Quick Tips To Cut Energy Costs:
National Cut Your Energy Costs Day
When you were compiling your list of New Years resolutions for 2013, did you consider your financial position or living expenses in any way, shape, or form? We’re always first to think about our weight and habits, but what about your energy costs? Thursday, January 10th is "National Cut Your Costs Day". It isn’t too late to modify or add on to your resolutions lists, so why not consider reducing your energy consumption — and save money in the process, too?
Here are a few quick tips on how you can cut energy costs this year:
Power Strips:
Use power strips for your computers, televisions, DVD players, and any other home electronics. Flip the switch OFF whenever they are not in use. Even though your appliances aren’t in use – don’t forget that they’re still running on phantom energy. If you don’t use power strips, unplug them when they are not being used.
Air Sealing:
Check for cracks or any openings around the house that are allowing outside air to come inside. Utilize insulation and drastically reduce your heating and cooling costs. Air sealing with greatly increase your energy efficiency around the house.
Solar Panels:
Rather than subject yourself to the high-rising utility rate increases imposed by your electric company, lock in a secure and much more affordable rate when you install solar panels in your home. You will use the same amount of energy, but pay much less with solar panels.
Sleep mode:
Opt out of screensaver mode and start using sleep mode with all of your computers. Did you know that screensaver mode uses approximately 100 Watts/hour on your graphics card? Let your screen go black and skip on the slideshow pictures of landscapes and flowers… seriously!
CFLs:
Compact florescent lightbulbs (CFLs) last up to 10 times longer and use 1/4 of the energy that incandescents consume. Switch out your incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent light bulbs. CFLs last up to 10 times longer than and use about one-fourth the energy of incandescents. Change out your lightbulbs
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*Also check out Pro Energy Saving Tips for Your Home (February 2012) if you are looking for more tips or resources on how to save and cut on your energy costs!
About Nicole
Nicole is a stay-at-home mom living on the outskirts of Manhattan with her husband and their 3-year-old son. She is also expecting a second child in January 2013.
The CFL bulbs really make a big difference. I live in an older house & use to go through bulbs like crazy. I’m not sure if the wiring caused slight power surges or what, but my bulbs never lasted. I hated the cost of CFLs, esp as my ceiling fans have several bulbs each. But I slowly changed out each bulb over time, an now only buy about two packages a year!
Hint on CFLs– The other reason I was unsure about CFLs is that I read a lot (like hours a day) and worried about brightness. You can get “daylight” bulbs in CFLs, not just the standard ones. You have to look at the package closely for the daylight or outdoor indicator, but for reading or crafting areas in the house it is worth it!
Another tip not mentioned that I follow- adjust thermostat when sleeping or leaving the house. When everyone is in bed under the blankets, there is no need for the heater to be turn as high. Not only does this save on gas bill, but it take electric for the ‘blower’ in the hearer (as anyone in a power outage can tell you). Make it part of your bedtime routine, and you save on two bills!
Great tips! My husband is always getting mad at me that I don’t turn off/unplug our power strips when they aren’t in use (he calls them power vultures, lol)!
Jennifer recently posted..13 in 2013
Thank you for sharing. We have put all new bulbs in and a new energy efficient hot water heater and we have been very surprised, in one month’s bill we have already seen a difference.
This is a great post and one I need to take to heart. Our bill this month was $560 for utilities. We have old windows so our house is always cold. The problem is, we rent so we really dont want to put a lot of $$ in to the house and the landlord is not interested in upgrading
One of the big downsides to renting is that we don’t have the ability to change the biggest energy drains in our home. We have an old fridge that leaks (you can literally feel the air blowing around the edges of the freezer door), old, drafty windows and no insulation in the walls (apparently in the 50′s a brick exterior was considered sufficient insulation). We did switch to CFLs but found that they were burning out in less then a years time so we’re exploring other options. The electrical in this house is so old that I think there are tiny surges that destroy the light bulbs. Just fyi, solar panels do have a negative environmental impact because of the rare earth minerals required to produce the panels. There are villages in China (most REM used in the U.S. is mined in China) that have shockingly high cancer rates because of the filth in the water, etc. caused by REM mining operations.
Power strip: check. CFCs: check. No screensaver: check.
Have to see about the air check. No solar due to home owners assn. rules
I really need to seal our windows somehow. They are old and don’t latch well. It’s like ice whenever you are near them. Thanks for the tips.
These are all great ideas. My husband and I have been thinking about building a windmill in our backyard. It’s very windy here so it would work well!