Energy costs at home can really put a strain on our budgets, especially in the summer. There are some easy ways you could try at home right now to reduce these costs and save money! Below is a list of 5 things you can try in your home RIGHT NOW to reduce your energy bills.
- Change your light bulbs to LED
LED light bulbs are on average 80% more energy efficient than regular lightbulbs. Think about how many lightbulbs you have in your home and how much you could save if you changed each one. As a bonus, LED light bulbs also last much longer than regular light bulbs and have less toxic materials in them.
- Wash clothes in cold water
The majority of the energy cost to run a washing machine is not the motor but actually heating the water. Wash your clothes in cold water and watch the savings add up! All laundry detergents are made to activate in cold water, so your clothes will be just as clean as using hot water.
- Convection Cooking
Invest in a Toaster/Convection oven. If you are cooking small meals or heating up food, the oven is a huge waste of money. On average, a convection oven is 20% more energy efficient than the oven (and uses no GAS), think about how much you can save if you stop using your oven.
- Solar Power
Solar power harnesses a free energy source, the sun! If you own your home, look into solar panels but even if you live in an apartment you can still invest in solar products. There are solar powered lights and so many other devices you can charge in the sun. Did I mention solar power is free?!
- Vampire Electricity
Vampire electricity is the electricity that runs through your appliances even when they are off but plugged in. This is costing you money! Unplug all appliances and other devices and stop wasting money on vampire electricity!
We could all use help stretching our budgets right now! If you try these tricks today you will start to see the savings add up on your energy bills and will see the extra money in your pocket!
