How to Lower Your Electric Bill

Summer is here, and as a result many places experience a higher electric bill due to the outdoor heat and air conditioning usage. Just as the electric bills rise in cold climates during the winter, they rise in warmer climates during the summer. (And if you live in Wisconsin, you get high electric bills during both seasons!) The good news is that there are a few tips and tricks that will ultimately help you lower your electric bill!

Unplug unused cords.

If you’ve got phone chargers and other random cords plugged in, and you go the entire day without using them, there’s no need to have them plugged in. While they aren’t transferring electricity, they’re still drawing electricity from the outlet and ultimately costing you money.

Change the temperature before you leave the house.

If you’ve got central air conditioning, turn it up to make it warmer before you leave the house. This means your air will run less, and you’ll be saving money. You don’t need to cool the house while you’re gone, and it only takes a few minutes to cool down when you get home! This also applies to heaters in the winter, although it’s important to note that you just want to slightly adjust the temperature before you leave and still leave it in a somewhat reasonable range. You don’t want to come home to an ice-cold or super hot house!

Or better yet, use a programmable thermostat.  Some of the ones out there can even be controlled by your sell phone or tablet. This Honeywell Wi-Fi Smart Thermostat may seem a bit pricey at first, but you will quickly make up the savings by using your heat and air conditioning less.

Manage light usage.

Don’t leave lights on unless you absolutely have to! This is a big factor in your electric bill and a component that is often forgotten. Make sure you don’t leave lights on when leaving the bathroom or bedrooms, and only use them when you need to. This goes for outside lights as well. Managing your light usage is a great way to lower your electric bill because it’s one of the bigger usages of electricity.

Consider your cooking habits.

This is often forgotten as well, but definitely important. If it’s hot outside and you’re trying to use less air conditioning, cooking inside hikes the temperature up and costs more money to cool down! If you have the option, grilling outdoors keeps the heat outside and doesn’t affect your electric bill. If it’s cold inside, and you cook inside, it will warm the house up, ultimately causing less work for your heater and helping you to lower your electric bill.

Ultimately, you just need to be more conscious of your usage, and make adjustments based on when you’re home or away from the home, and adjustments based on what will cost your electric bill to go up. What tips and tricks do you follow to lower your electric bill? Let me know in the comments below!