Switching from the air conditioning to heating happened rather quickly for some of us throughout the United States. Electricity rates vary from state to state, with some of the most expensive states being in the Northeast such as Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, and Connecticut. With a colder than normal winter being predicted for the very near future, people across the United States are looking at ways that they can cut back on the cost of their monthly electric bill.
There are many big things that you can do to fix the cost of your electricity such as installing a solar electrical system or replacing all the windows in your house, but let’s be honest; many of us don’t have the money for such big projects right now!
Instead, here are some simple things that you can do to reduce the cost of your electric bill:
Heat
Turn down the thermostat! Heating your house in the winter is the biggest drain of energy and money that you will find on your bill. Close the curtains and blinds to keep as much heat in as possible and place rugs below doors that may cause a draft. Check out this Geezeo article for tips on what you can do if you are worried about your heating costs.
Lights
About 20% of your electricity bill usually goes towards lighting your house. However, most of the electricity is wasted on the heat that the light bulbs produce. Switch the light bulbs in your house to more efficient ones such as compact fluorescent bulbs (CFLs) which are more expensive initially but will save you much more money in the long run. Another important aspect and so simple to do is to turn the lights off! Train your kids to actually turn the lights off when they leave a room. Especially if you are going out make sure all the lights are off before you leave the house. If you don’t like to come home to a dark house at night, set one of your lights to a timer instead of leaving it on all day.
Fans
Bathroom fans and ceiling fans can suck the warm air out of a room and make your heat work harder. Turn the fans off once they have done their job. However, using a ceiling fan in reverse can actually benefit you during the winter months! If you run your ceiling fan on low speed in reverse it will re-circulate the warmer air that has risen up to the ceiling. Some ceiling fans do not have the feature that enables you to reverse them, but if you have a fan that was bought more recently, more than likely you have this feature. In turn, this reversing the fan will allow you to lower the temperature on your thermostat.
Computers
Families often like to leave the computer on so that it is convenient if you need to use it. However, having a computer running at all times costs you money and energy. If everyone in your family has a computer and each computer is left running during the day when nobody is home, think of the money you could save by turning them all off instead. It has become such a convenience for people to have their computers on and handy that many people just forget about them all together. If you are looking to save some money, this is a great place to start.
Appliances
If you have really old appliances you are using in your kitchen, bathroom, or any other area of the house you should consider replacing them. However, not everyone has the money to replace every item so make sure they are unplugged when they are not being used. Even though they may appear to be on the “off” setting, they might be using a tiny bit of electricity that could add up and cost you. If you want to cook something, try to use the smallest appliance possible. Obviously this is not always a possibility, but using a microwave instead of the electric stove when possible can save you a great deal.
You might think that these suggestions seem extremely simple and you’re right, they are! However, many people fall into a routine that is hard to break and forget to turn off lights or the TV when they leave a room. Getting into a daily habit and remembering the above tips could save you a decent amount of money when your next electricity bill arrives in the mail.
Photo: Wally Irwin
Related:
Utility Rates Surge Around the U.S.
Google Lays Out $4.4 Trillion U.S. Energy Plan
How To Decide if Wind Power Is Right for You
Add New Comment
Thanks. Your comment is awaiting approval by a moderator.
Do you already have an account? Log in and claim this comment.
Add New Comment