Most people feel that in order to save money on electric bills you have to go out and spend money. A new set of windows, better sealing doors and a new heating or cooling system can certainly do the trick, but these changes are not always possible for a young, growing family.
What are you supposed to do if you need a lower power bill but have little money for repairs? Fortunately there are plenty of things you can do to improve your situation. You can save money on electric bills without spending tons of cash. Try the following ideas for getting your budget under control and lowering that power bill.
Ways To Save Money – Electric Bills
Get on an equal payment plan – Though this may not actually cut the amount of the power bill, it will make it easier to budget for. Most power companies offer a payment plan that makes your bill the same amount each month of the year. This helps with spikes during the winter months and is available to most everyone. The one thing to beware of is the final payment that comes due at the end of the cycle. If you have not been careful, it can be a whopper.
Get a pro to point out trouble areas – Nobody wants to call the power company for help, but free help is a good thing. In fact, some power companies offer to help fix trouble spots for free when they come out. Ask your power company to send out an auditor and they will come and let you know where your valuable electricity is escaping. Pro advice is always a good thing and you might get something for free in the process.
Seal up the cracks – This is common sense, but many people don’t bother. Go outside and investigate the home you are living in. Look at the siding, foundation, windows, doors and even the walls themselves. Do you see openings or cracks that could be allowing cold air in and warm air out? If so, plug them up!
Change your habits – Of all the things on this list, this is the most obvious way to save money on electric bills. If you continue to leave the lights on, run the heat when you are away, play the television all night and dance around the home in Christmas lights just because it looks cool, your electric bill will continue to climb. Change your bad habits and stick to it.
Get under the house – Nobody likes the crawl spaces under a home, but it is a very common source of energy drain. Get under there and seal those areas that you don’t see every day. You will be able to see them quickly because light will be peeking through. Basements are self-explanatory as well.
Use the daily sunlight – The sun is wonderful in that you can use it to heat your home during the winter and block it during the summer with curtains. Simply by paying attention to where the sunlight hits your home during the day, you can cut your power bill dramatically. Use the power of the sun! And close curtains at night to keep the heat in the house.
Unplug when not in use – Most people are totally unaware that certain items continue to drain energy even when they are not in use. Microwaves, televisions, cell phone chargers and even video game systems are common examples, but are not nearly the only guilty appliances. The bottom line is this – if you want to make the change, simply get in the habit of unplugging when you are done. If that is not realistic, then simply plug everything into surge protectors and flip that switch when you are done.
Rally the family – You can do every single thing on the list above and never save money on electric bills if you don’t have total participation. It only takes one member of your family ignoring the idea to ruin it for all. Rally them all and threaten only in the worst circumstances.
