Do you find it painful to pay your utility bill? It can be a real hardship at times, but thankfully, there is plenty you can do to save on energy, which in turn saves you money in the process. Here are a couple of pointers so you can maximize your money.
1. Consider Energy-Efficient Light Bulbs
Switching to Light-emitting diodes (LED) bulbs as the old ones burn out can be one of the easiest ways of cutting back on energy costs. LEDs are semiconductor light sources. Compared to incandescent and compact fluorescent lamp (CFL) bulbs, LED lights are more efficient at turning energy into light. Therefore, less of the energy radiates from the bulb as heat. In fact, the bulbs use only between 2 and 17 watts of electricity, which can help you save anywhere from $50 to $130 during the lifespan of the bulb. Also, keep in mind that LED lights last about 50,000 hours. This is approximately 50 times longer than a typical incandescent, 20-25 times longer than incandescent light, and 8-10 times longer than a CFL.
2. Unplug Your Electronics
While there are some electronics we use every day, such as microwaves and fridges, there are plenty that stays plugged in continually without being used for days at a time. When electronics remain plugged in but not used, they continue to use a small amount of energy, which is called “phantom energy.” Take the time to check each outlet in your home, then take note of which items could remain unplugged when they are not in use. Unplug anything that can be using energy unnecessarily.
3. Laundry with Cold Water
If you do your laundry with cold water instead of warm or hot, you will notice a drastic change in your utility bill. By making this small change, you are reducing the amount of energy needed to heat up the water tank, which can help you save around $70 to $100 a year. Worried about your clothes won’t be as clean? Most experts agree that cold water is just as good if not better at getting out stains and cleaning your clothes as warm or hot water.
4. Fill Up the Dishwasher
A dishwasher is one of the major appliances that use a lot of energy, and if you are looking for ways to save money on utilities, be sure that your dishwasher is full before running it. Maximum use will save the number of runs needed and reduce the amount of water and heating required to run a load. Also, take one step further and turn off the ‘hot air-dry’ function, if your dishwasher has one, your dishes will still dry, but use less energy.
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Conclusion
Are you still looking for more ways to save money on your utility bill? Call your utility companies to find out more information. They often have programs and incentives in place to help encourage their customers to cut back on energy consumption. Also, take a few minutes to visit your utility company’s website to see how you could save even more based on the energy-efficient measures they recommend.
Each of these cost-saving measures may seem small but can add up quickly, and once you’ve put a few in place, you’ll soon see just how second-nature they can become.