The best way to totally lower your electric bill completely is probably to cut off all power to your home. That’s got to be the best energy saving tip anyone can give you. Of course that’s unrealistic and perhaps only possible in that movie Planet of the Apes where there was a heavy reliance on sunlight. Having electricity is one of the best discoveries of the 20th century and perhaps one of the biggest reasons why mankind can continue working long after the sun goes down.
But electricity turbines running costs are not cheap, and translate that to the consumers, it can rake up quite a hefty consumption bill. Here are some money saving tips to hopefully lower your electric bill if not completely; at least you will be able to use that excess money for something else. Like taking the family out for a good meal. I don’t know what kind of electrical gadgetry you may justify for your home, but some of these money saving tips are just plain common sense.
You can start by switching off the lights in the rooms that are not occupied or opt to use a light dimming device to lower the consumption of electricity. Doing that might set the mood for something else though, and may take some getting used to, but it will significantly lower your consumption. Getting energy-saving light tubes or light bulbs can also significantly reduce your daily power consumption. Appliances with the triple energy saving rating may generally be on the pricey side, but they can last longer and ultimately save you money.
If you’re accustomed to using the air-conditioning at night when you’re sleeping, try opting for the humble electric fan as an alternative to cooling those hot bods. Air-conditioning can be one of the biggest culprits on the electric power bill at the end of the month, although you are unlikely able to see your power bill itemized according to electrical appliance. Try this experiment: turn off everything for a month and turn on only the air-conditioning. That’s one of the sure fire ways to measure the impact of the air-conditioning unit on your electricity consumption bill. Come to think of it, wouldn’t it be a really cool feature if the power company could isolate the cause of your increased power consumption?
On the other side of those hot sweltering nights are the cold harsh winters. Using oil based heaters instead of electrical ones can save you quite a fair bit of money also, especially if you live in a mansion with high ceilings. Hot air raises and thus you would need to turn up the heat to maximum before you feel warm enough. You could also sell the place and opt for a smaller apartment. Try wearing good thermal underwear instead and pull on those duck feather blankets you bought last Christmas as added protection against the cold.
Of course I suggest all these ideas in a tongue-in-cheek manner, I am sure you are sensible enough to make those minor adjustments to your consumption patterns. The whole idea is to be more prudent and less extravagant, and you’ll start saving.