Cutting The High Cost of Living: Saving Money On Electricity

SAVING MONEY ON ELECTRIC BILLS

In a time when money seems to be going out faster than we can make it, money saving tips are all the rage.

Most of us think we have all the necessary information for saving money but sometimes a little refresher course can do all of us a lot of good.

Take electricity for instance. Examine some of these money-saving tips and see if there are some that might help you chop off a little bit of that monthly drain on your wallet.

HOW TO SAVE MORE MONEY ON ELECTRICITY

Turn me on. If I'm a light and you turn me on, turn me off when you're done. It sounds like a simple enough concept but think about how often we leave lights on when "nobody's home."

Don't light up my life. Use table lamps for working rather than using overhead lights to see at your desk.

Be a dimwit. If you are using incandescent bulbs, use dimmer switches to use less light and thus save on electricity.

Trade up to fluorescent. If you're using incandescent bulbs, you can save lots of money over time by replacing them with compact fluorescent bulbs. The outlay is more but the savings are worth the investment.

TIP: Look for great deals on compact fluorescent bulbs at Costco and other warehouse stores. You can save a bundle by buying in bulk!

SHAVING MONEY OFF THE ELECTRIC BILL

Keep it clean.  Lamps and fixtures need to be free of dust to function most efficiently.  Don't forget to clean frequently.

Cool it.  Turn down the AC (or move up the temp) and use more fans.  Open windows to get cross circulation through your home to cool it naturally.

Go on autopilot.  If you're gone, set AC to a higher temp and heat to a lower temp.  Program it to go to 75 in summer and 68 in winter when home.  That way you save money and you don't even have to think about it.

Here comes the sun.  Use the sun's natural heat in winter by letting in more light.  Use shades, blinds and curtains to block out the sun in hot weather to keep your home cooler. 

Vent-i-llate.  Ventillate to your heart's content in summer. Use the natural temperatures outside to cool your house or keep it at an even temperature. 

Some like it hot.  But not too hot in summer....Use dishwashers, ovens, washers and dryers in the coolest part of the day to reduce heat inside and keep the house cool.  Use alternatives to the oven like crock pots, toaster ovens or BBQ's for cooking.

The big chill.  Keep fridge temps from 2-5 degrees Celsius, 36-42 Fahrenheit.  Freezers should be -18 Celsius or 0 degrees Fahrenheit to run the most energy efficiently.

Spring thaw.  Defrost items from the freezer in the fridge ahead of time rather than using the microwave.

Take the heat off.  Turn down the speed on your hair dryer.  Save your scalp while saving on electricity.

Flip it off.  Turn off computers, printers, answering machines, cable TV converters, DVD players, TV's, radios etc. when not in use and unplug. You thus avoid the vampire effect of electricity.  Just because it's off doesn't mean it's not draining electricity.

Be full of it.  Only run dishwashers and washing machines when you have a full load if at all possible.  Air dry to save cash on your dishwasher's pull.  Wash clothing on cold to save money and dry on settings that sense when clothes are dry to avoid over-drying.  Use appropriate water levels for the clothes in the washer to save more money.

Get it right the first time.  Buy energy efficient appliances and save money from the get go.  Make sure you keep up with the maintenance on appliances and clean them periodically, removing dust from underneath, etc. to keep them running efficiently.  Anything running efficiently will save you money and use less energy.

SAVING MONEY ON HOUSEHOLD EXPENSES - CUTTING THE PRICE OF YOUR ELECTRIC BILL

There are many ways that we can all trim down our household expenses each and every month.  But an equally important factor is what we do to help save resources. 

By using less electricity, we contribute in our own way to being energy conscious and not using more than we need down to a person. 

We only get one shot at this thing called our planet and I believe if we all conserve here and there, it will have a cumulative powerful effect on reducing waste and making the world a better place. 

Thinking of green ways as well such as solar panels and alternative methods of heating and cooling are vital green strategies that are becoming more and more prevalent.  Embrace these whenever possible and investigate alternatives to "standard" electricity sources.

It doesn't hurt that these things will also put money back into your wallet by cutting your costs. 

If you have more money saving ideas on how to save money on electricity, please share them below in the comments section.