Gas and electricity bills can really add up. Fortunately, there are a number of strategies to save big on your costs and end up with a much more reasonable end of the month amount to pay. Here’s a brief guide.
Upgrade
One of the best ways to save money on your utilities is to spend money now. It sounds counterintuitive, but spending money up front on more energy-efficient appliances like dishwashers, washing machines, heating and air conditioning units and water heaters can end up saving you bundles down the road. Look for the Energy Star rating and start upgrading your appliances and systems. You’ll save a lot.¹
Air Dry
Dryers tend to use a lot of energy and they aren’t always necessary. If you live in a climate where it’s possible, air dry clothes outside after washing, or if you’re in a rainy or cold climate hang them inside on a drying rack. You’ll end up saving a lot of money and possibly not even need to buy a dryer at all, which translates into big savings up front.²
Switch Your Supplier
Switching your gas and utilities provider is another great way to save money. You’re the customer and as such you have power. If you don’t like what you’re paying then shop around. Keep your zip code handy and search around online where many services offer the ability to change over in about ten minutes to a new provider as well as giving you a rough estimate of how much you’ll save. Suppliers often have quite a wide divergence in prices and sometimes promotional rates can help you save big.³
Cold Wash
The thing about saving money on gas and electric bills is that every little piece of the puzzle helps. By chipping away and saving at the edges you can end up saving much more than you think. Another of the ways is to do cold washes instead of warm or hot. Once or twice it will be negligible, but over a year you’re going to be looking at some serious money saved. Many clothes don’t require a hot or warm wash so you’ll still be perfectly clean but with more money in your wallet. Try it out.²
Don’t Leave Any Gaps
Doors, windows, baseboards and many other areas are energy vacuums. If you’re trying to heat or cool your home or apartment and you have a lot of energy leaking in and out you will be spending much more than you need to spend. Fixing the gaps by draught-proofing is not very expensive and will save you a ton. Foam and sealant does the trick and even around electrical outlets and other places can be hidden like draught pockets that are letting in cold or warm air and ruining your energy ecosystem. Even your floor can be a sieve of energy loss, and sometimes adding a carpet or hiring someone to seal the floor more fully can make a huge difference.⁴
Get a Smart Thermostat Installed
Smart thermostats are clever little things that will save you a bundle of money. They don’t heat up or cool down the rooms you’re not in, they target where you need to be and they can be remote-controlled from your smartphone. So if you’re out at unusual hours and want the home preheated or looking to change a setting remotely, just click on your phone and make the adjustment from there.
Smart thermostats can really save you a ton of money and are more than worth the price it costs to get them installed in your house or apartment, so check them out.⁵
[1] https://www.moneysupermarket.com/gas-and-electricity/energy-saving-tips/
[2] https://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/my-money/articles/how-to-save-on-utilities
[3] https://www.uswitch.com/gas-electricity/guides/how-to-switch-gas-and-electricity/
[4] https://www.ovoenergy.com/guides/energy-guides/how-to-reduce-electric-and-gas-bills.html
[5] https://www.electricchoice.com/blog/10-free-ways-to-save-on-electricity-and-gas-bills/