6 Ways to Save On Your Utility Bill
By Jihan Thompson
If rising fuel prices are chomping away at disposable income, some relief may be on the way. No, prices at the pump won’t be falling any time soon. (Americans already spend over $160 billion annually to heat, cool and light their homes, according to the Department of Energy, a figure unlikely to fall anytime soon.) But savvy consumers can save a bundle on their energy bills—as much as 30% a month—by making even modest changes to their at-home routines.
Change your bulbs
light bulbs, energy efficient, green, eco chic, conserve, save, energy
green light bulb energy efficient
Invest in compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs). Theyll cost you slightly more (at least a buck more per bulb) than the heat-generating incandescent variety, but they use less power and last on average ten times longer.
Warmer chills
thermostat, green, air conditioning, power, energy
setting thermostat
Who doesnt love turning up the air conditioner on a hot summer day? You can still keep the A.C. on, just raise the room temperature by as little as 5 degrees, which could save you as much as 15% on cooling costs.
Do laundry in the cold
laundry, basket, clean clothes, energy, green, save, conserve
woman doing laundry
We wont ask you to take cold showers, but we do suggest washing your duds in cold water, which expends roughly half as much energy as hot rinses. To save even more when doing the wash and fold: do laundry at night (during off-peak billing hours) and clean out the lint tray before starting the dryer.
Unplug
electricity, plug, socket, power
plug in socket
Even when off, plugged-in electronics are still huge energy suckers and account for roughly five percent of all electricity used in the U.S., costing consumers nearly $4 billion a year. Use a power strip to conserve energy when appliances are idle.
Don\'t turn off the lights
night shift, lights, energy, conserve, green, save,
woman waiting for elevators
Seriously, leave the lights on. Just install motion sensors that turn off lights automatically when theres no longer any movement in a room or hallway. While the lights might cut out while youre busy working virtually motionless at the computer, consider it a healthy reminder to take a break from staring at that screen.
Use the dishwasher
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full dishwasher
If you think youre saving water by hand-washing dishes, think again. According to Consumer Reports, simply pre-rinsing your dirty dishes uses roughly 20 gallons of heated water a day. Just scrape the food off and drop them in the washer.
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