Stop paying so much on your energy bill. Here are 50 brilliant ways to slash costs

Often without realizing it we are making ourselves poorer by paying extra energy costs. Costs that are completely unnecessary.

Most of us know that leaving lights on in unoccupied is silly and wasteful, but we still do it. I bet if everyone sat down and calculated just how much this is costing them, they would change their habits.

But it’s not just lighting. There are so many ways to conserve energy, which is good for the planet. And if you don’t care about the planet, how about your wallet? Do you care that you could literally save yourself hundreds of dollars are year?

If you do care about your wallet, here are 50 ways you can keep it a little bit fatter. And in this case, fat is good.

1. Put a lid on it

Need to boil a pot of water? Either use your kettle and then transfer the water to your pot or put a lid on the pot. Your water will boil faster.

2. Egg smart

When boiling eggs, you can conserve energy by turning off the heat before your time is up. The water takes a while to cool, and your eggs continue to cook.

3. Plan ahead

If you have food in the freezer that you plan on cooking, take it out ahead of time and let it defrost naturally. This saves you from using a mechanical means to do so.

4. Chilly kitchens

If it’s cool outside, let your oven help heat your house after you use it. When you remove your food, don’t close the door. Leave it open and the heat will dissipate into your kitchen.

5. Kitchen planning

Never place your fridge near a source of heat. Doing so makes it work harder. A source of heat could be your stove or even in front of a window where it gets direct sunlight.

6. Take its temperature

Don’t keep your fridge colder than necessary. 38 degrees Fahrenheit of 3.33 Celsius is cold enough. If your fridge only has a dial without the actual temp, you can buy cheap fridge thermometers. The cost of that will be offset by your energy savings.

7. Same goes for the freezer

Just like your fridge, there is no need to keep your freezer colder than necessary. Set it to 0 degrees Fahrenheit, but not any colder.

8. Defrost regularly

A lot of newer appliances will have automatic defrost, but you should still keep an eye out for ice buildup. If there is buildup, the freezer needs to work harder, using more energy.

9. Make use of the sun

In many places this won’t work all year round, and it’s problematic if you live in an apartment. But if and when you can, put out a clothesline and dry your clothes outside. Your dryer is one of the biggest energy hogs in your home.

10. Adjust your thermostat

Do you really need it that hot or cold in your home? Simply turning down the temperature by one degree can lead to a significant savings throughout the year.

11. Shower or bath?

Some people have a preference, but did you know that showering using less water? If you can’t stand to give up soaking in your tub entirely, try just a few times a week.

12. Watch your time

Try to cut down on the amount of time you shower. If you are washing and conditioning your hair, shaving your legs, whatever, consider turning the water off whenever you can. Every minute the water is running adds up.

13. Window coverings

During the summer, don’t make your AC work harder by letting the sun in. And during the winter, do the opposite. Let the sun and heat in and give the furnace a break.

14. Party time

If you have guests over in the winter, you can turn down the thermostat a few degrees. All those extra bodies will generate more heat, helping to warm the room.

15. Time to repaint

If you are repainting your home, consider using a satin or semi-gloss finish paint. Either of them will reflect light better, meaning you could—in theory—use lower wattage bulbs to light the room.

16. Clean behind the fridge

This is not a fun job, but three or four times a year it’s a good idea to pull out the fridge and clean the coil. A buildup of dust and grime makes it work harder.

17. Clean your filters

Did you know your washing machine and dishwasher likely have filters? Keep them clean and your appliances will preform better.

18. Dryer lint

Make it a habit to clean the lint from the screen after each load. The more lint the longer it takes a load to dry.

19. Clean the vent hose

Just like you should clear the lint screen regularly, you want to check the vent hose. It can get clogged as well, so make sure to clear it if necessary.

20. Check for air leaks

It costs a lot to heat or cool a home, so don’t let all that energy seep out. Check your windows and doors for any gaps that will let air escape, then seal them up.

21. Check seals

The rubber seal around your fridge and freezer keep the cold in and the heat out. Every once in a while, it’s a good idea to check to make sure they are still airtight.

22. Keep the fridge door closed

OK, you clearly have to open it occasionally. But opening it just once allows 1/4 of the cold air to escape and standing there with it open just makes the situation worse .

23. Stovetop cooking

When cooking on the stovetop do your best to use a pot that is the same diameter as the element. This means more heat will reach the pot and less energy is wasted.

