Cold weather often means you go in debt with the electric company every winter, especially if you have electric heat. However, you don’t have to go in debt if you take the right steps to reduce the amount of electricity used in the winter. The following will help you to get your electric bill lowered and still allow you to keep your home warm this winter:
Lightbulbs The lightbulbs you use in your home are important, especially when you wish to save money. On average, if you have eight lights lighting your home with 60 watt lightbulbs, you could use as much as 480 watts at a time to light your home. By switching to a lower wattage bulb, you can save money. LED bulbs will use less than ten watts. Those same eight lights would only be using 80 watts to light your home. This adds up to a lot over the winter.
Upgrade the Old If you have an old refrigerator, the chances are likely that you are using too much electricity to keep your food cold. A simple upgrade to a new, energy-efficient model could lower your electric bill by as much as $30 a month. Over the winter, this can add up to as much as $150 or more in savings. Upgrade to vinyl replacement windows and you can save even more.
Unplugging to Save If you take a look around your home, how many items do you have that are not being used but are still plugged in? Your television, DVD player, and stereo system, when plugged in, are eating up a huge amount of electricity to keep the lights going. Even though they may be off, they are still using your power and causing your electric bill to rise. Unplugging all items that are not being used will lower your monthly bill.
Adjust Your Temperature Your body will take time to adjust from the warm summer months to the colder weather, but it will. Instead of cranking the heat up to get warm, consider adding another layer of clothing. You may not like to wear heavy socks or a sweater when relaxing, but if you are serious about reducing your electric bill, it is a small step to take that can save you hundreds of dollars in the winter.
By taking the above steps, you can reduce your electric bill this winter. The electric company may not like it, but you will when you see the savings.
