Whether you are a family of five or just a single unmarried Millennial trying to make ends meet, one thing you can count on is for your electricity bill to eat up a major portion of your monthly expenses. It seems as though the more you make, the more goes out the window on paying bills and somehow this just doesn’t seem fair. What would you say if you were told that you can literally cut your electricity bill by as much as 25% to 50% each and every month? Well, you really can and here are the top 3 ways to lower your monthly electricity bills.
1. Don’t Just Turn It Off – Unplug It!
Although it is good advice to go around at night, making sure everything is turned off, it isn’t enough because power is still being pulled when those devices are left plugged in. Did you know that literally every appliance and electronic device continues to draw a trickle of power when plugged into the wall? You can save as much as 10% to 15% of your bill each and every month by unplugging everything that is not in use at the moment. The worst culprits are computers, laptops and cell phones. These continue charging even when turned off and will continue drawing power throughout the night if left plugged in. Once those devices are charged, unplug them!
2. Shop Online for Cheaper Rates
Did you know that you often have the option of choosing your electricity supplier because the industry has been deregulated? You can often find much cheaper electricity rates by simply doing a comparison online to find a company that has the lowest rates in your area. It may not sound like you are saving a lot, but over the course of a year, those little bits of savings add up to a whole lot dollar-wise. Check it out to see for yourself.
3. Invest in Energy Star Appliances
Even though most reputable companies already have Energy Star rated appliances and electronics, there are still those floating around that are not as efficient as they should be – even when the government mandated that everyone go green with technology. You may have older appliances still operational around the house, but it just might be worth your while to upgrade to an Energy Star certified product. Not only will you be saving money on the cost of electricity but you will find that many of these are time savers as well. Some use less water (i.e. dishwashers, washing machines etc.) and can help you cut costs there in addition to what you are already saving on power.
Alongside changing out those old light bulbs to CFLs or LEDs, there are other tricks you can use to cut back on the power you are using. Have you thought about solar chargers for your electronics? You’ll almost never need to plug them into a wall socket again after buying something that only costs less than $100 in most cases and can save triple or quadruple that in a year’s time. You can save money on your monthly electricity bill so why wait? These few tips are only the beginning!