Cutting back on utility costs means looking into the ways that you are overusing on a regular basis. Most American families spend over one hundred dollars every month to cover costs for water and energy consumption. If you’re serious about saving real money, read on and consider these ideas for changes you can make today.
Swap out your lightbulbs
We know those Edison bulbs look cool, but you know what’s even cooler? Saving money. Swap out old bulbs with energy-efficient alternatives like LEDs. If you’re uncertain as to which style meets your family’s needs, check out the different options on display at home improvement stores. Home Depot and Lowes also have light sections of energy-efficient light bulbs for sale. You can consider the color and intensities that match your lighting preferences.
Programmable thermostats and energy consultancy
By presetting your heating and cooling, you’ll be able to track your setting each day and have more control over how much you end up paying in energy costs. You can even take things a step further and program your thermostat to go down in temperature for a few hours each day so that you save money by staying out of the normal setting and the associated costs of that setting. You might even choose to set this up for the hours you know you’re likely to be outside or not home, so you don’t even notice the drop in temperature. For even more smart strategy implementations, use energy consultancy to learn what energy changes you can make to reduce costs for your needs ,specifically. Every home and business has its own unique energy needs, so working with a professional consultant will help you determine what is right for you.
Buy new appliances
After you’ve had the same appliances for a while, your machines will use more energy than they did when they were new to function the same way. New appliances use a quarter of the amount of energy as older appliances, meaning you could save 25 percent in energy costs by replacing your old appliances. You’ve been wanting those LG front loaders anyway. Now’s your time to buy. Avoid washing on the hot setting. Using heat to do your laundry increases the energy used, resulting in higher costs. You should also remember to clean your lint trap after each run of the dryer. By doing so, you welcome better air, enhancing dryer function and reducing the amount of energy used to work.
Small changes, big results
It may feel tedious to make these changes, but in doing so, you will reduce the amount of money you owe every month on utility and energy bills. You can sell your older appliances to help pay for new ones, making the investments more affordable to you in the short term. Saving real money through cuts in energy and utility costs requires that you think outside of the box and save in strategic ways. You can do it.
Story by Brad Bernanke
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