In Florida, electric bills run high, particularly in the summer. I save on my electric bill in two ways:
First, I hang my clothes to dry, only using my dryer to de-wrinkle the clothes. In this way, the dryer is on for only 20 minutes vs. over an hour.
Does a laundry dryer that is turned off use a lot of energy with a 220 plug?
By Tonya from CO
A dryer that's not running doesn't use any energy. The things that use energy are things with a continual light like electric clocks, anything with a timer. etc.
If my breaker keeps tripping; would that make my electrical bill go up, since I had to turn it off, then turn it back on? Wouldn't that take up a lot more power? I'm trying to figure out why my bill is 3 times higher than the other month. The only thing I can think of is when my breaker kept tripping.
By Ti
No, breakers tripping would not make your power bill go up. Whatever is causing your breaker to trip repeatedly might be the issue. Have you figured out WHY the breaker continually trips?
How can we save $$ on our energy bill when my utility company increases our rates because we are using less energy?
By Ted
My electric bill was over 220 dollars for one month in a small 2 bed/1 bath apt in Ohio. My apartment has old appliances, stove, refrigerator, hot water heater, and AC unit from 1999. Whenever I say anything to the landlord, she gets mad! The seal around the refrigerator and oven are old, moldy, and don't fit well enough to seal properly. Now my utility bill is so high, but I can't afford to move!
By Marie H.
One thing you can do is put bubble wrap on all the windows. It lets the light in but helps insulate a little and every little bit helps. Buy a big roll at W-M or wherever, spritz a bit of water on the window panes and just put it up.
I started recently saving money on my electric bill, and wanted to hear if anyone else had ideas, feedback, etc. I switched my energy provider to North American Power (www.napower.com/kdegross). I am literally saving about $20 a month in my small apartment. I didn't even see a difference on my electric bill, and CLandP still handles any problems.
Has anyone else had this success? Any other ideas? Gas is so high in CT, I figured that if I can save on my electric, I am ahead of the game!
By JennCopplin from CT
It seems silly to repeat the same old admonishments we used in the "energy crisis" when I was a young teenager; BUT sometimes we all forget and waste electricity in ways we don't even think about. Most of us (myself included) could stand to form some new energy habits!
Lights out when you leave the room, and no more lights than you need. If you need to turn on the overhead to get to your chair, then turn the light on by your chair, expend your own energy to go back and turn off the overhead before sitting down. Unplug small appliances and electronics when not in use--inlcuding the chargers you are not using but have plugged in. You can use a power strip for these to make it easier. (Just don't overload the power strip.) All of these draw power, even if we turn them off. You may not want to do everything, such as the TV, so that you don't have to reprogram it every time you use it; but you can live without the clock on most appliances. Turn off your computer, don't just let it hibernate.
If you have an electric water heater, lower the thermostat. If you have electric heating or cooling, adjust the thermostat. At our home, we set it at 68 in the winter, and 78 in the summer. If I want to be warmer in the winter, I put on a sweater. In the summer, if I am too warm, I add a small fan. If your oven is electric, think before you put it on.
If you use a dishwasher, open it after it rinses and let the dishes air dry.
If you like long simmered or baked suppers, re-acquaint yourself with your crock pot. If you are using a crock-pot in the summer, and have a safe place to put it where the heat it throws off won't affect your house (such as a screened porch or garage), try putting it there. Also in the summer, if you cook food in boilling water, be sure to get rid of the water as soon as it is cooked--don't let the pot sit on the stove radiating heat. Cook outside if you can. Cook twice the amount so you will only need to do a quick reheat tomorrow.
Ask your electricity provider if time of day service is available. It means your rate is lower if you use more of your electricty in off-peak times.
Tip for saving money on electricity. Post your ideas.
Cover your windows! I don't have the best windows and can't afford new ones and I can feel the cold coming off of them at night! By using drapes to trap the heat and stop the cold, you could save a considerable amount of money on your energy bill. This works in the summer, too. Also, check the fitting on your outer doors. Use a blanket or towel on the bottom if there is any gap. Nobody mentioned this yet so I thought I would throw in my 2 cents.
How do I lower my power bill?
Kent from Dalton, Ga.
Here's some more good tips: Saving Money on Electricity
Thank you,
Sandy
A: Sandy,
There are a lot of easy ways to save on electricity during the winter. Here are just a few related to hot water and hot water heaters:
Even if your hot water heater is new, insulating your water heater and pipes keeps heat from escaping and the project will easily pay for itself in less than a year.
Don't shut off your hot water heater. Turn down the temperature dial instead. You'll be surprised how low you can set the dial and still have plenty of hot water for your needs (try 115° to 125°).
Check "time of day rates" if your hot water heater is electric. This involves having your water heater come on only during "off-peak" times, but at a lower rate. Check with your utility company to see if they offer this plan.
Turn your water heater down to the lowest setting if you will be gone for a couple of days.
Use foam wrap to insulate hot water pipes throughout your house. Keep it three inches away from heater draft hoods and exhaust vents.
Install low flow aerators on faucets and install water saving showerheads. Fix leaky faucets.
Take showers instead of baths-they use less water.
I would just recommend turning the water heater down if you will be gone for an extended period of time, but otherwise, on a daily basis, I would not suggest that you turn your water heater off. It will expend much more energy to reheat the water than if you just leave it on all the time. I would open all blinds in the morning and get the natural heat from the sun in the house, and then when the sun moves overhead and is not coming in the windows, close all the blinds and keep as much heat as possible in.
Here are some ideas to help you save money on your electric bill. Post your ideas below!
Save Money on Your Electric Bill
Want to save money on your electric bill? One of the biggest electricity uses is your clothes dryer. Hang your clothes outside to dry. They will smell better. They will not be apt to shrink. You will get some exercise. And best of all it's free. Happy clothes hanging.
By Joesgirl
Save Money on Your Electric Bill
Clean your clothes dryer's lint screen frequently. When it is clogged up, your dryer has to work harder and uses more energy.
By Becki in Indiana
If you do laundry, dishwashing or any high power-use chores during the hours of noon and 6 pm each day you are probably paying a peak rate for power. Wait and try to do these chores between the hours of 8pm and noon, when your power usage will be at its cheapest.
By Terri H.
Buy those light bulbs that last forever at a store like home depot. I think they are called fluorescent and they are circular for lamps or they look like a stick for other appliances (compact fluorescent). I paid a lot of money for them years ago and they are still working after about 10 years. They also don't use as much wattage but throw as much light.
If you have an electric water heater, turn off the heater at the circuit breaker box when you don't need to use it. Flip it back on about 15 to 20 minutes before you want to wash the dishes or take a shower. I just put the kitchen timer on. The water stays warm for a long time and heats up fast. Saves about $10 on my electric bill each month. If you have company, leave it on all the time because there is too much confusion when they are there with showers and etc.
make sure your windows are adequately sealed by means of caulking (silicone) around the edges. this will save money big time, especially in central air homes.
