There is a lot you can do yourself without buying the expensive solar products. Paint your roof white, it will cut down on energy costs in the summer. Put shade over the outside of sunny windows in the summer, allow sun in during the winter. Insulate your water heater. Seal air leaks around your house. Close fireplace flues. Grow more native vegetation so you use less water in your yard. You can even get cheap kits that will give you double pane windows using heat shrink plastic and double sided tape. There are hundreds of ways of being more energy efficient without spending much money. Solar water heating is not all that cost effective where other methods can be.
Thousands of years ago the Egyptians discovered the many uses of passive solar. It is cheap and easy to use and is utterly reliable, having no pumps, holding tanks etc. It is simply a matter of controlling when the heat can or cannot move between your house and the outdoors. Do a little research and you'll see what I am talking about.
