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We are always looking for ways to be financially savvy in this household. One way we have found to do this was to cut down the cost of our energy bill. By doing these following things we have managed to cut our bill down by over $100!
Unplug appliances when not in use
My first tip is to keep appliances unplugged when not in use. Even when they are not on, anything electrical still sucks power (which you end up paying for each month). Cut your bill down a little bit by just unplugging when not in use.
It may be difficult at first but once you get into the habit of unplugging and plugging things in you won’t even notice after a while. It’s very simple for things such as your coffee maker, toaster, hairdryer or printer. If you’re really serious you can try doing it with your computer and tv. I will admit, I tried with the tv and computer and it was too difficult.
I go through my house every few days an unplug things that have been plugged in and don’t necessarily need to be. Oftentimes, I find a couple of things each week to unplug again and it can add up when it comes to your bill.
Use fewer lights
During the day, I RARELY turn any lights on. By opening all my curtains and blinds, I try to completely rely on natural light. If it’s necessary to turn on the lights, I turn them off as soon as I’m done.
At night, we only use lights when we are in a room. We never EVER leave lights on in a room that we are not in. It’s just a waste of electricity (and money) for us. We also try to utilize lamps as much as possible. The only room that we really use the overhead lights is in our kitchen. Every other room has lamps that we like to use instead. Turning lights off when we aren’t using them and switching to lamps when possible has saved us a lot of money on electricity over the years.
Switch to LED lightbulbs
My husband and I made the switch in our house all in one day, a few months after we moved in. We made the decision in order to be more environmentally friendly, but we saw a significant drop in our energy bill as well.
If you can buy the LED lightbulbs in bulk when they are on sale, you can gradually change them as your current light bulbs burn out. These light bulbs are a little more expensive than regular bulbs, but they are worth it because they save energy and they last a lot longer.
Try to use less A/C
This will definitely vary based on where you live and the weather you have. My husband and I only turn the A/C on when it’s going to be over 90 degrees outside or if it’s extremely humid. We live in Wisconsin so it gets hot but not like Arizona hot.
In our house we utilize a lot of fans and try to have our windows open as much as possible. We get a pretty good cross breeze in our house and also keep a dehumidifier in our living room that automatically turns on if the humidity reaches too high of a percentage. In the first month we stopped using the A/C, my electricity bill went down over $100 dollars.
This was a lot harder for my husband than it was for me. I enjoy being warm and he does not, the savings were worth it to him. We are lucky to be where we are with shade and a nice breeze in our house.
Depending on where you live it may not be possible to cut A/C completely so instead, try just increasing the temperature one degree. If you normally have it set at 65 degrees try changing it to 66 degrees for a week or two and keep going from there. Even one degree can save energy and you may be able to see those savings on your next bill.
Try to use less heat in the winter
In the same category here, cutting back on heating in the winter can help save money too, but again, this will vary based on your geographical location. In Wisconsin, we get pretty cold winters and can’t just cut heating completely.
We have slowly lowered the temperature we keep the thermostat. We now keep the house at around 66 or 67 degrees. This has been SO hard for me because I am a cold person. (I was that person who changed the thermostat and then pretended I didn’t know how that happened). Now I just bundle up with slippers and a robe and snuggle up with a blanket and I am good to go.
Even lowering the thermostat a degree or two has helped and we were able to see the savings.
Use appliances outside of peak hours
Some electric companies charge more money for electricity when used during peak hours (after work hours). You can call your electric company to find out when the peak hours are. If you can get in the habit of running your washing machine and dishwasher early in the morning or late at night you could potentially see a drop in your bill.
Try to use appliances less often
Obviously, the more times you run an appliance, the more electricity you use. Make sure the dishwasher is completely full before you start the cycle. Same goes for your washing machine. Only wash large loads and try to use cold water as much as possible. Using hot water uses a lot more electricity than using cold water.
Our electricity bill dropped over $100 in the first month we started implementing these tips. It has continued to stay down and has occasional fluctuations with the seasons, but we have saved quite a bit of money throughout the year from doing these simple things alone.
What tips to have to lower your electricity bill?