How to Save Money On Your Winter Electric Bill

Lower the cost of your winter electric bill.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• A little time and energy.

1. Lower your thermostat to 68 degrees during the daytime.

2. Turn your heat off while sleeping and bury yourself under covers or an electric blanket to keep warm. If you have just dried a load of clothes, lay the still-warm clothes on top of your comforter.

3. Wear two pairs of socks, pants, and long sleeves while in your house during the day and while you are sleeping. In other words, dress as if it's winter! Do you really need to watch TV without pants on in the middle of February?

4. Shut the doors and close the vents to rooms you don't use daily.

5. Shut blinds and curtains. Buy double insulated curtains for your windows or just sew a bedsheet on the inside of your existing curtains.

6. Use your oven sparingly but when you do, leave the oven door open after you are finished to warm up the room.

7. Run the dishwasher only when it is full.

8. Keep the refrigerator door shut.

9. Run a space heater in the room you are occupying while closing the door. Avoid opening the door excessively and the room will heat up quickly.

10. Place towels or sheets at the bottoms of doors that open to the outside or to rooms that you have shut off from the heat.

Tips & Warnings

• Install a programmable thermostat to save even more money. Set it to lower to 60-65 degrees during days when you are away from the house.
• Do not turn your heat off at night if the weather outside is 32 degrees or lower.

Resources

• Buy a Programmable Thermostat on Amazon.com for $20
• Insulated Window Curtains
• Honeywell Quick-Heat Space Heater
• Sunbeam Fleece Electric Blanket

[mazong]

on 12/15/2009 Our climate gives us a break in Bay Area Texas...but the cold can seem wet sometimes...we do some of the tips you suggest and have learned a couple more! THX for sharing..5* recmd

[rakhib]

on 12/11/2009 gr8 post.5* and a recc

[mrmarriage]

on 11/22/2009 Easy tips that are practical and usable. Thanks,
Brett Mr. Marriage

[jeni10]

on 11/21/2009 Great tips on how to save money on your winter electric bill. I do some of these things, but not all. Thanks for sharing your insights. 5* and I recommend.

[meme007]

on 10/31/2009 Excellent article. These are things not everyone thinks of but definitely do help. I always leave my AC and heater "barely on". Love the idea of sewing bed sheets onto curtains for a liner.....very good idea! 5*