If you’re like most families, one of your biggest monthly bills is your utility bill, especially during the summer. As electric prices frequently rise, that means that your cost for electricity will continue to go up. While you can turn off your lights and keep your thermostat set at a conservative temperature, there is much more than can be done to cut costs.
In fact, with a few simple tips, you can drastically reduce your energy costs and we can tell you how!
1. Make sure you really have the best electric plan
Finding the cheapest energy provider used to be a hassle. Unless you know exactly what to look for it can be a very confusing process. That’s what makes services like Real Simple Energy so great. After a simple sign up that takes seconds, Real Simple Energy will find you the best plan for your family. You’ll be able to save a significant amount of money and keep your energy costs down. In fact, on average, families that sign with Real Simple Energy save around 36% when compared to their regular energy bills.
Go to RealSimpleEnergy.com and get a $30 credit on your first month’s bill by using promo code BUDGET30 at sign up!
2. Unplug unused electronics
The majority of electric costs come from electronics that are turned off. I know that sounds hard to believe, but it’s true. One of the simplest ways to see a difference in your electric bill is to simply unplug the things that don’t need to be plugged in at all times. So, go through the house and unplug the blender, toaster, and even lamps that you’re not frequently using. This quick and simple change will allow you to see a noticeable difference in your bill.
To make things easier, you can plug things into power strips and then just unplug the strip when you’re not using your electronics.
3. Make the change to LED
LED light bulbs are more efficient and last longer. Another important thing they do is reduce your energy consumption. While they do cost more than incandescent bulbs, you make your money back in savings. You’ll be buying light bulbs less and your energy bill will go down. It doesn’t get better than that.
4. Update old appliances
You’ve probably seen the “Energy Star” label on many new appliances. Well, this feature helps you save money on your energy costs. The reality is that a lot of times older appliances are going to suck up more energy and cost you more money. So, if you’ve been considering a kitchen upgrade, you might find that it gives you a lower electric bill, too!
5. Program your thermostat
If you’re at work all day and the kids are at school, your heat doesn’t need to be on in the winter and your air doesn’t need to be on when it’s warm. By ensuring that the heat/air isn’t clicking on multiple times throughout the day, you’ll save a noticeable sum of money. You can set your heat/air to come on shortly before you get home so that when you arrive, it feels just like it should.
These are just a few of the things that you can do to reduce your monthly energy bills. Feel free to let us know your tricks for reducing energy costs in the comments!
