Are you aware how much energy you use? Do you try to control your electricity expenses, or you don’t attach much importance to this issue? If you found this article, you probably want to make a difference. It’s about time! If you’re looking for ways on how to lower your bills, you could not find any better. We know exactly how to reduce electricity bills, and we are glad to share this knowledge with you! We have prepared seven great tips that you should use immediately. We hope that this guide will help you save energy!
Why is Reducing Electricity Bills so Important?
There are a number of reasons why you should make every effort to reduce your bills. Having savings will certainly benefit you in the future. These are uncertain times when inflation is rising from month to month. That’s why it’s worth looking for new ways to save money “for a rainy day”.
It’s better to save for retirement, holidays, car, irregular expenses, education, instead of paying incredibly high electricity bills. You should try to reduce bills not just for yourself and your wallet, but also for the environment!
The more energy you use, the more it costs. It works both ways. The less energy you use, the less it costs. It’s that simple! If you follow our handy tips, you’ll learn how to use a little less energy, and still save a little money on your gas and electricity bills, which will additionally make your home more energy-efficient.
1. Use LED Lights Instead of Traditional Lights
One of the best ideas on how to save money and reduce energy costs is to resign from the traditional lighting and start using LED lighting, which is extremely advantageous. Above all else, LED lighting is energy-efficient, which is reflected in the electricity bills. Lighting almost the entire house with traditional lights is bad not only for your wallet, but also for the environment!
There are many types of LED lights available on the lighting market such as energy efficient light bulbs, LED strip lights etc. They are worth investing in! Take into account the long lifespan of these lights. 50 000 hours of shining is an excellent result!
There is some truth in saying that LED lights are usually more expensive than traditional ones. Yet, do not get confused by it. Even though you have to pay a little more at the beginning, you will save in the long run. It’s because there’s no need to buy new lights over and over again, as is the case of incandescent lights.
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2. Change Your Electricity Supplier
The second of seven energy saving tips is to change your electricity supplier. Do you realise that this might be the reason you probably overpay for your electricity bills? There is such a possibility. That’s why you should consider not renewing an agreement. There are so many suppliers on the market.
Check out offers to find out that most of them are more attractive than your current one. Comparing offers is a reasonable option because it enables you to choose the most beneficial conditions of the contract for you. That will significantly help you reduce electricity bills.
3. Get Rid of an Old Fridge, Freezer, and Washing Machine
Another tip for reducing electricity bills is replacing your old electrical equipment with a new one. Appliances are now rated from A to G and you should know that A stands for the most efficient, while F means the least efficient. If you own a fridge of an old type, it is more than probable that its rating is closer to F than to A class. By the topic of fridges, we would like to add that you should never ever put warm or hot food straight into the fridge because it would have to work harder and draw more energy.
Getting rid of old electrical equipment can bring you only benefits – you’re no longer letting your old appliance consume too much electricity. The previously mentioned fridge is only one example. You should consider replacing your washing machine with a new one, too.
If you hesitate because you will have to pay for a new appliance, just think about whether you prefer to pay for a new equipment once and reduce your bills significantly or maybe you choose to pay higher and higher bills. Decision is yours.
4. Turn Off the Light
Our next tip on how to save money and reduce energy bills is to get into the habit of turning off the light every time you leave the room. What’s the point of leaving the lights on when the room is empty? You have to admit that it seems pointless. Stop wasting your money. Don’t waste energy. At first, you might forget about turning off the lights, but after a while you will get used to it. This will definitely be a change for the better!
5. Wash Your Clothes at Cooler Temperature
You could save money by washing your clothes in a bit cooler temperature, taking into account that hot water costs you more. Since we are on the subject of temperatures, it is worth adding that dropping the temperature in your home by just one degree will make a difference to your heating bills. You could save up to 5% on your heating bill.
We cannot fail to mention a few more pieces of advice related to doing laundry. There is much more you can do. You should avoid running the machine without a full load. At once, you can wash more than just a few shirts and underwear. Putting more clothes in the drum of your washing machine and then washing it will help you reduce your electricity bill. If you’re wondering what to do with your laundry after washing – the most economical option is hanging your clothes out to air dry. Unfortunately, using a tumble dryer is not economical.
6. Pull the Plug
The possibility of saving money by pulling the plug is also good news for your wallet. Appliances in your home that are left on standby, in spite of appearances, use electricity even when they are not in use. Leaving devices on standby increases your energy consumption incrementally. We’re living in busy times, but not too busy for turning the appliances off – you have to admit that.
To sum up, you ought to turn your appliances off at the wall when you are not using them. By the word appliances we mean TVs, games consoles, set-top boxes, mobile chargers, HDR recorders, laptops, desktop PCs, and HiFi systems.
7. Cook Reasonably
Much of your household energy is used in your kitchen. We hope you know that! It’s never too late to make even small changes in order to reduce energy usage. You could start with heating water only when necessary – when you want to make hot drinks or when water is required for cooking.
Think about situations when you want to put something in your oven. Is it possible to reheat such a meal in a microwave? Can you use a slow cooker or air fryer instead? Try to use your oven as rarely as possible because ovens are generally power consuming appliances.
The next idea on how to reduce electricity bills by cooking reasonably may seem obvious for the majority of readers, however, there are still some people who forget to cover the food when it is cooking. It is a huge mistake! People who decide to cook without a lid (even if it’s not entirely necessary), must be prepared to pay more for electricity. All those little things mentioned in the seventh point, done right, actually matter.
Summary
In conclusion, if you want to reduce your electricity bills, you ought to change the type of lighting, consider changing your electricity supplier, say goodbye to your old fridge, freezer, and/or washing machine, change your habits including not turning off the light when you leave a room, use lower temperature to do your laundry and to heat your home, not leave devices on standby, and change the way of cooking meals. All these things will improve the quality of your life and reduce your bills!
Infographic Provided By The Solar Energy Company, Route 66 Solar