Are you always shocked when you get an electricity bill? You may be hoping to reduce your consumption in the next billing period. Don’t worry, you don’t have to be very modest to save. Ways to save on electricity are very simple.
The best ways to save are those that don’t affect your life at all and don’t change your daily habits. In this article, we look at the various energy-saving methods, as well as the myths and half-truths that people often believe in saving energy.
Ways to Save on Your Electric Bill
Turn off standby mode
Standby mode, is an inconspicuous eater of energy in the home. How could a small red light cause high consumption? The appliances are always ready for use in stand-by mode, so they drain a considerable amount of electricity. In the average household, standby mode accounts for an incredible 9% of total electricity consumption! At the same time, saving electricity is so simple – just turn off the devices completely with a button or unplug them. When you buy an extension cable with a switch, you can disconnect several appliances at once with one button.
Replace appliances with more economical ones
Electrical appliances that are several years old may still serve you, but they are very likely to contribute to high electricity consumption in your home. Modern appliances are made much more economical. Although you will have to invest in a new device in the beginning, your costs will soon pay off in terms of electricity savings.
Unplug the charger
As with stand-by mode, leaving the charger in the outlet will consume electricity unnecessarily. Even if no device is connected to the charger, electricity is constantly flowing into the charger itself, throwing money into the air. All you have to do is automate that you also unplug the charger every time you disconnect your phone or laptop. Can you think of an easier way to save on electricity?
Change your lightbulbs
It is one thing to use energy-saving light bulbs, the other is the time and range of lighting. Do you really need a lit a whole room when working on a computer or reading? Wouldn’t a small lamp be enough for you? Similar measures will help you save electricity on lighting.
LED light bulbs represent another saving. Their luminosity is perfect, but they use 80% less energy compared to a conventional light bulb.
Cold wash
With modern washing powders, it is no longer necessary to wash at 60 degrees or even boil the laundry – you can achieve purity and beautiful colors even at lower temperatures. Washing at temperatures between 30-40 ° C will not only help you save electricity, but will also help clothes. This also applies to squeezing. Choose a lower speed and let the laundry dry in the fresh air.
Cook with a lid
Putting the lid on the pot on the stove takes about two seconds, but it’s an effective way to save on electricity. When cooking without a lid, the cooking time is prolonged because hot steam escapes into the air unnecessarily. Pressure cooker will also help you with more economical food preparation – with it the cooking time will be significantly shortened.
Fill the dishwasher
If you are using the dishwasher half empty, it is no wonder that your electricity bills are rising. Use the dishwasher only when it is full to take full advantage of the energy. As with the washing machine, you can also consider if it would not be enough to wash the dishes at a lower temperature. For less dirty glasses or mugs, this is enough, choose a higher temperature only for greasy pots. On the other hand, be careful not to overfill the dishwasher. In this case, the dishes will not be washed properly and you will have to wash the dishes again.
Use the thermostat wisely
If you heat with electricity, you can save up to hundreds a year thanks to the clever setting of the thermostat. Set the temperature in each room separately as recommended by hygiene standards.
Dialing down your thermostat by 7–10 degrees for eight hours a day can help you save 10% on your electric bill each year.
Also investing in a smart thermostat could be the right move.
Replace the supplier
Even if you keep electricity consumption to a minimum, you can hardly save by paying unnecessarily much to electric company.
Some may give you discounts based on any energy-efficient home improvements you make in your home. Some even provide savings for off-peak electricity use.
Myths about saving electricity
In addition to useful advice, various myths and half-truths circulate among the people. Which are they?
- Turning lights off is uneconomical. According to some theories, more energy is used to turn it off and on than it would let. However, this is not true and if you plan to return to the lit room later than 5 minutes, it is convenient to turn off the light.
- The refrigerator should be half empty. It seems logical that the less food there is in the fridge, the less energy it needs to cool it. However, the opposite is true – there are not enough items in the almost empty fridge to keep the cool. The ideal solution is to have the refrigerator about 80% full.
- The microwave is uneconomical. Because the microwave is louder than the classic oven, it gives the impression that it consumes a lot of energy. However, a classic oven is much more energy intensive.
- The charger in the socket does not consume any electricity. Even if you unplug your mobile phone or laptop, the charger left in the socket still consumes a small amount of power. If you do this often, you can spend couple of extra dollars a year on electricity.
