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1. Do a Self-Audit
Doing a self-audit on your power usage is a great place to start. If you want to know where you are using power and where you could cut down, this is the best idea! Go through your home and make note of everything you use electricity for in your home, inspect your home for drafts/air leaks, and inspect the quality of your insulation.
You can also use online recommendations to help you complete your self-audit. I recommend using this website for the best results! Use the recommendations to make some changes around your home for better electricity usage and a cheaper power bill!
If you don’t feel comfortable performing an audit on your electricity use, you can always call in an expert. Contact your local power company to see if they can send out someone to perform an audit for you!
2. Act on the Audit Results
Go through your home and use the recommendations from your audit to make changes that will help with your power bill.
3. Turn off the Lights
If you grew up with a mom like mine, this isn’t an issue. If you didn’t, then this is something you need to work on. It’s simple, when you leave a room, make sure to turn off the lights so that unnecessary electricity isn’t being used. Make sure to remind your children to do this as well! Leaving the lights on can drain your energy bill, and turning them off can add up to save you a lot of money throughout the year. This is a habit of mine now, and someday it can be for you too.
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4. Change the Light Bulbs
I love to use LED energy-saving light bulbs to help cut down on my electricity bill. LED light bulbs may cost more upfront, but over time they will save you money. They last longer, and they use less energy than regular light bulbs! Take the time to switch your light bulbs now to start saving money on your power bill.
5. Unplug Appliances & Electronics
Did you know that most of your appliances and electronics still use power even when they are turned off? This is called phantom energy. By unplugging them, or using a power strip and turning it off, you can save money! This is a super simple way to save money on something you are not even using!
6. Check for Drafts
Is the air and heat in your home escaping through drafts under the door and windows? Make sure your windows are sealed shut, and the doors are sealing when they are shut. Doing this is an easy way to save money! It is cheap to make sure your home is sealed up good and that no air/heat is leaking out!
7. Insulate Electrical Outlets
I never even knew this was a thing until my mom told me a few WEEKS ago that she did this at her house. Heat and air can be lost through the hoes in your electrical outlets. Crazy, right? You can buy small pieces of insulation to put behind your outlets to help keep heat and air from escaping in all areas of your home! This is a simple and cheap idea to help use less power trying to heat and cool your home!
8. Line Dry Your Laundry
This may seem old school, but line drying your laundry can save you a good bit of money! I do this with many of my clothing items, but not all of them. It helps cut down on the number of loads I have to dry. It’s simple and such an easy way to cut down on your power bill.
9. Run Appliances when Full
If you decide to not line dry your laundry, make sure to only run the dryer when full. That goes for the washing machine and dishwasher as well! Running small loads in your appliances can be a waste of money! Make sure they are full so that you can run fewer loads and overall save money.
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10. Use Ceiling Fans
Using ceiling fans can help cut down on the electrical bill by helping to circulate the air throughout your home. This will keep your air conditioning unit from having to work so hard and using less energy!
11. Replace the Air Filter
Replacing the air filter seems like a daunting task. I know my husband hates to do it because we have two and one of them is under the house. BUT this is a huge energy saver. When you have a dirty filter, it causes your HVAC system to use much more energy than it does with a clean filter. I suggest replacing every 2-3 months.
12. Adjust Your Thermostat
If you have an old school thermostat (like me), make sure to adjust it when you leave for work and in the evenings when you go to bed. Make sure to turn it down in the winter and turn it up in the summer. No need to have it running while you are gone or asleep! I would adjust it 5-10 degrees to see the best results on lowering your power bill.
If you have a smart thermostat (or programmable thermostat), make sure to program it to turn up or down when you are sleeping and when you are not home! Or, if you forget you can adjust it from your phone when you are not at the house (if you have a smart thermostat).
13. Adjust Temperature on Refrigerator
Make sure your refrigerator isn’t set too low. Adjust the setting so that it is keeping the food fresh, but not working too hard to keep it too cold. Do the same thing with the freezer and you will be on your way to saving a little money each year on your power bill.
14. Lower the Temperature on the Hot Water Heater
This really works! I started doing this last year and noticed a slight decrease in my power bill. Try lowering it a few degrees at a time and find a happy medium. Find a degree that is still warm enough for you, but will also help lower your power bill.
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15. Use Cold Water for Laundry
Using cold water for your laundry will help save you money! By doing this, the hot water heater isn’t having to run to warm up the water for your laundry.
16. Insulate your Home
About a year ago, my husband and I spent the money to insulate our attic. We noticed our bedroom was always much colder than the rest of our house and the attic is right above it. After we insulated it, we don’t have this problem anymore! We also don’t have to crank the heat up to get it warmer. Spending that money to insulate it will save us money in the winter.
17. Do Maintenance
Make sure to maintain proper maintenance on all your home appliances including your hot water heater and HVAC unit. Doing regular maintenance will ensure that your appliances are running properly and efficiently.
I hope these tips help you save some money on your power bill in the next few months! Don’t forget to connect with me on social media!
Until next time,
Catherine
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