10 Ways to Save Money on Your Energy Bill Each Month
The warm weather months are coming up, and that means one thing: it's time to start figuring out how you can save money on your energy bill.
With the summer months being notoriously expensive for cooling bills, there are many ways to cut down on utility costs without sacrificing comfort or convenience.
Here are ten ways to save money on your energy bill each month!
Replace your light bulbs with LED lights to reduce energy consumption
Incandescent light bulbs are notoriously wasteful. A single bulb can use up to 90% of its energy just to create heat, with only 10% going toward producing light.
Now that it’s getting warmer outside, many people are considering how to save money on their energy bills. One of the best ways to do this is by replacing your light bulbs with LED lights.
LED lights use about 75% less energy than typical incandescent bulbs and last up to 25 times longer. That means you can save a lot of money in the long run while keeping your home bright and cozy during both the cold winter months and warm summer months.
LED light bulbs are a type of light bulb that was developed in the 1990s to provide a significant improvement over the common incandescent bulbs. LED lights are usually more expensive, but they use less wattage and last much longer than incandescent bulbs.
LED lights also emit a warmer color temperature than an incandescent bulb. If you're looking for a way to save money on your energy bill and energy levels, then changing out your old bulbs for LED bulbs can reduce your utility costs without sacrificing comfort or convenience!
Install an energy-efficient programmable thermostat to keep the home at an optimal temperature and save money on heating and cooling costs
With summer and winter being so tough on central heating and cooling systems, there are many ways to cut down on utility costs without sacrificing comfort or convenience. One of the best ways to do this is by installing an energy-efficient programmable thermostat that will keep the home at an optimal temperature and save money on heating and cooling costs. Programmable thermostats allow you to choose when (and how often) you want your furnace or air conditioner turned off in order to save money.
Programmable thermostats also offer a big advantage over traditional ones: they're fully automated, meaning that once they're set up correctly, they'll automatically adjust the temperature to save you money on your energy bill.
Programmable thermostats are a great way to reduce utility costs and still keep your home at an optimal temperature during the winter months. These devices can be installed by most novice DIY homeowners or renters, and will pay for themselves within a year or two!
Insulate and seal up all drafts in doors, windows, and other openings to stop energy from escaping
Insulation is a good idea for many reasons. It can help to keep your home warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer, it can prevent air from leaking into your house and causing mold growth, and it can even save you money on heating bills during the wintertime! Insulating and sealing up all drafts in doors, windows, and other openings can significantly reduce your utility costs without sacrificing comfort or convenience.
A great way to do this is to weatherstrip the bottoms of doors and around window edges, and seal air leaks using caulking or spray foam insulation. Another common method is to wrap your windows with either foam insulation boards or insulation curtains. The major benefit of this type of insulation is that it's easy to install and easy to remove when unneeded.
Another way you can insulate your home for less money is by purchasing plastic film at a big box store like Home Depot or Lowes. Plastic films are typically used during winter months in various households to keep cold drafts away. A good rule of thumb is that the thicker the film, the better it insulates.
Insulate under your flooring so that you don’t have cold drafts coming up through cracks in the floorboards. The reason for this is that the sound-dampening ceiling membrane reflects noise, so it's far less likely to carry from room to room. This will also assist keep sound from traveling more easily than before.
Insulation should be added to your attic, or to any unfinished crawl space or basement area. Attics and crawl spaces that are not insulated are notorious for allowing heat and air conditioning to escape.
Buy energy-efficient appliances, such as washing machines and dishwashers that use less energy than older models
Buying new energy-efficient appliances for your home can be one of the best ways to reduce utility costs without sacrificing comfort or convenience. There are many different types of appliances available on the market today, but some of them will save you more money in the long run by using less electricity than their predecessors.
Clean or replace air filters as needed so that they can do their job of filtering out particles for better indoor air quality
It's important to keep your air filters clean so they can do their job of filtering out particles for better indoor air quality, especially if pollen, smoke, or smog is a problem in your area.
The first step is to identify whether you have a traditional or electronic air filter. Electronic filters are newer and more efficient than traditional ones but require an outlet nearby in order to plug into power.
Once you've identified the type of filter your home uses, you'll want to remove it from its housing by pulling on one edge of the filter. Next, remove any debris that might be present by tapping gently with your hand or with a soft-bristled brush. For most electronic air filters, simply push the power button and let the unit cycle through its cleaning process until it's finished. For traditional filters, simply change out the old filter with a new one!
By adjusting the air filters regularly, you are not only helping keep your air quality high indoors, but you are helping your HVAC system run more efficiently, which will help prevent over-use and will save on heating and cooling costs.
Unplug appliances when not in use to prevent them from using power while plugged in
One of the best ways to reduce your utility bill is to unplug appliances when they aren't in use. You may be wasting electricity by plugging them in and forgetting to unplug them when done with the appliance. This is true for things like televisions, microwaves, computers, lamps, and more.
