At certain times of year your electric bill can soar out of control. It might be in winter as you need to keep warm or in summer as you’re trying to cool off, but many people want to pay less for their electricity. Finding ways to cut this isn’t always easy.
One of the most obvious things to do is to get a programmable thermostat. This allows you to control which temperature will activate your heater or air conditioner at different parts of the day. You want one that can be set for morning, daytime, evening and nighttime temperatures. These will allow you to program it to go with the usual flow of your day.
If you can get used to setting the temperature a little lower in winter and higher in summer you’ll also do better. This is relatively simple in winter, as you can just pile on an extra sweater when you’re awake, and an extra blanket at night. It’s a bit more challenging during the summertime, but you can get used to warmer temperatures if you don’t spoil yourself with the air conditioner.
Take advantage of your ceiling fans. These do work winter and summer for circulating air. Contrary to popular belief, fans don’t so much cool air as they do move it, which makes it feel cooler. If you put the ceiling fan into the reverse setting in the winter it will circulate the warm air which rises toward the ceiling.
Many dishwashers allow you to just drip dry the dishes instead of using heat on them.
Unplug electronics when they aren’t in use, unless the clock needs to remain set. Most people can get away with unplugging the coffee pot as well as other electronics. Similarly, things that charge up such as Electric Toothbrushes can get by for several days or even weeks (depending on usage) before needing to be plugged back in. The charger keeps using electricity even when it’s not actively charging. I plug mine in once a week for about a day and it does just fine.
Looking to trying your own ecommerce storefront in 2010? It is very possible to find a profitable niche in today’s competive just by using Niche Blueprint 2.0 as this will teach you how to build the store and how to find dropshippers and also how to do proper SEO using the correct techniques toget your storefront seen by thousands.
As a matter of fact, if it’s plugged in you can assume it’s using electricity, even if only a tiny amount. Decide what feels reasonable to keep unplugged when not in use.
Switch your light bulbs to compact fluorescent bulbs. This can be a small savings, but not only do they use less electricity, they last longer than incandescent bulbs, enough so be to worth the extra cost in most cases. In some places the electric company may even provide free ones for you to try.
Do I need to state the obvious? Turn the extra lights off! Also turn off the computer and monitor when you don’t need them on.
Keeping your refrigerator in good shape helps too. If you clean off the coils (either behind or beneath it), the refrigerator can operate more efficiently. Check the temperature settings. If you’re keeping things colder than necessary you are using extra electricity.
Good insulation also helps. This includes the insulation of your window coverings. Heavy curtains do best for many people, as they help keep the heat in during the winter and out in summer. However, in some places you may be able to warm things up a little bit naturally by letting the sunlight in, even if things are slightly (not extremely) cool outside. Natural sunlight also means you don’t have to turn the lights on.
With these tactics you can save some good money around the house. All it requires is a little effort and occasionally a little extra money spent to save in the long run.
anonymous
http://www.articlesbase.com/finance-articles/cutting-the-electric-bills-108247.html
#1 by PDisnotme on December 25, 2009 - 10:52 am
What can a homeowner do to cut monthly electric bills?
I have heard that unplugging lamps, appliances and the such that are not in use could lower the montly bills. Is this true?
#2 by j_ardinger on December 25, 2009 - 3:54 pm
if you have older appiances the cost of newer cost efficient ones will pay for the upgrade over time. switch to the new low power twisty bulbs they give 100 watt of light but use only 20 watt power. check that the seal on fridge is good a loose seal means compressor will run more trying to keep cold.
References :
#3 by greenranger on December 25, 2009 - 3:56 pm
If it’s not in use, unplugging it won’t make any difference.
turn off lights when not in use, use A/C less (turn up thermostat), keep shades drawn (to keep out light/heat from the sun), add more insluation in your attic…
References :
#4 by tepidmonkie on December 25, 2009 - 3:58 pm
make sure you turn your thermostat down/up when you are not home or going to sleep. get one of the programmable ones that does it for you (if it is expensive, just do it manually..mine came preinstalled). and turn your lights off when you leave. it made a big difference in my elec. bill.
References :
#5 by mini digger driver on December 25, 2009 - 4:00 pm
yes knock off things if not needed don’t leave telly etc on standby use new light bulbs cost effective ones
References :
#6 by mini on December 25, 2009 - 4:02 pm
You can discard all appliances and live like a frontier woman. Replace discarded items with lanterns, ice-box, and a fireside.
And while you’re at it, you may as well build an outhouse.
That will show these large greedy coorporations that we can do without their expensive sh@t!!!!!!.
References :
#7 by vudini on December 25, 2009 - 4:04 pm
True, but it is not going to save you big bucks. The trick is … to use less of the big items (using 1000 Watts or more).
Turn down the setting in your fridge and freezer. Don’t open the door to just look at the inside (while trying to think what to eat).
Cut your hair short; avoid using the blow dryer to dry your hair.
Turn up the air conditioning; keep the house pleasant, not like a mausoleum.
When ironing, do all your clothes at once; don’t iron one shirt and turn off.
References :
Me!
#8 by answerman63 on December 25, 2009 - 4:06 pm
It is true that unplugging appliances can save you some money…because some appliances use energy even when they are switched off. However, the biggest power user in your home needs to be plugged in all the time…your refigerator. To minimize power use, try reducing the freezer and refigeration settings to the lowest practical ones that will still keep your items cold. If it has an ice maker, refrain from using it and buy bagged ice or use ice cube trays instead. In the rest of your home, two big power consumers are your heating/cooling system and oddly enough, your computer. Set your thermostats to the lowest/highest setting that will still provide you comfort, and check around doors and windows for air leaks; this is where a lot of your heating/cooling $ goes…out the window or door. Don’t leave your computer on all day if you aren’t using it. Even in standby mode it is still consuming more energy than if it was switched off. Also, keep hot water use to a minimum; hot water heaters also are significant energy consumers. If you go to the government’s dept. of energy site they have a lot of handy hints for saving money on utility bills. Hope this info helps.
References :
#9 by justanotherengine on December 25, 2009 - 4:08 pm
as stated, the new light bulbs are great !
References :
#10 by royder1976 on December 25, 2009 - 4:10 pm
Only turn on the water heater to shower, don’t run your AC as much. Use fans instead. Trun off lights when not needed. Don’t yuse the dishwasher.
References :
#11 by Lisa on December 25, 2009 - 4:12 pm
Sell your teenagers! (kidding). I don’t know that unplugging unused items will lower your bills, but it could protect them from power surges.
Best thing i have to offer is to watch what’s on and make sure things get turned off. It’s amazing how many lights/appliances/ electronics are always "on" when my kids are home.
References :
#12 by DD on December 25, 2009 - 4:14 pm
Yes that is true.Unplug anything you are not using. You can turn down the heat on your hot water tank so it’s not running to maintain a high water temp. Turn your refrigerator down a notch. Turn your computer off at night and un plug it. Caulk around your windows. Put a brick in your toilet you use less water that way. Keep your heat down to 65 and dress for the weather. If you have to use central air keep it @ 75. Use a fan most of the time instead of ac.
References :
#13 by bbbob60 on December 25, 2009 - 4:16 pm
flouresent bulbes
References :