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Step 1
Keep your thermostat at a reasonable temperature. This means between 78 and 82 in the summer and 60 to 65 in the winter. Also, use ceiling fans if you have them, and considering installing them if you don't. These consume less power than air conditioning.
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Step 2
Assess your appliances. You can test how much energy an appliance draws by using a tool called the Kill-A-Watt by a company called P3 International. This tool, which can be purchased through online vendors such as Amazon, plugs into any electrical outlet. You then plug any electronic device or appliance directly into the Kill-A-Watt. Test the appliance for as long as you choose. When done testing, hit a button on the device and an LCD screen will show you the KWH (a common measure of energy consumption) for the appliance. You can then determine by looking at your power bill or contacting your power company how much you pay per KWH. If you have appliances that drain large amounts of power, or are looking into replacing old appliances anyway, ask the sales associate for the most energy-efficient models when you shop for new appliances.
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Step 3
Use appliances wisely. Central air and heating use the most electricity, followed by the water heater and clothes dryer. Space heaters and hair dryers are also energy sucker, so use them as sparingly as possible. Also, use common sense in turning off lights in empty rooms and before you leave, not leaving the TV on when you aren't watching it and turning off computers, printers, faxes, etc. when you aren't using them.
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Step 4
Use compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFL). According to Energy Star, a qualified compact fluorescent light bulb (CFL) costs $30 less over its lifetime than incandescent light bulbs, using 75 percent less energy and lasting 10 times longer. Replace your bulbs to use less energy and save money.
