Every household will spend hundreds, if not thousands, on utilities every year. Fortunately, there are some easy ways to cut your utility bills down to size without making enormous sacrifices.
Upgrade to Smart Power Strips
Everything you plug in still siphons energy when you aren’t using it. There’s an elegant solution to this: using smart power strips. You’ll have to spend on the initial investment, but they cut down on phantom power use, so they’ll eventually pay for themselves.
Many of them come with scheduling options where you can automatically shut down certain devices or the entire grid. That means no more paying for your devices to idle while you sleep.
Install Low-Flow Showerheads
If you’re drowning in high water bills, try installing faucet aerators and low-flow showerheads. This causes less water to come out, but you won’t notice much of a change, even in the pressure. This can help you both save on water use and heating that water, since you’ll use less of it.
These can even improve your plumbing’s efficiency, reducing the strain and possibly lowering the chance of having clogs or backups.
Use Ceiling Fans
Ceiling fans help your home feel cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter (if you reverse the spin). In the summer, set blades to spin counterclockwise to push cool air down. In winter, clockwise at low speed pulls warm air up and circulates it.
This will give your HVAC a much-needed break when the temperatures get high and let you run the system at lower or higher temperatures, depending on the time of year.
Program Thermostats
Programmable thermometers are one of the best modern inventions for using less energy without sacrificing comfort. Programmable or smart thermostats adjust temperatures automatically based on your schedule, so you’re not heating or cooling an empty house.
Set it higher in summer or lower in winter when you’re out or sleeping, and let it think for you. Many will also provide statistics and preset options to help you optimize your savings further.
Seal and Insulate Draft
A lot of energy loss comes from small gaps in your home where the heating or cooling slips out. Check around your home for drafts, especially in places like the attic or around windows and doors.
Feel around for cold spots or changes in temperature; there’s a good chance you need to seal something there. Weatherstripping and caulk are cheap ways to handle this, but you can also insulate the area for even better protection against energy loss.
Leverage Off-Peak Energy Rates
Many utilities charge less for electricity during certain hours—usually overnight or on weekends. These are the ideal times to run your dishwasher, laundry, or even charge your EV. Many people aren’t aware of this strategy and just assume that there’s a flat rate for using energy.
But being smart about when you use energy-hungry appliances can save you a significant amount of cash with little to no change to your routine.
