Housing ReliefWhat’s your biggest monthly expense? It’s probably your rent or mortgage. What comes after that? If you’re like many, it could be your utility bill.
While you can’t get rid of your utility bill completely, you can surely reduce it to make the expense more manageable. Here are some tips that can help you reach that goal. Do enough of them, and you could slash your electric bill in half.
1. Get a free energy audit.
Before you start implementing ways to reduce your electricity usage, it’s a good idea to figure out exactly where you stand. An energy audit can do this, and some utility companies offer this service at no cost.
Contact your electricity provider to see if they can perform a free audit. If they can’t, you can do it on your own with a little online research.
2. Install LED lighting.
Would you like to reduce your lighting costs by as much as 90 percent? LED lighting can do so, making it a smart investment.
3. Eliminate phantom energy.
Even though your electronic devices may be “off,” they could still be using energy if they’re plugged in. This “phantom energy” can account for 75 percent of your usage, so it makes sense to unplug devices when they’re not in use.
If unplugging each device seems like a hassle, invest in some inexpensive power strips. You can use them to turn off multiple devices at once when you leave the room.
4. Clean your refrigerator.
Try to clean your refrigerator coils every three months. It will not only extend the life of your fridge, so you don’t have to buy a new one, but it’ll also make it more energy-efficient.
5. Fill your refrigerator.
Besides always having food handy, here’s another reason to keep your fridge well-stocked: It can reduce electricity usage.
The more stuff you have in your fridge, the more insulated it’ll be. This makes it easier for it to stay cool.
6. Turn your stove off sooner.
When your food is almost done cooking on the stovetop, turn it off. The built-up heat can continue to cook your food without using extra electricity.
7. When using the dishwasher, turn off heat dry.
It takes a lot of energy to heat water when drying your dishes in the dishwasher. Dry them by hand and let the washer do all of the “dirty work,” and you’ll save electricity.
8. Use fans more.
What’s one of the biggest energy consumers in any home? The air conditioner. Install affordable ceiling fans that use less energy, and you can keep your cooling costs down.
9. Install tinted window film.
Sunlight that enters your windows can heat your home and increase your cooling costs. With tinted window film, you can keep the sunlight out to keep those cooling costs from getting out of hand.
If you don’t want to install window film, keep your blinds closed.
10. Dry your laundry manually.
Do you live in an area with plenty of sunlight? If so, put it to use by line drying your laundry. It costs almost nothing to tie a line to put your clothes on, and it eliminates the need for your dryer, which’s a known electricity hog.
11. See if you qualify for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)
With LIHEAP, you can get help paying your electric bill with funding from the government.
