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10 Easy Ways to Save Energy and Slash Your Utility Bill
Save Energy
One of the best ways to save money on your utility bill is to look for ways to save energy. Fortunately, there are many, many things that you can do to easily save money on your energy bill—and many of them are free! In this article I am going to share 10 ways that you can save money on your monthly utilities.
10 Simple Ways to Save Energy
When the summer and winter come along, it can make a big difference to your wallet to know how to save energy so you can save money on your utility bill. During the summer and winter months in particular, your electric bill can really put a dent in your checking account. And especially if you have a very large or a very old home, you could be spending $300 or $400 per month or more to heat or cool your home during the hottest and coldest parts of the season. I know that’s money you would rather be spending on other things! So read on to learn how you can save energy in order to save money on your monthly electric bill.
One of the best ways to save money on your utility bill is to look for ways to save energy. Fortunately, there are many, many things that you can do to easily save money on your energy bill—and many of them are free! In this article I am going to share 10 ways that you can save money on your monthly utilities.
10 Simple Ways to Save Energy
When the summer and winter come along, it can make a big difference to your wallet to know how to save energy so you can save money on your utility bill. During the summer and winter months in particular, your electric bill can really put a dent in your checking account. And especially if you have a very large or a very old home, you could be spending $300 or $400 per month or more to heat or cool your home during the hottest and coldest parts of the season. I know that’s money you would rather be spending on other things! So read on to learn how you can save energy in order to save money on your monthly electric bill.
10 TIPS |
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1. Turn down your furnace and turn up your AC to save energy.
One of the easiest things you can do (and doing so is free!) to save energy so that you can save money on your utilities is to turn down your furnace during the winter and turn up the temperature for your AC during the summer. To be most energy efficient, set your furnace at 62 degrees or lower during the winter, and set your air conditioner to 78 degrees or higher during the summer.
If you can, use fans or an evaporative cooler instead of an air conditioner, as they generally use only about one-third of the energy of central air.
Keeping the thermostat on a more economical setting may mean wearing warmer clothes (even inside) during the winter and wearing cooler clothes during the summer, or maybe having fans on or finding other ways to stay cool during the summer (like these great neck coolers). It may mean being just a little bit uncomfortable some of the time. But you’ll sure notice a difference on your monthly utility bill as you are able to save energy!
If you have a larger home, it may be more economical during the day to use space heaters and fans or window AC units in just the rooms that you are in at any given time so that you can keep the thermostat set at a lower (winter) or higher (summer) level for the rest of the home. We did this in our last home, which was about 1,000 square feet larger than this one, and it helped us lower our $400 a month winter energy bill to less than $200 a month.
2. Give your furnace and AC a tune-up, and replace the filters regularly to save energy.
To keep your HVAC system running efficiently, have it tuned up and maintained regularly, and replace the filters as needed.
3. Buy a programmable thermostat to save energy.
Another big tip for how to save money on your electric bill is to buy and use a programmable thermostat. Programmable thermostats can give you a good return on your money spent because they allow you to effortlessly set the thermostat higher (during the summer) and lower (during the winter) when you’re sleeping or away from your home while at work or even on vacation (if you’ll return on a weekend day, for example, when you might have the thermostat set differently than you would for a weekday).
4. Install ceiling fans throughout your home to save energy.
Install ceiling fans throughout your home to help keep heating and cooling bills down. Ceiling fans will help keep things cool in the summer and even help keep your home warmer in the winter by pushing the warm air (which tends to rise) down.
5. Wash your clothes in cold water to save energy.
Washing machines have improved so much in recent years that even washing your clothes in cold water will get them clean, so why not bank the savings?
6. Use your dishwasher less in order to save energy.
To save energy while doing the dishes, wait until your dishwasher is full before doing a load of dishes, and if you have only a few dishes, quickly wash them by hand and put them in a rack to dry to save even more energy and money. Want to save even more? Do your dishes by hand most of the time, like we usually do!
7. Replace old windows and doors.
You can save a lot of energy by replacing old windows (especially if they are single pane) or drafty doors. Though there will be a significant up-front cost, the money savings over time will be worth it if you plan to stay in your home for several years.
When we replaced the windows and the doors in our home, we found a contractor on Craigslist in order to save money on the installation, so look into that option in addition to Googling local installers.
8. Replace old appliances with more energy-efficient models.
When old appliances wear out, replace them with (gently used, if you’re willing) energy-efficient models.
9. Use localized or targeted heating and cooling.
By using localized or targeted heating cooling, you could potentially save a ton of money on your energy bill!
If you have a larger home, it may be more economical during the day to use fans or window AC units or electric heaters in just the rooms that you are in at any given time so that you can keep the thermostat set at a higher level or lower level for the rest of the home.
10. Use heavier curtains and blinds to help keep in or keep out the heat.
Another energy saving tip is to use thicker curtains to help prevent heat loss or heat gain through your windows. At night and during the day for windows that aren’t in direct sunlight, keep the curtains or blinds closed during the winter.
