It depends on where you live but the summer can bring on BIG electric bills.. Lowering your electric bill is easy when following the simple tips below.
1. Use natural lighting. Open the blinds and curtains, and let the light shine in! Also, replace your incandescent light bulbs with the higher efficiency fluorescent bulbs. They use less than half the amount of energy!
2. Insulate! Heat rises, so insulate your attic to save some cash.
3. Turn down your water heater to 120 degrees. There’s really no reason to have it any higher than that, and it’ll save you more than you may realize.
4. Turn off lights when they’re not in use. Yes, this is an obvious one, but it’s something many of us forget about from time to time.
5. When the weather is nice, take the time to hang your clothes out to dry. Even if you just do a few loads a week this way, the savings will add up quickly.
6. Get rid of the major energy-suckers. A few things are taking up energy and you may not even realize it: TVs, VCRs, computers, and even microwaves. Plug these items into a power strip and then turn the power strip off when not in use.
7. Wash clothes in cold water when at all possible.
Also see: Take Your Heating Bill Down a Notch in 6 Easy Steps
8. Shop for Energy Star bulbs and appliances. It’s not realistic for everyone to just go out and buy all new appliances today to save money on their electricity bill. However, when it’s time for a new refrigerator, shop Energy Star appliances. They’re designed to be more efficient and will save you money in the long run.
9. Try to avoid using the air conditioner, unless it’s realllly hot. Use fans instead, when possible.
10. Keep the refrigerator set at between 36 to 42° F. Set the freezer at 0° F. Lower temperatures increase power consumption.
11. Install a programmable thermostat. You can automatically lower (or raise, depending on the season) the temperature at night.
12. Caulk the windows. If you live in an older home, to seal up air leaks.
13. Light a candle. In small rooms like the bathroom, a candle can provide enough light to do your business. 🙂
14. Turn off the heated dry option on your dishwasher. You may not even know that button is pushed.
15. Don’t turn on the lights. Often it’s simply a habit to turn on the lights when you enter a room. Start being mindful of it you actually NEED the lights to do what you are in the room for. I find I often do not need the extra light.
How do you save money on utilities?
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