24 Simple Ways to Save Money on Your Energy Bill

Energy Wise Tips

No one needs to tell you that the cost of living is rising faster than the cost of living raises. And that’s saying that with all of the cut backs and down sizing that a cost of living raise will even be there this year. So what to do? How are you going to battle the rapid costs just live?  Saving money on your energy bill is one way to slim down your budget with minimal effort.  These tips are simple and easy, yet when done consistently can add up to significant savings!

Here are a few straight-forward tips on how to save money on your energy bill:

1. Unplug any and all electrical devices that are plugged into the wall. If has a light on it, it is eating power that you are not utilizing. 
2. Put all electrical devices that are grouped together on one power protected strip, it will make it easier to shut down all appliances connected to it. 
3. Use the outlet that is powered by a light switch on the wall to control more than just a lamp. If you have your entertainment center plugged into a power strip then it is connected to the outlet that is controlled by the wall switch turning the power off to those appliances will be even easier. 
4. Unplug your laptop from the wall when not in use. It will be in hibernation and your data should be okay as you have a battery back up. 
5. Turn off all of your lights in your home and walk around it in the dark if you see any light coming from any electrical device whether it be red to signal its off or other wise, it is still using power when it is not in use. Shut it down. 
6. Turn off lights when you are going from one room to another. It doesn’t matter if you will be right back in the room, any delay is costing you money. 
7. Turn your water heater down, especially in the summer, it does not need to be running at full capacity all of the time. Even if it is an energy wise unit you can still save more dollars over a years time than left at a higher temperature. If you live in an apartment locate the breaker switch that should be located in the breaker box, somewhere within the apartment and turn off the hot water heater when you have finished your shower for the day. It takes a very short while for the hot water heater to come to heat. There is absolutely no reason to leave it on when you are at work or gone for the day much less gone for a more than a day. 
8. If you have an in the door ice/water refrigerator use that rather than open the refrigerator to reach and get one drink out of it. The water will do you good and the consuming less sugary drinks will be calorie saving as well. 
9. When you need a couple of items out of the refrigerator get them at the same time if possible and when you are putting up items that have been used put them in at the same time rather than opening and reopening the refrigerator. 
10. If you do not have weather resistant windows, you can apply saran wrap to the windows using a blow dryer to secure the film to the window. This creates another barrier for the cold/heat to penetrate your home. 
11. Recalk your windows to ensure they are sealed, inside and out.
12. Put Styrofoam panels in your windows to reduce the cold/heat from coming in. 
13. In the winter keep your thermostat at or below 53 degrees. Lower still when you leave. If it is too cool for you add another layer of clothing. 
14. In the summer time, generally keep you thermostat 82 degrees or higher. When it is very warm to hot outside, lowering your thermostat will not make it cooler inside your home as air conditioning units can only reduce the heat by 22-30 degrees from the outside temperature. Example if it is 105 degrees outside the coolest your interior with the air conditioning can cool is 75 degrees and it will shorten the life of the unit by over heating the unit by over working it beyond what it is designed to do. 
15. Use a evaporative cooler as a substitute for air conditioning units (you cannot run them together. They will work against each other) An evaporative cooler uses a regular plug in and costs to run the unit is around $20-25 dollars per month for cooling an area of 1200 sg ft. There are portable units that cool around 300 sg ft, that indeed will reduce your energy usages. (Note: Evaporative Coolers have difficulty of being of any proper cooling during monsoon seasons or high humidity. But for use during the drier months even in the most tropical of places they are a great alternative to using energy hungry air conditioners.) 
16. Remember, fans cool people, not rooms.  So use them when you are in the room and shut them off when you leave.
17. Winter cooking in the oven is a great way to help heat your home. After you are done using your oven to cook you meal, after you have turned it off leave the door open and let the heat fill your kitchen and home. 
18. During the winter months add more blankets rather than turning up the heat. 
19. During the summer months have a fan running in wear you sleep, wearing light clothing and light cotton sheets for comfortable sleep. 
20. Turn off your coffee maker after it has made the pot, if your carafe is not a thermal carafe, then purchase one and pour your coffee over into it when it is finished brewing to keep hot, and save energy. 
21. Put motion sensors on the your outside lights so they come on only when needed. 
22. Allow you food to cool before you put it in the refrigerator. 
23. A full refrigerator and freezer will stay cooler than an empty one and require less energy - so even if it is full of water jugs, keep your refrigerator full.
24. Turn off and UNPLUG anything that is not in use! 

These are some easy to follow tips to reducing your energy costs. Implement as many of these tips immediately. Take the next thirty days to see your savings. See your energy bill go down. You will be pleasantly surprised at your savings!

Written by

Kaycee Marlett

www.inmyalley.com

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