Most people don’t consider their electric bill until it arrives. Then we open the envelope and see that the number is higher than expected. We groan, pay it, then promptly forget about it until next month. But if you’ve ever considered ways to lower your electric bill, you’ve probably realized that lowering your monthly energy usage can be a challenge. There’s no magic wand that instantly cuts your electricity use in half, but there are lots of small changes you can make to reduce your energy consumption and save money on utilities over time.
Install a programmable thermostat
A programmable thermostat can be used to save money and energy by automatically adjusting your home temperature at times when you are not there. Programmable thermostats also allow you to keep the temperature in your home at a more consistent level, which will help reduce heating and cooling costs.
If you have a heat pump system, installing an electronic programmable thermostat is generally easier than installing a new central air conditioning system. You can buy one online or at any hardware store and install it in minutes without needing expensive tools or skills.
Turn off unused lights
- Many people don’t realize how much energy they’re wasting by leaving lights on in the rooms they’re not using. To see how much you’re spending on unnecessary lighting, keep track of how many times you turn off lights during a day. Then, compare that number to your electric bill for the month. It may be surprising!
- If you want to get really fancy with it, try turning off all of the lights in your house when you leave for work or go to bed at night. This can save even more money than just turning off unnecessary lights when in those particular rooms. Some people even go so far as to turn off all their lights when they leave the country!
For those looking for an added challenge: try turning off all your light bulbs before leaving the house (or whatever).
Unplug unused appliances
Unplugging your appliances when they’re not in use is a great way to save energy and money. It’s also necessary if you want to live a longer, healthier life.
There are many reasons why you should unplug unused appliances:
- To prevent fire or electrical shock—Every year people get electrocuted and burn down their homes by leaving appliances plugged in. Unplugging them can protect your family from these perils!
- To protect the environment—Electrical equipment is one of the leading causes of global warming, so unplugging unused electronics will help save the planet from climate change!
- To avoid power surges—When an appliance like a computer or printer is left plugged in all the time, those devices create electromagnetic fields that can cause voltage spikes in your home’s wiring, which can damage electronics and lead to costly repairs!
Clean your refrigerator coils
You can clean your coils by yourself or with the help of a friend. First, unplug the refrigerator and remove the back panel. There are two slots on each side of the coil that hold it in place—grabbing them firmly and pulling outward will unlock them; don’t worry about being gentle because you won’t break anything as long as you pull straight outwards. The coil will lift up from its position on top of one end of a piece of cardboard, exposing what looks like a metal tube underneath (this is where your food freezes).
Now take some time to decide which type of cleaner would be best for your situation:
- Water and vinegar – This combination works well because its ingredients are safe to use around food without causing any negative effects (vinegar actually helps keep mold away), but if you want something stronger than just water with vinegar added then read below before choosing this option! Vinegar also has antibacterial properties so it kills germs when sprayed directly onto dirty surfaces without harming nearby electronics such as phones/computers since they won’t come into contact with each other during cleaning operations (which could cause damage if they were accidentally touched together).
- Bleach – Bleach is good for removing stains from clothing but not necessarily stains caused by mold growths within humid environments such as those found inside refrigerators where humidity levels often exceed acceptable limits due ; however , there still might be some benefits associated with using bleach instead – some people think that using bleach makes cleaning easier because it does an excellent job killing off stubborn stains left behind.
Wash clothes in cold water
- If you can hang your clothes to dry outside, do so. Hanging them on a clothesline or drying rack is better for the environment and saves you money!
- Avoid using the dryer at all costs unless it’s absolutely necessary (such as when you’ve forgotten that you put something in the wash). If you must use the dryer, set it to the lowest heat setting available. Also, avoid using any of these modes: “Dry”, “Automatic Dry”, “Sensor Cycle” and “Quick Dry”.
Saving a few dollars here and there helps you save money over time.
There are plenty of ways to save on your energy bill, and they don’t have to be difficult or time-consuming. You can save hundreds of dollars a year by doing simple things like turning off lights when you’re not using them, unplugging unused electronics at night, and keeping the thermostat set to an appropriate temperature (between 68 and 72 degrees). If you’re feeling ambitious and want to save even more money over time, here are some tips for more complicated ways:
- Get a smart thermostat with a programmable schedule. Smart thermostats use sensors in your home to adjust the temperature based on when people are home versus away from home throughout each day. As long as you stick with this schedule for several months straight, your electric bills will lower significantly!
- Turn off appliances when not in use. Appliances such as TVs and computers draw power even when turned off—and sometimes even when plugged into an outlet but powered off! Make sure all of these items are turned off before going to bed every night so that nothing drains electricity while you sleep peacefully unaware.
The next time somebody tells me “There’s nothing I can do,” I’m going right back at them…
Conclusion
Saving money on your electricity bill is something you can do. We’ve shown you how to save with some pretty easy steps, but there are many other ways to lower your electric bill. For example, there are new smart light bulbs available that turn themselves off when they detect that a room is empty. The best thing about saving money this way is not having to worry so much about being too cold in the winter or getting too hot in the summer! At the same time, we all need our appliances—and so we hope these suggestions help you save a little extra every month without giving up anything important.
Bonus
Make sure that you are not being overcharged on your electric or natural gas. TruPowur offers competitive plans so you can start saving. If you need assistance, we are more than happy to have one of our Energy Advisors assist you. Contact Us for more information and when the best time to renew your residential or commercial contract, using our state-of-the-art analytics. Or visit www.TruPowur.com.