Reducing Electricity Usage = Reducing Electric Bills
Next to your mortgage, homeowners insurance, and taxes… the next major home expenses are electric bills. There was a time when electricity was used to run one light bulb and a radio but not much more. Modern homes use electricity for light, heat, refrigeration, cooking, washing dishes and clothes, heating water, entertainment, computers, and air-conditioning.
Here are some tricks to help you bring your electric bills under control:
- Get an affordable monthly payment plan: Most electric companies charge per unit usage, meaning that during times of high usage such as when you run a lot of heating or Air-conditioning your monthly bill will be much higher than during times of lower usage. Years ago you didn’t have any choice… you had to buy electricity from the local utility. But today you can choose who your electricity comes from. Because of the opportunity to choose,  there may be companies that offer a level payment plan from which you can choose. Look at your current monthly electric bill to determine your usage. You may be able to go online and see your kilowatt usage month-by-month for an entire year. Some plans allow for differing rates depending on the time of day.
Next conduct market research to look for a plan that can cover your usage with a lower cost. Can you shift your laundry and diswashing to the off-peak hours? Can you put a timer on your water heater? If so, you may be able to save some money with an off-peak payment plan. At the least, a level payment plan will allow you to pay the same every month allowing you to budget for your expenses better.
- Buy energy-efficient products : Nowadays many devices are available that use less electricity but give the same output. These are called energy-efficient devices as they use less electricity thus saving you on electricity bills. They are often labeled with energy stars showing that they consume less electricity. So whenever you purchase any electric appliance make sure you check the label. You can save some money on your bills by using the right electrical devices. For example, using compact florescent bulbs instead of regular light bulbs is more economical and consumes less power. High quality L.E.D lights can also be a favorable option if you are thinking of ceiling lights.
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What an electric bill! —Flickr.com Switch it off isn’t enough: Make a habit of switching off the fans, lights, or appliances when not in use. Remember, what your Mom used to tell you, “Turn the lights off when you leave the room”. But these days that’s not enough. Many modern products like laptops, printers, audio and video equipment have an “adapter” because the item actually runs on D.C. power, unfortunately, these adapters are constantly using power even if the device itself is not on. To save electricity on this type of device you must unplug them.
- Minimize use of luxury devices: If you can minimize the use of luxury electrical devices such as air conditioners, electric heaters, clothes dryers, or dishwashers. Â Instead of using an air conditioner you you may be able to ventilate your room naturally. Keep the windows open so you can get some fresh air. Also, use fans when it becomes warmer. For heating, only heat rooms you are using. For drying clothes too you can use clothes lines instead of an electric clothes dryer. By using some of these frugal ways you can save a considerable amount on your electricity bills.
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