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Ways to Save Money on Your Electric Bill
Does anyone ever like paying their electric bill?
Yes, we love our electricity, but the never knowing how much that bill is going to be gets quite upsetting.
That is why I am always on the lookout for ways to save on electricity.
Here are a few ways I save on my electric bill.
Let me know in the comments some ways you save on yours.
Electric Hot Water Heater
An electric hot water heater is one of the largest energy users in the home.
That is why you always want to make sure the water in the tank is able to stay hot as long as possible.
#1 – Turn down the thermostat on your hot water heater.
It is recommended that you keep your hot water thermostat set at 120 degrees or below.
The best thing to do is lower your hot water heater thermostat and see how it goes.
If it just isn’t working out for you and your family, then simply raise the temperature back up.
#2 – Consider shutting the hot water heater off.
I have been known to shut my hot water heater off completely until I was ready to use hot water.
I have always thought it was a strange idea to pay big money to keep hot water in our closet just in case we need it sometime during the day.
Just shutting it off at night and turning it back on in the morning could save you a lot of energy.
Shutting your hot water heater for full 12-hours would literally cut your hot water heating time in half.
#3 – I keep a kettle of hot water on my wood-burning stove.
Why waste this great resource?
I always have my tea kettle simmering on the woodstove, and I often have a large kettle of hot water setting on it too.
#4 – Give your hot water heater a blanket.
You can buy hot water heater blankets in a variety of places.
The idea is to keep the heat from escaping the hot water heater.
#5 – Along that same idea, put covers over your hot water pipes.
Electric Clothes Dryer
Another large power user is the electric dryer.
I know that many of you are thinking there is no way you are giving up your dryer.
These tips are for those who truly need to save money on their electric bill.
Some may seem extreme, while others may seem normal.
I suggest you apply the tips that work for your family.
#1- Clothes Bars
I own two clothes bars that I use regularly in the wintertime and on rainy days.
#2 – Clothes Hangers
I also use clothes hangers and hang clothes on my shower curtain rod.
#3 – Clothesline
I know people who used to run clotheslines in their basements during the wintertime.
I have spent years drying clothes beside my woodstove.
I love the extra benefit of adding moisture to the air from the wet clothes, which is always a big deal when buring wood.
During the warm months, of course, I have a clothes line strung out back.
Yes, I am blessed enough to live in an area that doesn’t prevent me from having a clothesline.
You don’t have to commit to never using your clothes dryer ever again.
I almost always dry my towels in the dryer.
Start by just hang drying one load, or perhaps just your underclothes.
Start small. It all adds up to savings.
#4 – Clean the Lint Tray
Clothes take longer to dry and the dryer has to work harder when you forget to clean the lint tray.
#5 – Vacuum the Dryer
Don’t forget to clean under and behind the dryer.
You may be surprised at how dirty it can get.
#6 – Use the Proper Settings
Make sure everyone in the family who uses the dryer knows how to set each load on the proper drying settings.
Washing Clothes
Remember to clean the filters in the hoses that connect to the washing machine.
When these filters get clogged up, the washer quits working properly.
I don’t normally remember to clean mine until I open the washer to find the clothes didn’t wring out.
No, it doesn’t mean you need a new washer. You may just need to clean the filters in the hoses.
Refrigerator
Large appliances use a large amount of energy.
This isn’t really a surpise, right?
Keep under the refrigerator and the back of it both clean.
Make sure your settings are not too high.
Check the settings periodically to make sure it hasn’t been reset on a different temperature.
Don’t overstuff the refrigerator. Make sure that airflow is good.
Also, don’t forget to check all of the seals.
Freezer
Again, I can’t stress enough that the backs and bottoms of these large appliances must stay cleaned out in order for them to run efficiently.
Check the seals.
Make sure you have the right size freezer.
If you have a large freezer, but never keep it full, consider downsizing.
Keep your freezer full even if it is just filled with jugs of water.
Washing Dishes
#1- You don’t need a dishwasher.
Seriously.
I don’t own a dishwasher.
If you really need to bring your electric bill down, then consider hand washing dishes for a while.
#2 – If that is too much to consider, then make sure you keep your dishwasher clean.
No, washing the dishes isn’t also washing the machine.
#3 – Check the filters, which are often found at the bottom of the dishwasher.
#4 – Air dry your dishes instead of running the machine dryer.
Lights
Yes, I know you have heard it a million times or more, but use energy efficient light bulbs.
I use motion detector solar powedered yard lights.
I am also planning on buying some solar powered lights to use inside the house as our night lights instead of leaving regular lights on all night long.
Turn off lights when walking out of a room, and teach your children to do the same.
We have a small bathroom with a large south-facing window, so it gets a lot of natural sunlight.
When my children were younger, I would unscrew the light bulb during the day.
They would run into the bathroom and turn on the switch, but they never noticed that the light never came on. 🙂
Unplug
Yes, you know if you keep thing plugged into the outlet it will continue to use phantom electricity, but are you still leaving things plugged in?
Unplug anything that is not in use!
Use powerstrips to make it more convenient.
Seal Up and Insulate
Walk around the inside of your home looking for drafts, holes, and a general lack of insulation.
#1 – It is pretty shocking how much cold air can enter through an outlet. Take off the covers, place socket sealers inside, then replace the covers.
#2 – Use caulking
#3 – Seal around all windows and doors.
#4 – Close off rooms that are not in use during the cold months. As long as they don’t require heat, like an extra bathroom that has running water.
#5 – Check the insulation status inside your walls and attic.
#6 – Seal up basement walls, windows, and doors
#7 – Use an insulation board and wrap around the outside of your house.
Non-Electric Clocks
#1 – You can buy battery-operated clocks really cheap. Buy some and hang them on your walls.
#2 – Buy a non-electric alarm clock
#3 – Quit using the microwave as a clock. Why keep the microwave plugged in all day just for the clock? You usually look at your cellphone to see what time it is anyway.
Use Non-Electric Appliances
There is an electric version of practically every kitchen appliance out there.
I have very few electric appliances in my kitchen.
Truthfully, if you have two hands, a good knife, and a sturdy spoon, then you really don’t need much more.
Peel and chop your own veggies.
I never use an electric can opener.
Stir up the cake batter with a bowl and spoon.
I even make homemade milkshakes with a bowl and spoon.
The kids have always made homemade butter by pouring heavy cream into a Mason jar and shaking it.
All of our homemade bread is stirred, mixed, and kneaded by hand.
Guess what?
I don’t even own a microwave oven!
My kitchen is a lot less cluttered without all of those extra machines in it too!
Alternative Cellphone Chargers
Instead of charging your phone the usual way, then leaving the charger plugged into the outlet all day and night, try some alternative cellphone charging methods.
#1 – Use a solar cellphone charger.
#2 – Use a battery pack to charge your phone.
#3 – Charge your phone while in your car rather than waiting until you get home.
Furnace
Keep your furnace maintained.
#1 – Put in new air filters.
Some people change theirs 2 – 4 times per year.
#2 – Clean the furnace and registers thoroughly.
#3 – Always keep chimneys cleaned.
A machine that is well taken care of will last longer and work more efficiently.
#4 – Turn down the thermostat at night and whenever you leave the house.
Ways to Save Money on Your Electric Bill
There are a lot of steps we can take to help bring our electric bill down.
I am sure I missed a lot of good ways to save.
Check your electric provider’s website for their recommended ways to save on electricity.
Here’s a link to my electric provider, National Grid.
Tell me your ideas in the comments.
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