5 Sneaky Ways To Save Money On Your Electric Bill
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Saving money is one of my favorite things in the world. I admit that I love money, and I love saving money. Since writing about my financial journey, I have found many ways to make money and many ways to save money.
Today I wanted to write about how to save money on your electric bill, and how simple it is to save money on your electric bill.
When you are on a tight budget and you want to cut some expenses, the best way is to start on categories you can control, such as home bills. Finding ways to reduce your expenses will sure help you financially, and saving on your electric bill is one of them.
During Spring and Fall is when we pay less on our utilities, thanks to the weather. We take advantage of it and the savings the weather can provide us.
Unfortunately, summers are brutal, and dangerous at times, with high heat indexes. As much as we try to hold off using our air conditioners, we simply can't safely take the heat and just turn them on.
During my research on how to save money on electricity, I found interesting and useful ways to save on electricity. I also found interesting and EXPENSIVE ways to save money on electricity.
For example, painting our home roof white to reflect heat. This method works, and according to 1999 study by the Lawrence Berkley National Heat Island group, changing your roof to white reflects up to 80% of the sun's heat vs the 20% a black colored roof reflects.
This could save you quite a bit of money in cooling costs in the summer since there is a lot less heat coming in, which is great. However, not everyone is able to do it; especially when you are on a tight budget.
Read this fall money saving posts:
- 5 Unusual Fall Family Getaway Ideas To Try This Year
- The Best Halloween Wreath Ideas For Non-Crafters!
- 8 Tips On How To Not Spend Money This Month
The good news is that there are more ways to save money on your electric bill, that doesn't cost as much, and the whole entire family can help with as well. Here are five ways to save money on your electric bill that is painless and straightforward to do.
How To Save Money On Your Electric Bill
Turn off the lights
Yes, this might be the simplest way to save money on your electric bill, but how many times have you walked into an empty room and the lights are on?
Always make sure to turn on your lights only when needed, then turn them off before walking away. This will help to reduce energy consumption, and yes, save you money on your electric bill.
Use cold water when washing
Laundry detergents are now aimed to use in cold water, without leaving any stains. When you wash your laundry with hot water, or even warm water, your washer machine is using energy to heat up the water. To reduce the cost of electricity, stick to using cold water.
Run your large appliances during off-peak time
Electric companies have peak and off-peak rates for electricity. Running your large appliances, like the dishwasher or laundry machines, at night will save you money. According to CallMePower, common peak times are the following times:
- Late afternoon to early evening
- Summers & Winters
- Weekdays
- Non-Holidays
The best way to find your electric company peak and off-peak rates is by calling them or searching their website. Each state has a different peak and off-peak rate time.
Unplug unused electronics
Even if you are not using your electronic devices, if they are plugged in, they are still using power. Your DVD/BluRay player that you may use once a week, once a month or 3 times a year is still consuming power as long as it's plugged in.
This goes for almost all electronic devices and chargers as well. You may think that these things are only using a small amount of electricity, but add them all up and it could but the equivalent of leaving several lights on all day, every day. Simply unplug what you are not using at that moment, and you will see a difference in your bill.
Use blinds or curtains on your windows
This is simple enough, open the curtains during the winter to let the light in, and close them during warmer seasons to maintain a cool home. This goes for your doors' windows as well.
Conclusion
These painless 5 ways to save money on your electric bill will help you reduce your electric billing cost. There are many other ways to help you reduce the cost of your electric bill, but these tips, the entire family can do.
Assign your children the task to make sure all lights are turned off and make it into a game. These are good examples of how an entire family can help reduce the electricity bill, without spending more. This is just a start, but these are excellent ways to start saving money on your electric bill.
What other ways do you use to save money on your electric bill? Please share it with us.
Need help saving money on other home bills? Check out:
Ceiling and free-standing fans use less electricity than AC units, so are a cheaper option if the heat isn’t too extreme. To keep the cost of using your AC as low as possible, replace the filters regularly and have it serviced once a year. Apparently they work better if they’re kept shaded by plants or a fence.