One of the easiest things you can do (and doing so is free!) to save energy so that you can save money on your utilities is to turn down your furnace during the winter and turn up the temperature for your AC during the summer. To be most energy efficient, set your furnace at 62 degrees or lower during the winter, and set your air conditioner to 78 degrees or higher during the summer.
If you can, use fans or an evaporative cooler instead of an air conditioner, as they generally use only about one-third of the energy of central air.
Keeping the thermostat on a more economical setting may mean wearing warmer clothes (even inside) during the winter and wearing cooler clothes during the summer, or maybe having fans on or finding other ways to stay cool during the summer (like these great neck coolers). It may mean being just a little bit uncomfortable some of the time. But you’ll sure notice a difference on your monthly utility bill as you are able to save energy!
If you have a larger home, it may be more economical during the day to use space heaters and fans or window AC units in just the rooms that you are in at any given time so that you can keep the thermostat set at a lower (winter) or higher (summer) level for the rest of the home. We did this in our last home, which was about 1,000 square feet larger than this one, and it helped us lower our $400 a month winter energy bill to less than $200 a month.
2. Give your furnace and AC a tune-up, and replace the filters regularly to save energy.
To keep your HVAC system running efficiently, have it tuned up and maintained regularly, and replace the filters as needed.
3. Buy a programmable thermostat to save energy.
Another big tip for how to save money on your electric bill is to buy and use a programmable thermostat. Programmable thermostats can give you a good return on your money spent because they allow you to effortlessly set the thermostat higher (during the summer) and lower (during the winter) when you’re sleeping or away from your home while at work or even on vacation (if you’ll return on a weekend day, for example, when you might have the thermostat set differently than you would for a weekday).
4. Install ceiling fans throughout your home to save energy.
Install ceiling fans throughout your home to help keep heating and cooling bills down. Ceiling fans will help keep things cool in the summer and even help keep your home warmer in the winter by pushing the warm air (which tends to rise) down.
5. Wash your clothes in cold water to save energy.
Washing machines have improved so much in recent years that even washing your clothes in cold water will get them clean, so why not bank the savings?
6. Use your dishwasher less in order to save energy.
To save energy while doing the dishes, wait until your dishwasher is full before doing a load of dishes, and if you have only a few dishes, quickly wash them by hand and put them in a rack to dry to save even more energy and money. Want to save even more? Do your dishes by hand most of the time, like we usually do!
7. Replace old windows and doors.
You can save a lot of energy by replacing old windows (especially if they are single pane) or drafty doors. Though there will be a significant up-front cost, the money savings over time will be worth it if you plan to stay in your home for several years.
When we replaced the windows and the doors in our home, we found a contractor on Craigslist in order to save money on the installation, so look into that option in addition to Googling local installers.
8. Replace old appliances with more energy-efficient models.
When old appliances wear out, replace them with (gently used, if you’re willing) energy-efficient models.
9. Use localized or targeted heating and cooling.
By using localized or targeted heating cooling, you could potentially save a ton of money on your energy bill!
If you have a larger home, it may be more economical during the day to use fans or window AC units or electric heaters in just the rooms that you are in at any given time so that you can keep the thermostat set at a higher level or lower level for the rest of the home.
10. Use heavier curtains and blinds to help keep in or keep out the heat.
Another energy saving tip is to use thicker curtains to help prevent heat loss or heat gain through your windows. At night and during the day for windows that aren’t in direct sunlight, keep the curtains or blinds closed during the winter.
BONUS TIPS! |
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11. Install plastic window coverings during the winter to save energy.
If you don’t have the money right now to replace to new, double pane windows, then purchasing and installing plastic window coverings can be a good, temporary way to save energy.
12. Turn down the thermostat and use more blankets at night during the winter.
Another simple energy saving tip is to use more blankets at night during the winter. If you can drop the thermostat down to 60 degrees or lower (like we used to before we had kids!) for the night, you can save a lot of money over the winter season.
13. Use an electric blanket.
Another way you can potentially save money on energy during the winter is to use an electric blanket at night. Though that of course uses some energy, if it keeps you warm enough that you can drop the furnace thermostat and keep your whole home at a lower temperature, you could come out way ahead.
14. Use a humidifier.
Another simple winter energy saving tip is to use a humidifier. By adding moisture to the air, a humidifier helps the air hold heat better. I love the cozy, warm feeling when using a humidifier!
If you don’t have the money right now to replace to new, double pane windows, then purchasing and installing plastic window coverings can be a good, temporary way to save energy.
12. Turn down the thermostat and use more blankets at night during the winter.
Another simple energy saving tip is to use more blankets at night during the winter. If you can drop the thermostat down to 60 degrees or lower (like we used to before we had kids!) for the night, you can save a lot of money over the winter season.
13. Use an electric blanket.
Another way you can potentially save money on energy during the winter is to use an electric blanket at night. Though that of course uses some energy, if it keeps you warm enough that you can drop the furnace thermostat and keep your whole home at a lower temperature, you could come out way ahead.
14. Use a humidifier.
Another simple winter energy saving tip is to use a humidifier. By adding moisture to the air, a humidifier helps the air hold heat better. I love the cozy, warm feeling when using a humidifier!
