We’re all looking for ways to save money, right? With the weather getting hotter, you need to look no further than your own home to find the little things that can make a big difference in your utility bills.
Water
Check to make sure none of the faucets in your home are leaking/dripping. A slow dripping faucet can add up to over two gallons of water per hour!
When watering the garden, set a schedule and try to water in the early morning hours to help minimize evaporation. (Between 6 and 8am)
Take shorter showers. Did you know that a shower uses approximately 6-10 gallons of water per minute? Think of how much money (and water!) you could save if you moved a little faster under the spray.
Use your dishwasher and washing machine only when you have full loads.
Contact your utility company to see if they offer reduced rates at certain times of the day and either timer-delay your washer/dishwasher or wait until that time to do your loads.
Recycle the water from fish tanks and use it to water your plants. Fish emulsion is a good fertilizer high in nitrogen and phosphorus. You’ll save on fertilizer AND water!
Gas
During the winter, use your fireplace. This will heat up a room at a much lower cost.
Lower the temperature on your gas water heater. It is not necessary to have your water heated up to 180 degrees, especially in the summertime. You will find that by lowering it that you will in turn lower your bills.
Invest in a water heater timer if you have an electric water heater. By turning the heat off during the time it is not is use you will save money on your bill without even making a sacrifice.
Turn your thermostat down just three degrees. By doing this you will save approximately 3% on your heating bills.
Weather-strip your doors and windows along with insulating your attic. This will help keep the heat (and the cool!) inside your home.
Close off the rooms that aren’t in use in your home. This will help keep the rooms you do use warmer in the winter, and you won’t waste the cooler air in the summer.
Close vents in the rooms that have one or more in them. If one room is always warmer you can close the vent to force air into the rooms that are cooler. The same works for air conditioning.
Electricity
When purchasing new appliances, always try to get the ones that are energy efficient. You can save hundreds of dollars a year by spending the extra money to get the energy efficient models.
Get in the habit of turning off all lights and appliances that are not being used. This includes things like your phone charger. Even if your phone isn’t plugged in, the charger is still drawing power. You’ll be surprised at how quickly the energy savings will add up.
The dryer will use less energy if you dry loads of clothing one after another because the dryer will already be hot. What an easy way to save money and get your laundry done more quickly.
Use low-wattage light bulbs or energy efficient fluorescent lighting. Compact fluorescents typically last ten times longer and they use 75% less electricity.
Call your utility company to find out if they have off-peak hours and when they are. Many companies charge less for your electricity at night and more during the day. By doing your laundry and dishes during off-peak hours you could easily save money off your utility bills.
Also you can check for holes around walls, ceilings, windows, doors, light and plumbing fixtures, and electrical outlets. Plugging these holes can help keep the climate controlled air inside your home where it belongs.