Things You'll Need:
- Your Everyday, Average Electric Bill
- Electric Energy Saving Products
- Your Brain
- Fun
-
Step 1
Turn Off Your Water Heater
This makes for a really energy efficient hot water heater! I know this is kind of weird, but a guy in our apartment complex recommended we do this. We save anywhere from $30 to $50 per month by killing the water heater's breaker switch when we aren't using hot water. When you're ready to take a hot shower or do the dishes or whatever, turn the water heater back on. In our one-bedroom apartment it takes about 20 minutes for the water to heat up for a shower. -
Step 2
Use Power Strips and Outlet Protectors
These things really save you money. Almost everything - computers, printers, modems, scanners, stereos, DVD players, televisions, etc. - draws an idle electrical current even after you turn it off. Some things still draw the same amount of power even when they're turned off. Sounds ridiculous? Test it yourself. Unplug all your idle computer, televisions, stereos, etc. and see how much slower your meter turns.
To solve this, the device needs to be physically unplugged from the wall. But unplugging all of your stuff when you're leaving the house or going to bed is really annoying. This is where the power strips come in.
Using a power strip allows multiple devices to be plugged into one strip. Rather than having to unplug twenty different devices, you only need to unplug one or two power strips! This makes saving money a lot easier. Get in the habit of unplugging your power strips when you leave the house or go to sleep. Unless, of course, you've got something important like a breathing machine going on.
And if you can, use the PowerSquid. The PowerSquid has the most hilarious name out of all the other electric energy saving products, so why not support them?
Check out the link below in the Resources section for a link to buy PowerSquid the right way: direct. Why pay more for the PowerSquid? Buy direct and save! -
Step 3
Keep Your Electric Company On A Tight Leash
Call your electric company and make sure you aren't signed up for an "average" billing plan. Something a lot of companies are doing now is billing us an average electric bill instead of billing us for our actual electricity use.
Why is this good? It's supposed to save you money.
Why is this bad? Because it stops us from saving ourselves money by not using as much electricity.
So make sure your hard work isn't going down the toilet. Make sure your electric company is billing you each month for the actual electricity your house has used, instead of some random "average."
Electric companies are scared. They're scared that too many of us are fed up with their outrageous prices, monopolized market and refusal to invest in cheaper energy.
Ultimately they do not want us to be self-reliant. If everyone removes themselves from their power grid, the electric companies won't have any more billion-dollar profits.
Do yourself a favor and invest in your own energy. Wind, solar, bio-mass, geothermal.
If you really want to save a bundle on electricity, make your own! And it's not as difficult as you might think.
Next up: How to Make Your Own Energy!
Comments
bluemoongoddess said
on 1/21/2010 Wise advice, electricity is so high
grapegumdrop said
on 7/31/2009 Great advice!
essie2006 said
on 7/26/2009 Great information
kaldrich88 said
on 7/22/2009 such helpful tips. I look forward to the savings on my next bill :o) Thanks! 5*
jull14 said
on 7/6/2009 Thank you for sharing this information with me, it is very interesting, helpful for many here at ehow and the article is well written and easy to follow, thanks so much.