Slash High Electricity Bills

Information on saving money on your electricity bill. Save money with expert advice and real world strategies that keep your money where it belongs, in your pocket.

• Turn off lights in any room not being used.
• Shut off dishwasher for dry cycle. Let your dishes “air dry”.
• Use a window fan instead of air conditioner whenever possible.
• Turn off your TV, radio, record player when not in use.
• Use large bulb instead of several small ones where bright light is needed.
• Use lamp shades with white liner. This reflects more light.
• Replace incandescent with fluorescent bulbs wherever possible.
• Teach all family members to turn off lights when leaving a room.
• Don’t use dishwasher or laundry equipment until you have a full load.
• Use outdoor lights only where they are needed.
• Make sure your refrigerator and freezer door seals are airtight.
• Save electricity by using old-fashioned clothesline for clothes drying.
• Keep air conditioning condenser shaded from sun or on north side of house.
• Turn off air conditioning when no one is home.
• Vacuum or dust off coils of refrigerator and freezer regularly.
• “Instant-on” TV sets use energy even when set is not turned on.
• A full freezer uses less energy. Use bags of ice cubes to keep filled.
• Never overload clothes dryer and always clean lint filter after use.
• Freezers and refrigerators that defrost automatically use more energy.
• Let hot foods cool before placing them in the refrigerator.
• Remove clothes that require ironing from the dryer while they are damp.
• When replacing switches, consider installing solid state dimmer switches.
• Use low wattage night-light bulbs that now come in 4 and 7-watt sizes.
• Place your refrigerator in the coolest part of the kitchen.
• Don’t “over dry” clothing. It wastes energy and may damage synthetics.
• When going away for extended periods, set refrigerator at lowest setting.
• Turn off electric water heater when going away for vacations or weekends.
• Turn 3-way lamps down to lowest level for TV watching.
• Choose light, reflective colors for room ceilings and walls.
• Never connect any large appliance to an extension cord.
• Decide exactly what you want before you open the refrigerator door.
• Defrost refrigerator regularly – when about 1/4 inch of ice has formed.
• “Long-life” light bulbs use more energy than standard life bulbs.
• Turn off your iron when not using it.
• Put light switches where they are easy to turn on and off.
• Keep appliances clean and in good working order. They’ll use less energy.
• When using air conditioning, set thermostat at 78 degrees or higher.
• Keep bulbs and lighting fixtures clean. Dust lowers light levels.
• Eliminate unnecessary outdoor decorative lighting.
• Plant shrubs and trees so that they will shade house during summer months.
• Use higher wattage bulbs only for reading and close work.
• Insulating your attic will save on operating air conditioning (also heating).
• If you have a second refrigerator, ask yourself if you really need it.
• Keep the outside exhaust of your clothes dryer clean.
• Buy appliances on the basis of cost plus operating costs, not price alone.
• Buy clothing made of fabrics that require little or no ironing.
• Use hand tools in your workshop instead of power tools.
• When using air conditioning, keep windows closed & close off unused rooms.
• Use reflector floodlights in directional lamps instead of standard bulbs.
• Buy only “no iron” sheets and pillow cases to save on ironing energy.
• Use adapters to convert table lamps into low-energy fluorescent lamps.
• Microwave ovens reduce cooking time by 15% to 20% and save energy.
• When shopping for new appliances, ask about energy-efficient models.
• Don’t use several light bulbs where one will do the job.
• Limit the use of appliances that use over 1,000 watts.
• Check all energy bills closely. Errors can be costly.