this is also a good time to use this heat for good ways like drying clothes and some other similar stuff. This way we can lower our monthly power consumption even just for this season.
As the sun serves as the light for the whole world then you can use it to light your home too. By that you should design your windows and other opening to let the sunlight in. Most urban buildings lack this part to save spaces but this very simple technique can save a lot of maintenance cost due to lighting.
We may never implement strategies like using solar panels to fully utilize solar energy in a day. Still we can change some aspect of our efforts for alternative energy through some easier and cost effective ways.