Ways to Decrease Your Utility Bill

This is a guest post from Anum Yoon, who is a prolific and excellent writer in the personal finance sphere.  You can find out more about her at her blog Current on Currency.

Today’s post will feature ideas on how to keep your utility bills low.  With winter around the corner, these tips could save you a lot of money.  Enjoy!

Temperatures are starting to drop. We are closing our windows now and thinking about turning on the heat. Whether you love winter or hate it, you are going to pay more to keep warm when the snow starts to fall and the temperatures drop.

The same is true for those in warm-weather climates. When the heat rises, so do the air conditioning bills. We have no choice but to heat and cool our homes to maintain our comfort, but there are a few things you can do to keep your utility bills from burdening your budget.

Check Your Settings

Are you scalding your hands when you wash them? Are your vegetables freezing in the refrigerator drawer? Check the settings of your appliances to make sure you aren’t overworking them and wasting energy, which results in higher bills.

Your hot water tank doesn’t need to be set any higher than 120 degrees. This is hot enough for dishes and laundry and certainly hot enough to wash your hands. Manufacturers and installers typical set them higher, and you may not have looked at or paid attention to the settings. Consult your manuals for more information.

Your refrigerator should be set around 37 to 40 degrees and your freezer at 5 degrees. Anything colder than that is unnecessary, and you will be wasting energy and potentially freezing your food in the refrigerator. Some refrigerators have known cold spots, but many people just set them too low.

Replace Incandescent Lightbulbs

Old lightbulbs use a lot more energy than new halogen, CFLs and LEDs. Depending on the specific type, these bulbs use anywhere from 25-80 percent less energy. These bulbs are more expensive than their predecessors, but last many years longer and will save you money over the long term.

Purchase Energy-Efficient Appliances

When it is time to get a new refrigerator, freezer, washer or dishwasher, look for those marked Energy Star compliant. These appliances can use up to 75 percent less energy than older models, which can add up to hundreds of dollars in annual savings. Even if your old refrigerator still works well, it might not be a bad idea to consider replacing it for overall savings.

(Note from TBP: Check with your local utility company to see if they provide credits for upgrading your old appliances to Energy Star models.  Many will also haul away the old appliance for you.)

When you use your appliances, make sure they are full before you run them. They will use just as much electricity washing a few items as they will a full load. Be wise and economical with your energy use and save money doing so.

Use Your Garbage Disposal Properly

The garbage disposal is a modern convenience that many take for granted. It’s not a magic hole through which anything can pass. The garbage disposal uses a lot of electricity to grind up wasted food items into tiny bits small enough to pass through the drain. Sometimes they clog, and through misuse, break. You can save money on electric bills and expensive repairs by observing some of these do’s and don’ts

Do

  • Turn on a heavy flow of water before flicking the switch. The garbage disposal needs water to do its work and will overheat without it. Continue to run the water after the grinding stops in order to thoroughly clean out the drain.

 

  • Every few months, put ice cubes down the drain and grind those up. This will help clean out the inner workings of the disposal. You can also add a lemon peel to help freshen the scent. Disposals often smell bad because they have rotting food stuck inside them.

 

  • Have your kitchen drain snaked out every few years. This will prevent clogs and possible repairs.

 

Don’t

 

  • Put grease down the drain. The grease will harden in the water and create clogs throughout the drain. Just save grease and fat and discard it in the trash can.

 

  • Grind up big food items that can be thrown in the trash. It’s a waste of energy and it puts unneeded stress on your disposal.

 

  • Put rinds, potato peels, rice or pasta in your disposal. These items should be thrown in the garbage and never put into your drain. The garbage disposal doesn’t do well with these items and will usually clog from them.

Add or Replace Insulation

Is the air you are heating or cooling escaping outside through cracks and gaps in your windows or attic? Proper insulation will keep that air inside and prevent your home from feeling drafty. This will save you money, as your furnace or air conditioner won’t have to work as hard to maintain your desired temperature.

Add weather stripping to doors and windows. Caulk up holes and cracks you can reach. If you are comfortable doing so, add another layer of insulation in your attic, or hire a professional to inspect and assess what your house needs.

Check for Leaks

Leaky pipes, toilets which run nonstop and sinks that drip constantly all waste water and cost you money. Fix these leaks yourself or hire a professional if you are uncomfortable doing so. If you aren’t sure you have a leak, you can check your water meter. If all the water is off, there should be no change in the meter after two hours or so. But if there is, you may a have a leak somewhere in the house.

Invest in a Smart Thermostat

If you are going to be gone all day, don’t waste money keeping your home at an ideal temperature when you can’t enjoy it. You can program a smart thermostat to have your home at the temperature you desire by the time you get home and give the furnace a break when you aren’t there. Some can be programmed and accessed online, in case your plans change.

There are lots of little things we can do to save on our energy costs. They don’t have to be major projects like replacing all the windows or installing a new roof — although these will help, too. You just have to properly maintain your appliances and be conscious of the energy you are using. Even making a minimal effort will lower your bills during extreme weather months and keep more of your money in your pocket.

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Comments

  1. Great information here! Its certainly a checklist that every homeowner and renter should check twice before the hot and hold weather seasons. Interestingly I recently wrote a post myself about saving money on the Water Bill. You can find it here: http://handymillennial.com/how-to-save-water-pii/ and in the links inside. Looking forward to reading more of your blog!

    • Syed says

      Glad you appreciate it there are lots of little easy things that can be done around the house to help with utility bills.

  2. I love the list, I replaced all my lights with LEDs back in 2013/2014 and have been saving roughly 30 bucks a month since then on my electric bill. I also like to plastic my windows each winter. I’m not sure how much money this saves, but it certainly helps it feel warmer in the house!

    • Syed says

      Yeah lots of air can leak through older windows. Since the furnace and A/C are the big money suckers, running them more because of leaky windows can cost you a lot down the road.

  3. SMM says

    Thanks for the tips; I especially didn’t know about the garbage disposal one. We cook and sometimes as a result, unfortunately, have to throw food away. I’ll also try the snake cleaning 🙂

    • Syed says

      Yeah I try to use the garbage disposal as little as I possibly can. Mainly because I don’t want to get to the point where I have to fix it!

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