Bill shock is up there with one of the worst emails or letters you can receive. They never arrive when you want them to. Opening that envelope, whether physically or digitally, is nearly enough to induce a panic attack. Instead of getting upset or annoyed every time that envelope arrives, consider some of the simple tips you can implement to avoid that bill shock and reduce your homes electricity bill.
Efficiency is the key
It is easy to think that the bigger items in your home are the ones driving up your electricity bill. But in actual fact, it can be some of the smallest energy eaters that are costing you more. Lightbulbs are a perfect example of this. Older incandescent or halogen bulbs actually chew through a lot more electricity than you think. A simple way to reduce your next bill is to make the switch to LED lights. Not only will LED lights help lower the impact on your back pocket, they actually shine brighter for longer.
Ideal temperature
Whether it is summer or winter, setting your heating or cooling to the wrong temperature could actually be costing you more than you think. In summer, set the air conditioner within the right range of between 24-26 degrees Celsius. Any lower than that and you can add as much as 10% to the cost of running your air conditioner. In winter, make sure you don’t set your heater above 20 degrees Celsius. Again, any higher than that and you will start costing yourself even more when the bill arrives. Take the time to think about how efficiently you can use your appliances in each season.
Hot or cold
One of the more well-known energy consumers in your home is of course, your hot water heater. Now nobody is going to expect you to have cold showers to reduce the electricity bill. Imagine that! But washing your clothes with cold water as opposed to hot is a little more reasonable. Setting your washing machine cycles to run on cold water only will save you money on that electricity bill, especially if you do several washes a week. Remove the extra usage of your hot water system and you’ll be shocked at the savings.
Do your homework
Gone are the days of limited competition in the energy market. In reality now, the only thing stopping you from saving even more money on your bill is you. A simple way to remove a few dollars off your bill is to take some time to do your research on all providers in the market. Check across all of the providers in the market to make sure you are getting the best possible deal you can. If you aren’t, then ring your current provider and have a conversation about the current plan you are on. If they can’t match or improve on your current plan, then making the change to a new provider can be a simple way to save on your next bill. Of course, this tactic only works if you live in a state where the power market was deregulated. For example, in Texas back in 2002, they passed a bill that allowed private electricity companies to offer their services to the public, more commonly known as Texas power to choose.
Switch it off
A very simple way to start saving money on your electricity bill today, is to turn off appliances you aren’t using. It’s that simple. Let’s be honest, no one needs the clock on their microwave to tell the time. So instead of leaving it on all the time, turn it off at the wall. The same goes for your television. You can’t watch it while you are sleeping, so turn it off at the wall. Devices which operate on standby mode use electricity, even when they aren’t turned on. It may not be a dramatic amount of electricity, but it all counts in the end.
Saving money on your electricity bill doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive. There are simple changes you can make right now to lower the impact of your next bill. Whether it is turning off appliances not in use, or using appliances more efficiently. Make the changes today and save yourself tomorrow.
