Anytime of the year is a good time to have some savings. There are many ways to save and there are many things to save as well, such as power. Payment for power consumption is one of the biggest expenses in a household’s monthly budget. If you can save on power expenses, it sure will be a great help. The savings could come in handy for emergency expenses. Let’s see how you can save on power expenses in 2017.
1. Adjust heating requirements
You can save on heating with a few adjustments on how to keep warm during the cold season. Turning the thermostat down by 1 °C will save you a lot. Keeping the heat constant is better that turning your heater on and off. Understanding your thermostat timer’s setting will prove helpful. When it turns cold, keep warm by wearing socks and slippers and donning jumpers when you’re at home. Put an additional blanket on your bed so you don’t have to turn up your heater. Door sweeps and weather strips efficiently prevent heat loss.
2. Bundle your Home Services
You can save more when you find a provider that offers both power and Internet services. With several plans on offer, you’ll be able to choose the option that will best fit your electricity and Internet needs as well as your monthly budget.
Several power and internet providers have been putting out this kind of service and it’s a growing customer-supporting trend, which is expected to continue on expanding.
3. Cook more efficiently
You can also save on power if you know how to cook efficiently. If you like baked meals, prepare several batches and cook them in one go. This means that you are efficiently utilizing your oven better that baking a meal one at a time. You can also heat your kitchen after cooking by opening the oven door so you do not have to turn up your thermostat during cold days. You’ll be able to use the oven’s stored heat better, instead of letting an extractor fan to let the heat out of your house.
When using a dishwasher, scrape off the left over food and do not pre-rinse the dishes using hot water. The dishwasher can do the cleaning for you. Keep your refrigerator or freezer full. Your refrigerator wastes energy and space when it’s empty. Investing in different pot and pan sizes also helps. If you are heating a small meal, use a small pan. Likewise, use a small stove burner when using a small pan so the heat is better utilized. Using a large pan on a small burner takes longer to heat, thus you waste energy.
4. Wash and iron clothes better
Set your washing machine to heat water at 30-40 °C (86-104 °F) to save on power. If the weather is warm or windy, hang up the laundry instead of using a dryer. Air-dried clothes smell better as well. If you’re using a dryer, take the clothes out before they are completely dried and iron them. The clothes are easier and faster to iron when they are slightly damp. You also use less power on your dryer.
5. Use energy-efficient light bulbs
Use LED lights which are more efficient and last far longer than other lighting fixtures. Turn off lights when you do not need them. Install a timer on your bedside lamp if you like reading in bed so it will automatically turn off even if you fall asleep while reading. Use an energy-saving LED nightlight as well. A solar-powered night security light will also give you power savings.
6. General fixture maintenance
You’ll save on power by cleaning and maintaining your heating and cooling fixtures. Clean refrigerator coils regularly and install a ref thermometer to set your ref at the right temperature. Bleed your radiators regularly so it can run at full capacity. Find an energy saving dehumidifier that you can charge in the microwave. If you need only a small amount of hot water, do not boil a full kettle.
Get the entire family involved in your energy saving efforts. Teaching children to save will be useful to them, in their everyday life as well as when they have their own families.