How to Lower Your Electric Bill Immediately

With sky rocketing utility bills and shrinking family budgets, most households are looking for ways to make ends meet. We either must increase income or decrease expenses. Lowering your family's monthly electric bill will help cut expenses dramtically, but is fast and easy to do.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Phillips Head Screwdriver
• Slotted Head Screw Driver

1. Go around your house and unplug all appliances that are not currently in use. Anything with a clock, memory or a fan costs you money, even when it is turned off.

2. Turn down your hot water heater. Go to the control panel of the heater. Use one of the screw drivers to take off the cover. Inside will be a thermostat. Turn it down so that you do not have to use any cold water along with the hot to make the water temperature comfortable and safe. Replace cover back on heater.

3. Turn off hot water heater when not in use. You can do this at the electric breaker box. This means that your water heater is not costing you money when you aren't using it. This may save you up to 30 dollars in one month alone! Just be sure to turn it back on about 30 minutes prior to next use.

4. Make sure all outside lights are on a timer. Making certain they are not running after daylight or before dark will always save your family money.

Tips & Warnings

• You can also insulate your hot water heater, or put it on a timer.
• Turning off all lights when not in a room helps also.
• Be careful around all electrical sources.
• Be sure to test the water temperature after adjusting water heater.