Every month you see that mail in the mailbox and you dread opening it up. It’s your monthly utility bill and every time you see it you want to scream.
This is an appropriate reaction because your utility bills could be climbing higher and higher, but it’s not always the fault of the other guy, you play a big role in it too.
We don’t like to admit when we’re wrong, but sometimes we aren’t the best house owners when it comes to saving money, reducing our energy output, and being more green.
The solution is luckily pretty simple and it doesn’t require any cursing or shouting about the cost of utilities.
Here are some simple ways to help you cut back on your electric bills so you can save more money, be a little more environmentally friendly, and get some wonderful peace of mind.
Keep Your Lights Off
Even if you’re scared of the dark, you don’t need every lamp, light, and source of energy so you can feel safe.
It’s much easier to just leave lights on when you enter or leave a room, but when you consider how much money you’re throwing down the drain, you’d be sick.
This is a common issue and one that is very easily fixed. All you have to do is stop using so many lights, especially during the day when you don’t need them.
Be a little more reasonable with your energy consumption.
Switch to a New Electricity Provider
This tip actually will let you shift the blame onto someone else because there is a good chance your electricity provider may be giving you bad service.
We often sign up for utilities from the first and best deal we see without realizing that a rate hike might happen that we gloss over.
According to electricitymonster.com.au, you should be doing a much more thorough job comparing rates and making sure that your provider is actually giving you a proper estimate and service.
On that note, it will serve you well to get servicing done to make sure the wiring and everything related to your electrical system is up to code and working fine so you aren’t losing energy.
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Only Plug-in Appliances When You Need Them
Just like you would with turning off your lights when you’re not home or when you don’t need them, you should start turning off and unplugging appliances in a similar fashion.
You don’t need to leave the TV on idle when you’re reading a book and if you know you’ll be out for the day, it takes a few seconds to go around unplugging some of the usual suspects for energy consumption.
There are plenty of power-sucking appliances that are still running current when they aren’t in use.
It takes no time to pull the plug on them when not in use and you’ll end up with a better bill because of it.
Let More Light in the Home
Natural light is nature’s way of providing us with some excellent and relaxing energy, so why not take advantage of it when you can.
The simplest thing to do is make sure your windows are unobstructed to allow for light to come in, but even if you don’t have premium window space or a good view of the sunlight, there are some good options to maximize sunlight.
You can use lighter curtains or you can add mirrors and shiny surfaces to reflect light around more.
Natural light is good for your health and it provides heating without impacting your bill.
Choose Better Light Bulb Alternatives
The most common type of lightbulb, incandescent, also happens to be the least energy-efficient of the ones you will find in your home.
You can easily remedy this with some powerful alternatives that won’t draw too much power.
The best options for replacing your lightbulbs are LED, fluorescent, and halogen light bulbs.
These are all fantastic options to help illuminate your home without worrying about the cost of your energy bill.
If you want to get even more energy-efficient, try using more candles at night for a rustic vibe and some wonderful scents.
Use a Non-Electric Heat Source
While it may not be the easiest goal to accomplish, you can save a lot of money in your home by switching to a new form of heating source.
If you have an electric fireplace or an HVAC system that heats your home, you will notice how expensive it can get.
Heat is one of the biggest boons to your electricity bills so it’s really a long-term idea to consider switching to something that won’t rely on the power grid.
Gas or wood are the best alternatives that can provide you the heat you need and comfort in your home without running rampant on your bills.
The only problem is that it can be hard or expensive to install, but again, it’s a long-term investment in your home.
Only Wash Full Laundry Loads
It might seem easy to throw in that favorite sweater and a few pairs of socks or a shirt into the washing machine, but this kind of thinking leads to exorbitant electricity bills.
Using that much power for that little of a load is a massive problem, and your laundry machines are some of the biggest culprits for serious electricity usage.
When washing and drying clothes, make sure that you are using a full load to avoid using excess energy on such a small amount of clothing.
This also provides you with some convenience in the way of freeing up your other chores by not having to constantly do small amounts of laundry day in and day out.
Electrical bills are one of the worst parts of checking your mail, so you shouldn’t have to open it and hope you didn’t use too much power last month.
You might not be able to change the cost of utilities, but using these options, you can certainly help reduce the amount of electricity you use.
