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A lot of people are looking to save money on their electric bill these days. Currently I live in a 1800 square foot single family home. I am going to share with you how I manage an electric bill of an average of $55 per month with a few simple changes you can adapt for your household.
1. Unplug EVERYTHING That You are not Using: I unplug everything that I don’t use. I unplug my washer, dryer, microwave, computers, cell phone chargers…you get the idea. Keeping appliances plugged up even when NOT in use can still draw energy. Every night I make it a habit to do a quick walk thru my entire home to ensure everything is unplugged.
2. Use a Device to Monitor How Much Electricity the Appliance is Using: This is a MUST have and will aid you in finding out what is really costing you money every month. I have the Kill A Watt Electricity Usage Monitor (over 3,300 reviews with 4.4 out of 5 stars) and it changed my life! This device help me get my electric bill down from $83.58 bill (see pic above) to $48.40 the very next month, a $35.18 savings! What this nifty device does it connects to household appliances & assesses its efficiency. It will calculate the amount of money that each appliances will cost you each day, week, month and year! SWEET! Its super easy and fun to use and will help you find what appliances use a lot of energy! (You can purchase this device here)
3. Switch to LED Lighting: I have a 6 and 7 year old and they love to have a night light, in fact two at the same time in their room. I switched from the dollar tree night light to the battery operated night light with dual motion sensor. Granted night lights don’t use a ton of energy but a dollar saved is a dollar earned!
4. Cut your AC/Heating Needs: Air conditioning and heating are major electricity hogs for a large number of people. I typically keep my thermostat on 73 degrees the entire year unless I am going to be away from home, I will either lower or raise it depending on the season. You can also install a programmable thermostat. Its simple to install (Home Depot and Lowes have videos on how). Programmable thermostats can reduce heating and cooling costs in your home by 25% or 30%.
5. Use the Microwave Instead of the Oven: Need to reheat last night dinner or a baby bottle? Using your microwave is the most efficient (and fastest) means of cooking according to EnergyStar.gov.
6. Seal Your Home: The house I live in was built in 1995. The windows are not the best and what I decided to do was seal them. I bought the Great Stuff Insulating Foam Sealant. The can is less than $5 and works wonders. I used it for other cracks in the home also. Make sure you wear protective gear when in use. I also use weather stripping for my doors and other areas with gaps.
Most importantly you want to make sure you and your family are all on board to saving money on your electric bill. Reminding children to turn lights off when they leave the room can help lower your bill. You can also check out my article on how to lower your water bill! I manage to have a water bill of $20 or less per month!
You can find Feona, money saving tips and deals in The Coupon Boutique Facebook Group!
