Utilities – and Saving Money, part 1

Saving money on your utilities isn’t as hard as you might think.  There are some easy things you can do to save your money when it comes to your utilities and I want to share those tips with you…

Did you know your utility company actually has ways to help you save money?  Give them a call or check their website and see what information they have.   Some companies offer energy audits of your home.   Some of these energy audits are free and some will cost you, but it is well worth finding out areas of your home that could use a little help that in the long run will save you a lot of money.

Give your house a little shade.  If you can plant a tree do so.  These will help shade your home from the direct sunlight and keep your home cool.  If you rent and can’t plant a tree, then try purchasing heavier curtains to cover windows on the south and west sides of your home.  This will keep the heat from getting into your home just like a tree will.

Get energy-efficient light bulbs for your home.  If you can’t afford to do all your lights at one time, replace the ones you use the most now and then little by little change the others over.  While still using the old light bulbs, make sure you are using the correct watts.  If your fixture calls for a 60 watt bulb and you use a 100 watt bulb, you will be wasting a lot of electricity.

Don’t keep items on if you aren’t in the room.  Turn off those lights when you leave the room, don’t let your t.v. stay on if you aren’t near it.  These simple “turn it off” tips, will save you a lot of money in the long run.

Check your appliances for their EER rating.  (energy efficiency ratios).  If you have older appliances, you might want to start saving for new, more efficient appliances,

Use your crockpot or microwave more.  These use less electricity than your regular oven.

Have full loads before using your dishwasher and washing machines.  These appliances don’t know that they are only half full, so they will use the same amount of water and energy that it takes them to do a full load.  And unless you are going to be using your dishes right away, don’t let your dishwasher heat dry them.  If you won’t be needing them until the next day, then the air dry will work just fine and save you money.  If your washer has a extra spin cycle on it, use it.  The more water you get out of your clothes the less time it will take to dry them in the dryer.  Saving you money.  Hang your clothes up.   Towels, under garments, etc. can be hung up to dry and save you money.  If you hang your towels up outside on a windy day, the wind will beat them soft.