Diy Methods to Save Money on Utility Bills

Utility bills are any living expense bills that are not mortgage or rent.

Some utility bills include: water, sewage, garbage, electricity, heat, cable and Internet.

If you are getting your utility bills in the mail and wondering how they got so high, this article will tell you ways to save money through energy savings.

While the economy is down and people are trying to save money, there are many small DIY projects you can do on your own.

There are many great DIY videos on YouTube and eHow.

You don't have to be a handyman to do these home repairs or these simple tricks.

There are many ways to lower their utility bills throughout the year.

Some bills are seasonal, so you will see a decrease in the amount you pay during that utilities peak season.

If a project seems difficult, call in a helpful friend or family member or a professional to help you out.

It is usually cheaper to have something fixed the first time, rather than paying for it to be fixed a second time.

To save money on your utility bills, there are many simple home repairs you can do on your own.

Try these DIY home repairs to save money and stay within your family budget!

• Find leaks and fix them. You can lose gallons of water each day on a slow leak. Not to mention the damage it can do to the floor underneath (and the floor and cabinet repair costs). Most leaks can be fixed with sealant or by replacing old washers.
• Use low-flow shower heads and faucets to reduce the amount of water you and your family use.
• Take shorter showers.
• Water your yard less often.
• Fill your washing machine and dishwasher completely before starting a load.

Sewage bills are related to water usage.

By following the steps above to reduce your water bill, you will also be reducing your sewage bill.

Most locations only have one sewage company to choose from, so there is no way to switch companies to find a lower price.

If you have more than one garbage can and pay a fee to rent them from the garbage company, try cutting down to one garbage can.

You can also cut down on the amount of garbage you send off by recycling.

See if the things you throw away could have another use too.

• Turn your refrigerator to a warmer setting (as long as it will not spoil the food inside).
• Close blinds and curtains when it is hot out to keep heat out of your house.
• Have a professional inspect your heating and air conditioning unit to make sure they are working at peak performance.
• Wash clothes with cold water.
• Fix any air leaks in walls and doorways.
• Unplug appliances when they are not in use.
• Use a power cord and flip the switch on it to turn everything off.
• Turn off lights when they are not in use.
• Install dimmer switches to your lights to reduce energy use.
• Use a crock-pot or slow-cooker to cook your food.
• Use fans to cool your house.
• Switch to CFL light bulbs.
• Replace air filters monthly.

• Wear layers of clothing to keep you warm during the winter.
• Turn the thermostat down.
• Use a programmable thermostat.
• Close your fireplace flue when your not using your fireplace.
• Use heavy curtains during the winter.
• Turn the temperature down on your water heater.
• Caulk windows to block the wind.
• Use door sweeps to block cool air from coming in under doors.
• Use weather-stripping around windows and doors.
• Insulate your house and attic area.

Do you need the special package or could you cut back to a more basic package? If you can cut back to Basic Cable, you will still get lots of great channels.

If you want to get rid of your cable bill completely, you could get rid of cable and use a service like Netflix or Hulu to get your movies and TV shows.

You could also rent tons of DVD's from the library to watch for free at home.

If you go to your favorite shows website, you may be able to watch episodes for free from their website.

Call your cable company to see if there are any deals going on that you can take advantage of.

Ask nicely and you could get free HBO and Showtime and money off your bill!

Look at how much you use the Internet.

Do you need the high-speed package or could you use a slower-speed for a lower bill each month?

There are also companies like Netzero.com that offer free Internet. In return, they are heavily advertised.

You could also get rid of your Internet all together and use the computers at the library to get on the Internet if you are close to a library or if you do not need to get on the Internet very often.

Also, you could go in with a neighbor on cable and share a WiFi signal so you can both get Internet.

If you are having trouble financially paying your needed utility bills (gas, electric, water and sewage), the utility company will normally work with you.

Look on your bill. You can normally find a section that says "Need help paying your bill". It will normally list a website, phone number or email address.

I like working with the website because it is right in front of me.

Go to the website, call or email them to find out what they need from you to get the process started.

Gather the documents that they require and send them to them. They normally need proof of employment, pay stubs and some identifying information.

They will process your information and contact you to let you know if you qualify for financial assistance through their company.

It is worth a try!