How To Save on Your Energy Bill
The cost of your energy bill can vary significantly but fortunately, you do have a say in the matter.
The typical U.S. household spends approximately $2,000 on energy bills per year, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s ENERGY STAR program. The cost of utilities can vary significantly, mainly based on your location, climate, your usage habits, and the size of your home. Another important factor is the age of your home and its energy and water efficiency.
1. Household Utilities
Generally, utility expenses include Vectren gas, electricity, water/sewage, and garbage disposal. Sometimes, other services such as the internet, cable TV, and phone services are considered to be additional utilities since they are now considered standard in most American households.
Electricity bill
The biggest utility bill is the electricity bill. According to the Energy Information Administration (EIA), the average residential monthly electric bill in the United States was approximately $115 in 2019 but that was before COVID-19 started its relentless march across the globe and turned our homes into offices. The amount also varies significantly by state.
Gas billGas usage varies significantly based on your climate, natural gas price, and for how many purposes you use it.
Internet, Telephone, and Cable
Their cost depends on what you need.
Water and Sewage
The average water use per person in the United States is about 80-100 gallons of water per day. Water usage varies mainly based on the local climate and weather patterns and whether you live in a city or in the country.
Waste
This bill typically includes the cost to dispose of your garbage, recyclables and organic waste. Typically, recyclables will be picked up at a cheaper rate, which can save you money, especially if you can reduce the frequency of your regular garbage pickups. The monthly cost is set by the city.
Other costs homeowners face are maintenance costs, home security, and lawn care.
2. How To Save On Your Household Utilities
The amount you pay mainly depends on your usage so there’s plenty you can do to make your lifestyle more energy efficient.
Shop around for providers
We compare prices whenever we buy stuff online so why not do it for our providers as well? All you have to do is Google the list of energy providers. You have a ton of already made comparison sites that make it too easy to compare prices and deals, helping you save hundreds of dollars per year.
Invest in a smart thermostat
If you forget to turn the heating off when you go to bed or leave the house, you are giving away your hard-earned dollars to your utility provider. A programmable thermostat will take care of it for you, ensuring you are comfortable when needed and saving you money.
Save money while you’re sleeping
Run your dishwasher in the evening when energy goes on sale. Also, don’t forget to use the eco mode with cold water as water heating makes up about 90% of the energy it takes to operate a clothes washer.
Do not skip on maintenance
Keep your HVAC and AC running efficiently by regularly cleaning and changing filters. Dirty filters drain your system and end up using more electricity.
Don’t forget to use ceiling fans – even during winter
Your A/C uses about 25% of your household’s energy, whereas ceiling fans use a fraction of the cost so use them to reduce the workload. During summer, use them to cool down. During winter, reverse the direction so they bring the hot air down which will make the room feel warmer.
Unplug
From coffee makers and TVs to yourself, when you’re done with the work, just unplug to avoid unnecessary energy waste and save yourself some green.
Takeaway
A lot of little things add up to big savings. Remember, every penny counts but the more effort you put in, the more money, you’ll end up saving.