How to Save Money on Your Electric Bill

When you have exhausted all possibilities, remember this - you haven't.

THOMAS EDISON

Yes, you can always shave a little more off your electric bill. We reduced our electric bill $250.00 last year with these tips. The best part is you don't have to spend money on a gadget or gizmo! Here are some easy, low cost, and free ways to lower your electric bill. 

1.   SLOWLY raise the temperature on your air conditioner. We went from setting the thermostat at 68 degrees in the summer to 77 degrees! How did we do this? One degree at a time. We raised the temperature one degree higher and waited a couple weeks and then raised it another degree higher. We kept raising the temperature every few weeks until we felt uncomfortable. For us, it was 77 degrees. Re-acclimating your body slowly can make temperature adjustments less painful and you won't know the difference. Every degree counts! To stay cool at bedtime, be sure to use minimal bedding- light sheets, a thin blanket or no blanket! Bust out your box fan or turn on your ceiling fan. Wear lightweight pajamas. No pants, socks, long sleeves, etc. 

2.     Embrace the seasons. We waste a lot of money overwarming a house in winter, so we can wear shorts inside. Or, overcooling a house in the summer to make up for wearing long pajamas and baking all day heating the kitchen. If we follow the seasons, these times will feel extra special, and we can save money, too!

Winter: Wear winter clothes inside when it's cold outside. Bring out the sweaters, warm thick socks, flannel pajamas, hoodies, soft scarves, and gloves. Put throw blankets on chairs and sofas and USE THEM! Drink hot beverages. Just wrapping your hands around a hot mug of coco or tea can warm you up. Now is the time to eat soups, stews, and baked goods. Using your oven keeps your kitchen warm. Make your bed toasty by using flannel sheets and add many layers of blankets. Snuggle with your loved ones and hold hands.

Summer: In the summertime, wear shorts and lightweight clothes. Keep your feet cool by not wearing socks inside. Wear your hair up and get the ceiling fans blowing in your house. It is time to eat salads, sandwiches, chilled watermelon, fruit, jello, popsicles, smoothies, and ice cream. Drink iced mint tea and iced coffee. Try to limit using the oven in the hottest months. Instead use your toaster oven, crock pot, or stove top to keep the kitchen cooler. 

3.  Dress your windows for the seasons. Use black out curtains in the summer. This immediately lowered our summer electric bills. It helps block the sun from beating into your rooms which in turn keeps you from having to cool the rooms down. It's worth the investment! Another option is to use a car dash sun reflector and place that in the window to reflect the light. If it works for your car, it will work for your home.

In the winter, place bubble wrap on your window panes. Spray glass panes lightly with water and press the bubble wrap (bubble side toward the glass) to the window. The moisture from the water helps the bubble wrap stick, adding more insulation to your windows. Start collecting bubble wrap from your packages throughout the year. This is a free alternative to buying insulating window films.  

4.  Fill any cracks!  On a bright sunny day look for any cracks, or gaps in your door frame.  I cut long strips ( 1.5 inches wide) from cardboard boxes.  I connected two strips together with duct tape to make a strip long enough for my door height. Now try to stuff the cardboard piece into the crack between your door and the frame. Can you still see light shining through? You can make the strip thicker by adding another strip exactly the same size. Tape the two strips together to double up the width and then try stuffing it in the crack. It may not be beautiful but it will cut down on cold drafts. Check the top of your door frame and make strips to fill in any gaps. Place a rolled up towel at the bottom of your door to block any drafts coming in from the bottom. These are free ways to weather strip your door.

5. Check what's plugged in. Look around your house and find anything that is rarely used and unplug it. Unplug the alarm clock in the guest room or the DVD player you use twice a year.  Now, look for any items that have buttons or clocks that glow even when you aren't using them and put them on a power strip. Examples: space heaters, coffee makers, microwaves, phone chargers, DVD, TV, computer monitor, stereo equipment, speakers. In my kitchen, I have my toaster oven, microwave, phone charger, and box fan plugged into one power strip. I can easily flip the power button on to heat up leftovers and then turn the strip off when I'm done. Flipping that switch means I don't have to pay for the glowing clock display 24/7 on my microwave. The time is always wrong anyway! Another power strip idea is grouping your TV/DVD/entertainment stand. You can easily flip the power strip off when it's not in use and stop paying for those glowing buttons and clocks that remain on. We don't let our faucets leak. We should do the same with our electric outlets.

We all know the basics. Turn off lights and change lightbulbs to LED. These tips are a little off the beaten path. They aren't hard to implement and can help cut your electric bill even lower this year.

I pray these tips help you to lower your electric bill. So how do you lower your electric bill? Share your tips below. And thank you for reading!