How To Lower Your Electric Bill And Save Some Cash

Tell me if you know how this feels. You go to your mailbox and see a letter from your electric service provider. You open it, and your jaw drops to the floor looking at the bill. “How in the hell did I use up almost $200 of electricity this month?!” I know, I’ve experienced this before!

There are ways to prevent this! You can do some things to lower your electric bill, and save some cash while you’re at it!

Here are 10 great ways you can lower your electric bill and save some money.

1. Check your thermostat

Here’s a simple rule to follow. Keep your thermostat set higher in the summertime and lower in the wintertime. I know, you want to be as comfortable as possible 100% of the time, but your wallet thinks otherwise.

Constantly changing your thermostat can cost you a lot of energy. Instead, set a comfortable temperature and leave it there. If it gets too cold, get a blanket or more clothing. If it gets too hot, then consider using a fan or losing some of your clothing.

One more trick up your sleeve is to get yourself a smart thermostat that automatically saves you the most energy by optimizing how your Central Heating and Cooling works. You have a wide variety of options when it comes to these, but I highly recommend something like the ecobee SmartThermostat or the Nest thermostat. I have one of these, it’s amazing!

2. Get LED lightbulbs

Go through your house and check your light bulbs. If you have older incandescent light bulbs, replace them with modern LED bulbs.

In the past, LED lights used to cost more than the older traditional incandescent bulbs. Nowadays, you might actually find that LED bulbs cost much less.

These types of bulbs don’t waste as much energy, so definitely work on getting those old bulbs replaced. They are wasting a lot of energy and hiking up your electric bill!

3. Raise your fridge’s temperature

Did you know that you really don’t need to set your refrigerator any lower than 40 degrees Fahrenheit? When you bought you fridge, you probably left it at its default settings that are lower than 40 degrees. This is simply wasting electricity.

The same can also be said for the freezer. Anything lower than 0 degrees Fahrenheit is also a waste. So make sure to check what temperature your freezer is set at, and increase the temperature if needed. This will definitely save you money it is very easy to do. If you aren’t sure how to do this, check out your fridge’s manual.

4. Unplug unused electronics

When you turn something off, sometimes it still uses electricity. Look at your TV for example. Once you turn it off, you might still see a little red light Illuminated. This means that it’s still using up electricity. It might be very little, but it adds up when you have multiple electronics plugged in.

Consider fully unplugging any unused electronics around your house. It might seem useless and unnecessary but it all adds up and do some pretty decent savings on lowering your electric bill. To make your life a little bit easier, consider using a power strip that has one switch that you can turn on and off.

Heck, if you want to get super fancy, you can get a wireless power strip that you can control on your phone to wirelessly unplug your devices. Super handy and way less inconvenient.

5. Don’t cook using the oven often

Hey, that rhymes 🙂

When you use the oven for cooking, it uses a very significant amount of energy to heat up. If you are cooking something small like a couple of pieces of chicken, then consider using the stovetop instead.

An oven is basically a big box that uses huge amounts of electricity to heat up the elements. It takes a huge amount of energy to heat up to the desired temperature and to maintain it. So always opt to use toasters, stovetops, or even microwaves to cook and heat up smaller items.

6. Check your air filter

If you have a clogged and dirty air filter, your central air has to work harder to push air through the dirt. This means that you are using more energy to move air.

So take a second to check out your air conditioner and replace your air filter as needed. It’s recommended that you replace your filters every 3 to 4 months. This is especially true if you have pets. Your air filter will clog up faster, so make sure to check it regularly.

7. Use energy efficient appliances

If you have super old appliances, they are most likely using way too much electricity. Newer and more energy-efficient appliances are designed to use as little energy as possible.

Things like an old microwave, old stove, or old dishwasher use a significant amount of energy. If you have the funds and budgets to upgrade your appliances, then this will pay for itself in the long run. You can see a dramatic decrease in your electric bill once you have upgraded your old appliances.

8. Seal up drafts around your home

This one is a big one on your electric bill. Go around your home and check for drafts of air that are entering your home. An easy way to do this is to light a candle and waive it around you closed windows and doors.

If you detect a breeze/draft entering the home, this is a huge waste of electricity. When you run your heating, all the heat will escape through those gaps. The same applies when you run your AC, all the cold will also escape the home. This will just make your central air work harder to maintain your set temperature.

Good caulking or hiring a handyman can help in sealing off those drafts that are entering the home.

9. Lower your water heater temperature

You might not have known this but your water heater actually has a little dial to adjust the temperature. If you have ever thought that your water was way too hot, then your water heater temperature might be set too high.

You can go over to your water heater and adjust the temperature by slightly lowering it. It might not make a big difference in how the water feels, but your water heater won’t work as hard to maintain a super high temperature. Definitely an easy fix with very high potential savings.

10. Wash your clothes in cold water

If you have a washing machine, then always set it to cold when washing your clothes. Not only is it better for your clothing to wash it cold, but it also helps you save energy too.

Final thoughts

These 10 steps are some of the best ways that you can save energy and lower your electric bill. If you already have done all 10 and still want to further lower your bill, there’s one more trick you can try.

Reach out to your utility provider and talk to them about lowering your bill. Depending on your provider, they may provide incentives for budget billing or by using less electricity during peak hours.

You might be surprised how much you are able to negotiate with your utility provider, so give them a call. There’s nothing to lose 🙂

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