24. Keep the oven door closed

There may be times when you do have to open the oven door to take the temperature of something , but try to limit this as much as possible. As soon as heat dissipates from the oven, more energy is necessary to replenish it.

25. Just heat the room you’re in

Depending on the type of HVAC you have in your home, this could be problematic. But if possible, do your best to heat the room that you spend the most of your time in. For example, if you have a home office where you spend most of your day, heat that room as opposed to the whole house.

26. Thermostat placement

Be sure not to place a thermostat close to lamps, the TV, or any other appliance that emits heat. Doing so will cause your thermostat to reach its set temperature sooner than it should, and consequently cause it to cycle on and off more than necessary.

27. Conserve water

Turn off the tap when you’re not using water. This would include while you’re brushing your teeth, shaving, washing your face, or any other reason you could have the water running for.

28. Dripping taps

If you have a tap that drips, get it repaired or replaced. A single dripping tab can waste nearly 1,500 gallons—or 5,500 liters—of water a year.

29. Cycle selection

Unless you have clothes or dishes that are exceptionally dirty wash them in a short, cold cycle. Only use longer, hot cycles when your clothes or dishes are particularly dirty or greasy.

30. Skip the last rinse

If your washing machine gives you the option to only cycle through one rinse, do so. You may need to use a little bit less detergent though, but this is just another money saver.

31. Replace your shower head

Assuming your shower pulls hot water directly from your hot water tank, a good idea is a water efficient shower head. You’ll still get a powerful shower, but you will use less hot water.

32. Update your light bulbs

If you’re still using incandescent light bulbs, switch up to compact fluorescent bulbs or LED bulbs. If you do have a fixture that requires incandescent bulbs try to use the lowest wattage possible.

33. Use a smaller appliance

If you have a microwave or slow cooker, whenever possible use one of them instead of your oven. If you use a microwave it uses about half the amount of energy as a conventional oven, while a slow cooker can be up to 75% more efficient than your oven.

34. Tomorrow’s lunch

Avoid using aluminum foil or cling wrap if possible. Instead, store leftovers that you might be packing for lunches in reusable containers.

35. The more the better

We’re not encouraging overspending, but it is better to have a fridge that’s full then one that’s sparse. This is because a fully stocked fridge uses less energy.

36. Load the dishwasher

Only run your dishwasher when it’s full. You’re going to use just as much energy washing a half load as you will a full load.

37. Add a towel

When tumbling dry a load of wet clothes, add a dry towel. This will help to soak up moisture and allow your clothes to dry faster.

38. Turn off devices

Don’t leave electrical devices in standby mode. They are still consuming energy, even though you consider them to be off.

39. Turn off lights

Whether you voice or you’re still old school and turn off your lights at the switch, turn them off as you leave the room. Unless you are planning on coming right back.

40. Don’t leave ventilation fans running

All newer homes have vents in the bathroom and kitchen. Don’t leave them running for too long. Once condensation has cleared, turn them off.

41. The screensaver isn’t good enough

Don’t leave your computer on overnight Or for extended periods of time period if you’re not going to be using it turn it off rather than just leaving it in screensaver mode.

42. Unplug Chargers

When not in use chargers from wall sockets. Even if you’re not charging a device, they are still using power.

43. Before you go

If you’re going away on holidays, even if only for a week, switch off and unplug everything. You can also set your thermostat to whatever is the safest lowest setting for your area.

44. Unload your car

Don’t drive around with a bunch of heavy junk in your trunk. The extra weight means you use more gas.

45. Remove your roof rack

If you’re not using your roof rag and it can be removed , do so. Even if they are aerodynamically engineered, they will increase wind resistance and increase the amount of gas you’re using.

46. Use a tire gauge

Check your tire pressure regularly. If your tires are underinflated, you use more gas—this is especially true on long journeys.

47. Slow down

The faster you drive the more gasoline you’re using. Estimates say that driving at 70 mph will use up 9% more fuel than you would if you were driving at 60 mph, and 15% more than if you were driving at 50 mph.

48. Turn the car off

If possible, don’t let the car idle for long periods of time. If you’re sitting in the drive thru and know you’re not going to move anytime soon, just turn the car off.

49. Insulate the attic

One quarter of the heat in a house is lost through the roof. You can reduce your heating bills by making sure your addict or loft is properly insulated.

50. Buy new appliances

If you have old, inefficient appliances it might be time to replace them. Even if they’re still in working order they’re probably costing you more than you think.

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Article Sources:

Ovo Energy

Flickr – byzantiumbooks

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