We are all looking for ways to save money, and many of us are looking for ways to go green. When talking electricity you can make a difference both in your wallet and your environment. With just a bit of planning and minimal cost you can save up to 600.00 per year, maybe more. This information was based on calculations from Peco Smart Ideas web site and is based on average usage.
Save an average of $150 per year by adjusting the temperature.
Simply lower your thermostat setting 3 degrees in the winter and raise your thermostat 3 degrees in the summer. Although 3 degrees won’t be that noticeable it will be easier to tolerate by using all the ceiling fans in your place. This will give you $150 in your wallet. Adding the use of ceiling fans all year long to help circulate the air temperature will also contribute $15 in savings. Add an additional $20 to your savings by changing the setting on your refrigerator thermostat to 35 – 38 degrees.
Save an average of $300 with minimal cost.
Seal all air leaks in your house, use caulk and weather-strip around windows and doors. This simple task will reap great rewards to the tune of $150 dollars a year. Add to that with power strips on your electronics like TV’s computers and stereos and turn them off when not in use. By eliminating the drain on your electric, not only are you saving energy but an average of $100 per year. Finally, replace the 5 most common lights in your house with CFL (Compact Fluorescent Light) bulbs. This will add $50 a year to your wallet.
Save additional dollars with simple lifestyle choices.
Using your oven for one hour a day will cost on average $10 per month, or $120 per year. Switch to using a crock pot for 6 hours a day and spend less than $1 per month or $12 per year. Using a microwave oven for 1/2 hour per day will average $2 per month or $24 per year. You can see how the savings will add up by making choices that don't involve your oven. Now, it probably isn’t possible to never use your oven again but each time you opt for a more energy efficient method of cooking your savings goes up.
Reducing TV time by ½ will reduce your energy cost by an average of $25 per year. (Assuming your TV is on 4 hours a day) How often is the TV on and no one is watching? Establish a TV time in your house of 2 hours per day. This savings will add up to coin in your pocket and will allow for more family time. Play a game, read a book or just chat. Do you use 2 alarm clocks in your bedroom? If you do, try switching to one, this can save you $10 per year.
Using a clothes dryer one hour a day will cost $15 per month or $175 per year. By reducing that by 50% you can save $85 per year. Here is a tip; when you wash your bed linens, there is no need to dry them in the dryer. Put those sheets right back on your bed damp. Smooth them out and do not tuck them in, or put the blankets back on, just let them dry on the bed. There is not enough water on the damp sheets to cause any damage to the mattress and the sheets dry in just a few hours. Later you can come back and finish making the bed. Trust me on this; many people I know have been doing this for years without any damage to the mattress. There isn’t enough water in the sheets after they have gone through the spin cycle of the washer. If you have 3 beds in the house this is a significant help to your energy saving efforts. Another tip is to hang your clothes right out of the washer, this will also save you time and energy as clothes left to hang dry typically requires less ironing.
All of these figures are average estimates, but it is clear that by making a few simple changes in your daily habits you can add money to your pocket book. It is probably not likely that you can implement all of these ideas into your daily life style but if you did, that would be $600 in a year. That's not to bad...
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