Every little bit helps
In these tough times, everyone is looking for ways to save money. Obvious options for cutting back on discretionary spending have been very popular. However, there are many other little tricks and tips related to how you live your everyday life that can also amount to real savings. The five ideas listed below are small things you can do at home to save money on your electric bill, and they do not require much effort or investment on your part.
1. Using fluorescent light bulbs
This idea has largely been connected to many green initiatives today because the new household fluorescent bulbs use about a fourth of the energy that old-fashioned incandescent bulbs use. Using less energy also translates into savings on your electric bill. Switching to fluorescent bulbs will save anywhere from $ 10 to $ 50 per annum. Also, since modern fluorescent bulbs last 10 times longer than incandescent bulbs, you buy fewer bulbs and therefore, save more money.
2. Using the microwave instead of the oven
Assuming you have an electric oven and stove, you can save about $50 per year by using the microwave for many of your smaller cooking and heating requirements. Microwaves use less energy than ovens or stove tops, and are far more efficient, which results in less heat, and therefore energy, going to waste. Also, a lot of newer microwaves have toasting coils and other features that expand the range of use for a microwave. The technology has come a long way, so consider using your microwave more and your oven less.
3. Fixing your thermostat settings
In general, each additional degree of cooling that you use during the summer raises your power bill by 6 percent, and every degree of additional warming you use during the winter raises your bill by 3 percent. Thus, setting a firm temperature range, and sticking to it will save you money. The most commonly suggested range is setting your thermostat no lower than seventy-eight degrees in the summer and no higher than sixty-eight degrees in the winter. Keeping to a range of temperatures can save hundreds annually.
4. Line drying your clothes
Electric clothes dryers not only use a lot of electricity, they are also incredibly inefficient, with much of the heat being completely wasted. Also, air from the dryer’s air system pulls heated air from the home to the outside through the exhaust, a process called heat transfer. An electric dryer could be a necessity some times, but if you have light loads or wash light colored clothes, line drying them could save up to $ 50 per year. Air drying is also good for some clothes, especially any that have elastic.
5. Get an energy audit
Most major utility companies offer energy audits to their customers, where an inspector comes to your home and points out small steps you can take to make your home more energy efficient. You can call your local utility company and see if it offers this service. The inspector will usually come to your home and look at your insulation and other energy-related matters. After the review, the inspector will give you recommendations of simple things you can do to lower your power bill. An energy audit could find something you skipped over.
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