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Electricity can, often times, be one of the biggest expenses of your monthly budget. If you have worked to make a reasonable budget and are now looking to cut some of your costs, you may think that electricity cannot be changed. That, however, is not true. It is possible to save on electricity!
Do you dread the heat of the summer or the dead cold of the winter because you know your electricity bill is going to sky rocket?
You don’t have to! You can learn how to save on electricity!
Sure, in all likelihood, no one is going to NOT use electricity. And, probably, we aren’t going to stop using the air or heat altogether just to save money on electricity.
But, this doesn’t mean that you can’t save with a few simple cost cutting tips!
1. Turn off and Unplug Electronics
This is pretty simple. Turn off lights when you leave the room. Turn off the tv or radio if you aren’t using them. Shut down, unplug your laptops. In general, just make sure things are turned off and, when possible unplugged.
Sure, you might not save 100’s of dollars a month doing this, but a few dollars adds up over the year!
2. Keep up with Routine Maintenance
Not only is this a way to save money in general, it is also a great way to save money on electricity. If you make sure that all of your major appliances (air conditioner, water heater, etc) are working at optimal rates they will be more efficient.
Better efficiency will result in less electricity used. Often times, you can find energy saving tips in the back of your appliance’s manual.
It may seem like skipping filter replacements or heating element updates will save money. And sure, it will in the moment. However, it will cost a lot more in electricity (and possible repair costs) later.
3. Turn down (or up) the thermostat
It certainly is easy to just crank the air up (make it cooler)in the heat of summer. Or crack the heat up (make it warmer) in the dead of winter.
Both of these options can make the temperature feel great, but can also jack up your electricity bill really quickly. In order to save money on electricity, try using other methods to adjust the temperature when it is extreme outside.
I like to have ceiling or standing fans going in the summer to create a nice breeze. And this cozy blanket in the winter to snuggle up in on the sofa instead of cranking the heat up.
4. Energy Efficient Appliances
The name says it all here, really. Energy Efficient appliances are more efficient and therefore use less energy. Less energy used will result in decreased electricity costs.
5. LED’s and/or Dimmer Switches
LED lightbulbs are more expensive than traditional bulbs upfront. However, they have been shown to cost just $1 per year vs $5 per year. (This calculation study was based on using them 2 hrs a day for a year.)
Dimmer Switches allow you to use only the amount of light you want/or need. This will save on the energy used and therefore will save on electricity costs overtime.
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Tiffany Locke says
I like your advice to make sure all your major appliances are working at optional rates so that they’re more efficient would be a great way to reduce the amount of electricity you use. Another way to save would probably be to make sure you choose the right suppliers so that you get the power you need at the best price. Checking online would probably let you compare the electricity rates and determine which company is best for your electrical needs.
Kyle Wayne says
I like that you mention keeping up with maintenance. My brother is looking to hire electricity suppliers but needs tips. I’ll be sure to talk to him about keeping up with the maintenance.
Elsa Anderson says
I do like how you mentioned that a routine maintenance can be quite a good way for us to save money in general and in electric rates. That is good to learn as I am going to do my best to save as much as I can in utilities. This is due to the news that I heard that electric rates could potentially keep going higher through the years. Being ready is always a good thing after all. Thanks!