5 Ways to Save on Utility Bills

Utility expenses are not cheap. On average, households in the United States spend around $2,000 on energy bills, as reported by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's ENERGY STAR program. Therefore, discovering methods to decrease your monthly utility costs can have a positive impact on your family's financial situation.

If you're facing financial constraints and looking for ways to save money, consider focusing on your washing machine, hot water heater, ceiling fan, and thermostat to find opportunities for cost-cutting.

While fundamental steps like turning off lights upon leaving a room and avoiding extreme cooling settings on your air conditioner are helpful, you'll need to take additional measures throughout your home to conserve energy effectively and reduce your utility expenses.

In this article, we'll explore five practical and effective ways to save on utility bills without sacrificing comfort or convenience.

Shop around

If you want to cut down your energy bills, one of the easiest ways would be to switch your energy supplier. So, before finalizing your supplier, do background research, learn what perks they are offering, and try to find the cheapest deal in the market.

You can call your power company and request a roster of energy providers in their network. Upon receiving this list, analyze the prices offered by each and opt for the provider with the most economical rates. You can also compare and save on utility bills with Utility Saving Expert.

Manage Your Thermostat

Maintaining excessively cold or hot temperatures when nobody is at home only serves to transfer your funds to your utility company.

For instance, if your son prefers a chilly sleeping environment during warm months, it doesn't imply setting the thermostat to a chilly temperature when he rises at 7 a.m. and departs for work. Similarly, there's no need to set it to 66 degrees at 11 p.m. and maintain such a low temperature throughout the night.

For the best execution of this strategy, opting for a smart thermostat or a programmable variant is highly recommended. With a programmed schedule in place, you will be able to remove the risk of leaving the thermostat high and heating an unoccupied house.

Reduce Hot Water Heater Temperature

Indeed, starting the day with a comforting hot shower is a pleasure, but the process of heating the water tank consumes a significant amount of energy. According to several studies, the average household spends between $400 and $600 annually solely for water heating, constituting around 14% to 18% of the total utility expenses. While the default temperature setting for hot water heaters is 140 degrees, it's perfectly OK to lower it while still relishing warm showers.

For cost-effective savings, consider adjusting your water heater's temperature to 120 degrees. This simple alteration can lead to significant financial benefits over time.

Remember Timely Maintenance of your Filter

Maintain the efficiency of your heating and air conditioning system by changing its filters regularly. This will prevent them from becoming clogged and impairing the system's performance. Accumulation of dust, dirt, and pet hair can obstruct airflow, causing your air conditioning unit to operate with heightened effort until it eventually malfunctions.

Ensure that you prioritize the routine servicing of your furnace (and air conditioning unit) by regular cleaning and changing its filter. Choose the filter replacement recommendations provided by the manufacturer, which might range from monthly to quarterly, depending on the quality of the filter in use.

Opt for Cold Water Laundry

According to certain studies, approximately 90% of the energy expended in operating a clothes washer is attributed to water heating. So, select the cold-water option on your washing machine to minimize energy consumption associated with water heating.

Although certain charges on your utility do not depend on your usage, there are specific areas within your control where you can target to reduce costs. But by making minor adjustments to your utility usage, you can accumulate big savings on your monthly expenses.