More ideas at: http://jennyaroberts.hubpages.com/hub/Why-is-my-Electric-Bill-so-High-Money-Saving-Tips-Energy-Conservation
Thank you Jennifer for these tips!
I try to do these things in my house
We don’t have the problem of trying to stay cool (a white roof is an awesome idea) but I’m always on the lookout for ways to save on heating and electricity. I used to use cold water for washing but then switched to warm sometime in the last couple of years. I’ll give it another try. Oooh, and looks like a pretty morning, maybe I’ll even hang the laundry today. I always love an excuse to get outside for a few minutes 😉
I’m constantly turning off lights and unplugging unused chargers. Those are my pet peeves. I just see dollar signs hanging over them. haha I found your tips at Inspire Me Mondays!
HI I also found you at Inspire Me Mondays. I’m Janice, one of your hostesses. You are in contention for most inspirational. Check back tomorrow at mycurrentnewsblog.com to see if you won.
Janice
Most utility companies have a budget billing option which helps even out the high electric costs throughout the year or high gas costs from winter heating. Sometimes that’s easier than worrying about the seasonal fluctuations-they will average out your usage for the year and bill accordingly. It beats the hefty bills that can show up in July and August!
Thanks for linking up with Share the Wealth Sunday! Great tips! I’m going to share this on my blog and Facebook page!
We also have our ac on a programmable thermostat. We set it to 85 30 minutes before the last person leaves for the morning. To 80 30 minutes before the first person gets home. To 78 around dinner time. And 76 just before bed to make for restful sleep. We try to run it only when we absolutely need to…but we lice in central Florida. So that’s pretty much may- Sept. We don’t have a furnace so that’s a savings. We take the child off with our electric fireplace in the coldest months. Usually February. (this year it got down to 25 for a couple nights…but usually we can handle the normal 30’s…we’re from NNY, lol). I also try to line dry a lot. The pool of set on a timer. Unfortunately the hot tub cannot be, but we keep the heat completely off in the summer and use a dark cover to heat it naturally. It usually maintains 91.
You are brave and very determine! You live in Central Florida and look at your tricks. Seriously I am very impress. Good work and thank you for sharing your tips @disqus_wnQeKTFhy1:disqus
I never knew there was an on and off peak times ! Thanks for the great tips 🙂
Where I live, there is only one rate – astronomical! I’ve contacted them to check after I tried doing laundry and operating the dishwasher in the middle of the night for 4 or 5 months!
Shared these very smart and simple tips. I try to keep thermostat at 78-80 and use ceiling fans It gets hot in Texas in August! I am going to try the cold water in the washer. I never new! Happy to try something new. Thanks for sharing.
Already shared…Thanks again!
Thanks for the tips! Didn’t think to unplug my electronics when not in use.
In summer, I keep curtains closed in south facing windows until the sun has moved to the west. After sundown I open the windows to allow the cooler night air inside closing them again in the morning.
I have a top load washer on the second floor near my ensuite. Any time I want to wash my hands when I am upstairs, I turn on the washer thereby capturing the water that would normally go down the drain for a later load of laundry. When I want to shower, I also turn the washer on first to bring the hot water from our water heater in the basement up to the second floor without having gallons of unused water running down the shower drain waiting for the warm water. For what it’s worth, I put soiled clothes in the washer and the water that collects when I wash my hands etc., soaks the clothes for a time before I run the washer on the shortest cycle. I put the washed items into the dryer with the heat turned off for 10 minutes before removing them to hang (no room outside for a clothes line) on hangers from whatever spot I can to dry.
And don’t forget the dishwasher. Use the shortest cycle which will save electricity and extend the life of your unit.
I’ve brought our electric bill down from $700 for two months to between $130 and $190 for two months. But I’ve become a bit OCD about lights and TVs being left on. We used only $1000 for oil heat and hot water in the past year but I do have a wood cook stove which I actually prefer to use for which I purchase wood at $140/cord and split it myself using around 3 cords a year. Our house is over 4500 sq ft. I believe my husband thinks I’m nuts but I hate to give the utility companys a penny more than I have to.