5 Easy Options for Saving Money on Energy Costs
In order to live a simplistic, stress free (well less stressful) life, finding ways to make life easier is a must. One way in removing some of the stresses from your life is finding ways to easily manage your finances. While some expenses can be eliminated or altered to make life easier to manage, there are other expenses that we can’t necessarily live without. Take for instance your energy costs. Without sufficient energy in the home, it can make life a lot more challenging.
If you’ve recently received an energy bill in wondered, “How in the world am I supposed to pay for this?” You’re not the only one. I too have wondered sometimes what in the world I (or my family) must be doing to have the energy costs go so high. The good news however, just as there are ways to conserve water costs around the house, there are also ways in which you can lower the cost of living by reducing your energy costs. Below are a few simplistic options you might consider:
1. Switch Your Light bulbs
Do you still have traditional incandescent lighting in your home? If so, it’s definitely time for a change. Incandescent lighting requires more energy to operate and also emit a lot of heat which isn’t necessarily a good thing during those warmer months. Investing in energy efficient lighting such as LED lights can save you a good amount of cash on your energy bill. In fact, Energy.gov states that by simply changing five of the most commonly used light fixtures in your home, you can save as much as $75 a year.
2. Check Your Doors and Windows
A lot of energy can be wasted in your home if you have airways that heat or air can get through. Often these cracks can be found near doors and windows in the home. If you notice that there are small cracks near your doors or windows, invest in some weather stripping, plastic, or caulk and fill in the cracks. By keeping the heat and/or cool air from escaping and/or entering your home, you can adjust the temperatures accordingly. Now your heating and cooling systems don’t have to work so hard to get to the appropriate temperature, thus saving you money.
3. Turn Off the Lights
This is an easy one, but believe it or not, not many people are aware of how much energy they lose by keeping on the lights in their home. By simply making surethat you turn off lights that you’re not using during the day you can save on energy costs. This includes porch or motion lights, oven lights, and any other lighting systems that you might keep on unnecessarily during the day.
4. Unplug Everything
You may not be aware of this, but even things that aren’t turned on can consume bits of energy that add up. Even something as simple as leaving on your cable box for an entire year costs you approximately $18. While you may not want to turn your cable box off every day, you do want to unplug other things that are commonly left plugged in during the day. This might include your coffee pot, toaster, extra television sets, computers, lamps, and other electronic devices. A great way to save time would be to invest in a power strip or two. Plugging in appliances to a power strip makes it easy for you to simply turn them off on your way out the door each morning.
5. Switch Energy Providers
If you’re really not seeing any change in your energy bill after trying some of the above tips, it may be ideal to look into switching energy providers. Many parts of the US and Canada now give their consumers the power to choose their own energy provider, as the website for Alberta Energy Providers explains. This means consumers have the convenience of choosing a supplier that will offer them more affordable rates on their energy costs.
Saving money on energy costs does not have to mean making a huge investment (though there are larger investments that will save you more money). It simply means assessing your household energy use and discerning where you can cut back on consumption in those areas. By following these five energy saving tips above, you are sure to see a least a hundred dollar difference in your energy costs each year, which of course can be put to good use somewhere else.