While it may not be practical to unplug every single appliance in your home, focus on the ones that may use the most power. (Don't unplug your refrigerator or freezer!)
If you have a smart meter in your home that's capable of monitoring energy usage for each appliance plugged into it, use the time to see what appliances are draining power when not in use. This will help you determine which ones need to be turned off and unplugged before leaving your home, and how much electricity is being used throughout the day by different devices.
Turn off all electronics when not in use (such as televisions, computers, etc.) - this includes charging stations for phones and tablets!
If unplugging electronics and appliances is not practical, your best bet would be to make sure you are turning off all unnecessary electronics when not in use. Try using a smart plug to automatically turn off or on appliances and electronics throughout the day. While the initial investment might be more upfront, the long-term benefits may be worth it.
Charging stations can use a lot of energy throughout the day, so keeping these off when not in use could make a difference.
In the Summer, Increase the temperature on your thermostat at night by a couple of degrees and throw off the covers at night instead
By increasing the temperature on your thermostat at night by a couple of degrees, you can conserve more energy while you sleep. However, you may not need the additional layers of blankets! If you find yourself uncomfortable, try using a fan and keep your bedroom door open at night instead. You can also look for cooling sheets to keep you cool if you're still getting too hot.
In the Winter, Reduce the temperature on your thermostat at night by a couple of degrees and bundle up at night instead
By lowering the temperature on your thermostat at night by a couple of degrees, you can conserve more energy while you sleep. Just make sure to bundle up with additional layers before going to bed! Wear a thermal or thick robe to keep warm. If you find yourself uncomfortable, try using a space heater at night instead.
You can also look for electric blankets to keep you warm if bundling up is not ideal. Just remember to unplug or turn off electric blankets when not in use. Most electric blankets use timed-heating technology so they automatically shut off after a period of time. This is important for both your safety and energy savings.
Close the blinds during the day to prevent heat from escaping your home
While it might be tempting to have the blinds open during the day, you're not necessarily benefiting from them. Keeping your blinds closed during the day can exponentially keep heat in during the winter months, while keeping your blinds closed during the summer months can prevent outside heat from coming in.
Investing in curtains could also help prevent the cool or heat from escaping through windows, as the curtains can be pulled shut when not in use. Curtains are typically more affordable than blinds but may not necessarily cover as much of the window if not properly sized. It would be best to measure the width of the ideal space you need to cover and then add about 20% extra for aesthetics and functionality. That way you can hang them so that they cover an entire window and you get the most benefit of keeping heat indoors. Just make sure they're not too long that they touch the floor, or you may need to get them hemmed.
Plant wind and sun-blocking trees around your home to help keep your home warm in the winter and cool in the summer
With longer days and harsh sunlight in the summer, our air conditioners have to work harder than usual. But did you know that proper landscaping design with the right shade tree choices can help reduce energy consumption too? U.S households could save about 15%-30% on yearly electricity bills by ensuring they are shaded from direct sun rays throughout most of their homes' exterior surfaces during hot weather months.
Just as you can plant sun-loving plants in the summer to help keep cool, planting wind-blocking trees is helpful during the winter. Doing so is an environmentally-friendly way of keeping your home comfortable.
Trees are often our friend when it comes to winter. They provide us with much-needed wind barriers, which in turn reduces the amount of heat escaping through windows during these cold months; plus they can prevent strong winds from damaging property too! If you want your house warmed up on these cold days, then plant some wind-blocking plants near windows or where there's little shade.
Bonus: Install solar panels or solar roof shingles
Solar energy is a promising option for homeowners who want to reduce their energy costs. This form of renewable energy is both inexpensive and environmentally sound, as it relies on a natural resource that will never run out.
While the initial investment might be more upfront, the long-term benefits may be worth it. One way to reduce your energy costs with this type of installation is by taking advantage of the tax credit you can receive!
A different option might be getting solar roof shingles instead. These roof shingles are designed to look like traditional shingles, but they contain solar panels that can help generate electricity. These types of roofs blend seamlessly with the rest of your home's design and typically do not require any additional changes in order for them to work properly.
Depending on the area you live in and how much sunshine you get, solar panels or solar shingles might be a great investment for helping you save money in the long term. Work with a consultant to see if the cost for the materials and installation would be worth the benefits.
In Conclusion
We know that energy costs are a major concern for many homeowners. With the recent price increases on utility costs, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. The good news is there are plenty of quick and easy ways to reduce your electricity and gas usage without having to make significant changes in lifestyle or spending money upfront.
If you want to save money on your energy bill each month, there are many things that you can do -- try out some of the tips for saving money on your energy bills above and see what works best for your lifestyle!