Things You'll Need:
- A Household Willing to Work Together to Save Money on Bills for Utilities and Other Home Expenses!
- The Ability to Plan Ahead and Take an Extra Few Seconds for Actions that Save Money on Utilities and Expenses Around the House.
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Step 1
SAVE MONEY ON ELECTRIC BILLS BY UNPLUGGING APPLIANCES: You can save money on electric costs when you unplug appliances when they're not in use. Many appliances still draw power, even when they're not in use and over time, this can add up. Plus, unplugging appliances that are not in use also reduces the risk of fire in your home.
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Step 2
SAVE MONEY BY USING NATURE FOR COOLING AND HEATING A HOME: In the winter, open blinds and curtains on the side of the home that's facing the sunlight to let heat enter the home. In the summer, keep those blinds and curtains closed to keep the home cool and also open the windows at night in the summer to save on air conditioning costs and other home cooling costs. This will help lower electric bills since you'll need to use less electricity to heat or cool your home.
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Step 3
USE BIG APPLIANCES IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT TO SAVE ON ELECTRICITY BILLS: If possible, do your laundry, run the dishwasher and use other large appliances in the middle of the night or very early in the morning. This will help save on electricity costs, since off-peak electricity usage is less expensive
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Step 4
ONLY RUN THE WASHING MACHINE OR DISH WASHER WHEN IT'S FULL: Running partial loads of laundry or running a dish washer that's half full wastes water and money. So save on water bills by only using the clothes washer or dish washer when you have enough for a full load.
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Step 5
KEEP YOUR HOME AT A FAIRLY STABLE TEMPERATURE: It's always a good idea to use a programmable thermostat that will automatically raise or lower the thermostat setting by a few degrees depending on the time of day. But avoid dramatic changes in home temperature; the home heating system or cooling system will have to work extra hard to compensate. It actually costs less money to keep your home at a more stable temperature.
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Step 6
TURN OFF THE LIGHTS TO SAVE ON ELECTRICITY BILLS: If you're not in the room, turn off the light. You may leave the light on and walk out of the living room, intending to return a minute later, but it's not unusual for a person to get side tracked and before you know it, the living room lights have been on for hours with nobody in the room! It's a waste of electricity and it results in higher utility bills. Also avoid leaving unnecessary lights on. A porch light is a prime example; if you're not expecting someone, turn the porch light off. If safety is a consideration, install timers or motion-sensor lights on the home's exterior.
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Step 7
SAVE ELECTRICITY BY SWITCHING YOUR LIGHT BULBS: When a light bulb burns out, replace it with an energy efficient light bulb that uses less electricity. The energy efficient light bulbs do cost more, but they save electricity over time and they last longer, which ultimately results in money savings.
Comments
moikehagirl said
on 4/2/2009 wow i never thought about tip #3 i will try it!
tachic said
on 3/4/2009 Great suggestions.
surly-mac said
on 3/2/2009 Very good stuff and I need to save all the nickels I can. Thanks for well-written and informative article.
PaulMcDaniel said
on 3/2/2009 Thanks for these suggestions on how to save money on a utility bill! Great article!
alcor805 said
on 3/2/2009 Your water heater can consume up to 30% of your power. I wrote an article about how to reduce it's energy consumption. Your article is excellent. 5*