Have you had it with outrageous utility bills? Are you scratching your head over where the big figures are coming from? Don’t worry, you’re not alone; an average family spends anywhere from 110 to 195 dollars on utility bills every month, and that costs piles up over time.
But that doesn’t have to be the case.
There are plenty of ways you can cut back on your utility costs without having to make any major changes. The secret to efficient living is in the details. We have compiled a list of some magical money-saving tips you can use in your everyday life. With these tips, you’ll be cutting your bills by as much as 30% without noticing the difference!
1. Get the latest energy-star appliances
That old washing machine that you got on sale for a ‘sweet discount’ is not so cheap in reality. Appliances from 10-12 years ago are built with tech from that time as well. When these were made, there weren’t a lot of energy-efficient resources or technology available.
The latest appliances, on the other hand, are made with a particular emphasis on energy saving. Whether it’s the material, the natural tight-lock fridge door that keeps cool air trapped, or the heating system of a microwave – today’s energy-star appliances are the key to cost-efficiency.
You might think they cost too much, but getting an appliance that saves 40-50% on energy cost will save you a lot more in the long run.
2. Run full loads of laundry
This might seem like an insignificant suggestion, but running full loads of laundry instead of partial ones can make a big dent in your electricity bill over time. It is especially true if you have many members in your family and equally as many clothes to wash regularly.
You should start timing laundry day in a way that cuts down on the number of laundry hours. For example, washing ten clothes on Sunday is better than washing five on Friday and five on Sunday.
3. Use an electric tankless water heater
One of the best ways to drastically cut down your electricity bill is to change which water heater you use. This is especially true for winter seasons or if you live in a cold area. Since you are running hot water all day long -from bathing to doing the dishes- it’s a great place to cut your energy costs.
You can do this by simply switching to an electric tankless water heater. If you use a traditional water heater, which has a tank, you are essentially paying to heat a lot of water you won’t be using anyway. This is because when hot water is stored in a tank, it gradually cools down, and more heat is needed to re-heat it. Like the name implies, an “electric tankless water heater” does not store water but instantly heats it whenever required. This can save you up to 35% in electricity bills. You can browse through some of the best electric tankless water heating options available at best-osmosis-systems.com.
The best part is, it is an entirely passive way of cutting down electricity costs because you aren’t changing stuff from your routine.
4. Switch to dimmer plug switches
This tip is not only energy-efficient, but it also gives you the power to set the visual mood of the room according to the situation. Gone are the days of the binary option of lights on or lights off. Instead, if you switch to a dimmer plug, you can control the brightness of light in your living space.
You might not feel the difference immediately, but at the time of the monthly bill, you’ll see that it saved you money. This is because most of the activities we do throughout the day don’t require high-brightness tube lights. So, lowering your utility bill is literally within arms reach with these smart dimmer plugs.
5. Put up ceiling fans
Like electric tankless water heaters help you save money in the winters, this tip will help you cut down costs in summers. Installing ceiling fans can help you reduce electricity bills as it facilitates the air conditioner.
A ceiling fan keeps the air in a room constantly circulating, which means that your air conditioner won’t have to carry the burden of keeping the temperature constant on its own.
6. Keep your fridge loaded
This is a personal favorite tip of ours -for obvious reasons. For some, it can be an excuse to restock frozen snacks and chocolates in the fridge, but it’s a pretty decent way to make the machine more efficient in cooling.
An empty fridge is minimally insulated because there’s a lot of open air inside. The moment you open the door of the refrigerator, air escapes. The food in a loaded fridge, on the other hand, keeps it insulated. This way, there’s a minimal loss of cooling that makes your fridge conserve energy.
7. Get smart power strips
A big contributor to your electric bills is the tech devices like your television or desktop PC. When you leave a device plugged without powering off, you send it in sleep or standby mode instead. A lot of people don’t realize that in this state, their device is consuming an amount of energy that piles up to higher costs. Think of it as leaving the faucet dripping, the energy consumption might not seem like a lot, but it will eventually pile up.
The simple solution to this is smart power strips. A smart power strip will automatically turn off the energy supply to your device when it is not in use. This, again, is a passive way to lower your electric bill, without making any changes to your habits.
Conclusion
In conclusion, there’s a lot of money wasted on utility bills when you aren’t even using that amount of energy. And cutting those costs doesn’t need to be a big change to your daily habits. Instead, it can be achieved by simply following these few handy tips and tricks above.
