The data provided by our monthly bills often make it difficult to keep track of what we use and how much we need to pay. It’s important to set a budget for your monthly bill, but with these 3 tips, you can spend less money on those monthly expenses.
Why It’s Important To Be Energy-Efficient
According to the Energy Saving Trust, energy bills are usually one of the biggest monthly expenditures for homeowners. To be more energy-efficient means making efforts to reduce your carbon footprint and spending less money on your bill at the end of every month. So when we think about how can we save electricity at home, we first need to consider the most energy-consuming appliances in our homes.
For example, an average washing machine uses more electricity than a 32″ LED TV that is turned on for 10 hours per day. When you consider how often you use the appliance, it might not be worth it to have your washer on all day! Other energy guzzlers are dryers, ovens, dishwashers, and refrigerators. There are some ways to help reduce the amount of electricity used by these appliances. Many new models have “eco modes” which save more power during use. Also, there are even options to automatically shut off after completing a load of laundry or baking or whatever task is being done with them.
Change The Temperature On Your Water Heater
The first thing you can do is change the temperature of your water heater. If it’s set too high, you might never notice that you’re spending more money than necessary throughout the year. For example, if you live in a temperate climate where hot showers aren’t necessary during the winter months, then consider turning down the temperature until warmer weather returns. Although this may involve slightly chilly showers, it’ll help you save money on your monthly bill! You can also install an insulating blanket or a timer to decrease energy loss when the water heater is not in use. Also, it’s important to remember that you should never turn up the temperature too high during these months because this could lead to scalding accidents.
Utilize Smart Switches
There are smart switches that can be used to regulate your appliances. These devices allow you to control your home’s lights and power outlets from anywhere using your smartphone or tablet! So if your heater is not in use but it’s cold outside, just tap an app and turn on the heat for the rooms that need it most. This will help save energy and money because you won’t have to leave all of the heater vents open just because one room is colder than another. The technology behind these switches is that they monitor your home by using sensors and timers. For example, if no one is in a room or the sun isn’t hitting it, then the smart switch will turn off the power to that room automatically.
Look for Energy Star Labels
Finally, look for energy star labels when you are making appliance purchases. These products have been certified by the EPA to be more efficient than other models of appliances on the market. So depending on what kind of appliance it is, they could save you hundreds every year!
How Appliances Get Their Energy Rating
The energy rating of an appliance is assigned by the Department of Energy. To get this label, appliances are tested in a laboratory to see how much energy they use during running time. The less energy it uses, the higher its star rating will be. Appliances can meet certain qualifications for receiving specific points on their overall scores, too! For example, an appliance might earn one point simply for having a spin cycle while another may receive two points because it’s got a delayed start option.
How Much Money Can You Save?
According to the U.S. Department of Energy, there are over 5 billion square feet of office space in the US that have no occupancy sensors or timers installed which can help save up to 30% on lighting costs each year. So by implementing these strategies, you can rest assured that your home will be energy efficient, saving you money on bills and allowing more of your hard-earned cash to stay in your pocket.
Read your bills carefully and look into ways to save energy in your daily life. There are many ways you can help reduce costs, such as changing the temperature on your water heater, installing smart switches in your home, and looking for energy star labels when making purchases. You’ll find that spending less money isn’t so hard when you put in a little effort!