How To Get Your Monthly Electric Bill Below $25.
OK, so this might not be possible for everyone, especially those with large families. But for the past 3 months, our electric bill has not been over $25 a month – and it took some steps to get it to that point. It was averaging about $45-$50 a month up until that point. So I figured that if we could do it, you might be able reduce your bill by just as drastic an amount too. Here are some of the things that we did around the house to cut our electric bill in half:
Unplug everything when not in use. And when I say everything, I mean everything – microwaves, toaster ovens, computers, TVs, VCRs, cell phone/iPod chargers, stereos – everything.
Remove some bulbs. In our bathroom, the main light fixture had 8 light bulbs in it…until I removed 4 of them. Neither of us needed to feel like we were onstage on Broadway while we brushed our teeth in the morning.
Hang your laundry out to dry. There really is absolutely no reason to run your dryer when the sun and wind can dry your clothes for free. And during the winter, you can hang them inside on drying racks to continue the savings.
Set the temp on the freezer and refrigerator correctly. OK, don’t do this if it is already set at the optimum temperature, but chances are that you have yours set to be too cold. The freezer should be set between +2°F and 0°F, and the refrigerator should be set between 36°F and 40°F.
Wait until you can fill the washing machine before you do laundry. Washing a half load of socks is just a waste of energy.
Use task lighting correctly. Instead of turning on every major light in the room you are in, just turn on smaller lamp that lights up the area you are working in. And be sure it is a CFL bulb!
Try using fans instead of air conditioning when possible. We don’t even have air conditioners at our house, but I know most people do. But before you turn it on, try using a small desk fan or a ceiling fan to try to cool down the house. Open some windows to get some breezes blowing through.
For small meals, use a small oven. And by that I mean use the toaster or convection oven instead of the full-sized oven, so you don’t have to heat up all that empty space.
Just by concentrating on saving energy and by being conscious of our decisions around the house, we cut our energy bill in half. And for me, not only do I love spending less money on the bill, but I also take satisfaction in the reduction of our energy use from month to month. But what about you? Have you taken any steps to lower your electric bill? I have friends who spend over $150 on electricity and insist that they cannot get it any lower. Yet when I look around their house, I see that everything is plugged in, multiple lights are on, and nothing is on power strips. Even a little bit of effort can go a long way!
