Looking to save money on your electric bill next month? Then start reading because you are going to love this post!
Saving money is one of my favorite things in the world. I admit that I love money, and I love saving money. Since writing about my financial journey, I have found many ways to make money and many ways to save money.
Today I wanted to write about how to save money on your electric bill, and how simple it is to save money on your electric bill.
When you are on a tight budget and you want to cut some expenses, the best way is to start on categories you can control, such as home bills. Finding ways to reduce your expenses will sure help you financially, and saving on your electric bill is one of them.
During Spring and Fall is when we pay less on our utilities, thanks to the weather. We take advantage of it and the savings the weather can provide us.
Unfortunately, summers are brutal, and dangerous at times, with high heat indexes. As much as we try to hold off using our air conditioners, we simply can't safely take the heat and just turn them on.
During my research on how to save money on electricity, I found interesting and useful ways to save on electricity. I also found interesting and EXPENSIVE ways to save money on electricity.
For example, painting our home roof white to reflect heat. This method works, and according to 1999 study by the Lawrence Berkley National Heat Island group, changing your roof to white reflects up to 80% of the sun's heat vs the 20% a black colored roof reflects.
This could save you quite a bit of money in cooling costs in the summer since there is a lot less heat coming in, which is great. However, not everyone is able to do it; especially when you are on a tight budget.
Read this fall money saving posts:
- 5 Unusual Fall Family Getaway Ideas To Try This Year
- The Best Halloween Wreath Ideas For Non-Crafters!
- 8 Tips On How To Not Spend Money This Month
The good news is that there are more ways to save money on your electric bill, that doesn't cost as much, and the whole entire family can help with as well. Here are five ways to save money on your electric bill that is painless and straightforward to do.
How To Save Money On Your Electric Bill
Turn off the lights
Yes, this might be the simplest way to save money on your electric bill, but how many times have you walked into an empty room and the lights are on?
Always make sure to turn on your lights only when needed, then turn them off before walking away. This will help to reduce energy consumption, and yes, save you money on your electric bill.
Use cold water when washing
Laundry detergents are now aimed to use in cold water, without leaving any stains. When you wash your laundry with hot water, or even warm water, your washer machine is using energy to heat up the water. To reduce the cost of electricity, stick to using cold water.
Run your large appliances during off-peak time
Electric companies have peak and off-peak rates for electricity. Running your large appliances, like the dishwasher or laundry machines, at night will save you money. According to CallMePower, common peak times are the following times:
- Late afternoon to early evening
- Summers & Winters
- Weekdays
- Non-Holidays
The best way to find your electric company peak and off-peak rates is by calling them or searching their website. Each state has a different peak and off-peak rate time.
Unplug unused electronics
Even if you are not using your electronic devices, if they are plugged in, they are still using power. Your DVD/BluRay player that you may use once a week, once a month or 3 times a year is still consuming power as long as it's plugged in.
This goes for almost all electronic devices and chargers as well. You may think that these things are only using a small amount of electricity, but add them all up and it could but the equivalent of leaving several lights on all day, every day. Simply unplug what you are not using at that moment, and you will see a difference in your bill.
Use blinds or curtains on your windows
This is simple enough, open the curtains during the winter to let the light in, and close them during warmer seasons to maintain a cool home. This goes for your doors' windows as well.
Conclusion
These painless 5 ways to save money on your electric bill will help you reduce your electric billing cost. There are many other ways to help you reduce the cost of your electric bill, but these tips, the entire family can do.
Assign your children the task to make sure all lights are turned off and make it into a game. These are good examples of how an entire family can help reduce the electricity bill, without spending more. This is just a start, but these are excellent ways to start saving money on your electric bill.
What other ways do you use to save money on your electric bill? Please share it with us.
Need help saving money on other home bills? Check out:
- How to Manage Your Bill Payments
- How to Save Money on Household Essentials
- How to Reduce Your Cable Bill
