12 Easy Ways to Cut Your Electric Bill in Half (2024)

Amy 4 Comments

This is day 5 of How to Live on One Income Guide. To read all the post in order start on Day 1 here.

(affiliate links have been used in this post)

12 Ways to Cut Your Electricity Bill in Half

We talked about shopping around for electricity yesterday in how to save money without trying. By simply shopping around you can reduce your electric bill in one phone call. Thus cutting down on your monthly expenses. But there are also some incredibly easy ways to cut down on your electric bill buy just doing a few things around your home.

Seal Your Home

This is an easy step since it really only needs to be done once. Check all of the doors and windows around your home. If you can see any light around the door frame after the door is closed, then you have a leak. Buy some vinylweather strip sealor some foam weather sealto seal windows and doors. Your outlet and switchesalong the exterior walls leak an enormous amount of air.

Simplytake the covers off and use a foam sealantto seal all of the outlets and switches. Then use plug covers to prevent any air from coming in. If you add up all the outlets and switches on your exterior walls, it is the equivalent to leaving a window open all the time. There has always been a draft in our house, until we did these things this last year. I was amazed how much we have saved on electricity and how comfortable our house is year round.

Turn Off Electronic Devices

I know this one sounds easy, but getting the kids and everyone to participate is a great idea. Turn off TVs, cable boxes, video games and lights when not in use. To make it super easy purchase a surge protector, like this one, for all your major electronics and plug them into one spot.When you are finished using them for the evening turn off the surge protector. This prevents phantom electricity usage of these devices while they are not in use.

Heating and Cooling Energy Costs

After you have sealed your home, there are still some additional ways to save on heating and cooling your home. A must is a programmable thermostatthat doesn’t have to be expensive. It will pay for itself in just a few months. Program your thermostat to be used less while you are not at home. Change out the air filter every three months or when the seasons change. Every equinox we change our air filters in our home. It is an easy way to remember when to change them.

Cooking Can Cut Your Electric Bill

In the winter time I love to use my oven to bake. After the oven is done cooking, I crack the door a little to let the heat escape into the room. This helps the heating bill during those cold winter months. During the summer it is best to use a slow cooker to warm and cook meals. This will not heat the entire house like the oven will.

Save With Laundry

Use the outdoors to dry the clothes in the summer. This saves on the dryer and adding any additional heat into the home. Also wool dryer balls can reduce overall drying time of any load. These are easy to make and are worth every penny. Plus the clothes are softer after using wool dryer balls.

Other Ways toCut Your Electric Bill

Purchase LED lights whenever possible. This may seem like a big investment at first, but most bulbs are guaranteed up to 10 years. These will pay for themselves in the first year. I like to purchase one a month when I visit the store. Soon our entire house will be only LED lights. When replacing appliances, look for the most energy efficient appliances. These may be a little more expensive, but will save you more money in the long run.

Use solar outdoor lighting. Let the sun charge up the batteries all day and at night they can illuminate the outdoors. We only have solar lighting for outdoors and I just love the glow it adds to our yard. You can make a cute solar outdoor light like the one I made here.

Buy energy efficient appliances. These will pay for themselves overtime. It is better to spend a little extra money on something that is going to last, than on something to replace in a few years.

(affiliate links have been used in this post)

[Go to day 6 of How to Live on One Income]

12 Easy Ways to Cut Your Electric Bill in Half (2024)

FAQs

12 Easy Ways to Cut Your Electric Bill in Half? ›

Lower the heat.

So lowering the heating temperature for mere few degrees will cut your electricity cost without you even noticing. Arm with cozy sweaters, learn to layer clothes properly (quite a fashion trend nowadays!), get some thermal underwear, a nice blanket, and you are ready to go even more degree down.

What is the simple trick to cut your electric bill? ›

While there are many ways to do this, we've compiled 20 ways to drastically reduce your electric bill legally:
  1. 1.Get a smart and programmable thermostat.
  2. Upgrade your lightbulbs.
  3. Get rid of standby power.
  4. 4.Be mindful of your home's temperature.
  5. Use a power strip.
  6. Install dimmer switches.
  7. Wash clothes in cold water.
Jan 10, 2022

What runs your electric bill up the most? ›

Which home appliances use the most electricity?
  1. Heating and cooling: 45-50% The largest electricity consumer in the average household is your heating and cooling appliance. ...
  2. Water heater: 12% ...
  3. Lighting: 9-12% ...
  4. Refrigerator: 8% ...
  5. Washer and dryer: 5% ...
  6. Electric oven: 3% ...
  7. Dishwasher: 2% ...
  8. TV and cable box: 2%
Dec 20, 2022

How to cut a light bill in half? ›

Lower the heat.

So lowering the heating temperature for mere few degrees will cut your electricity cost without you even noticing. Arm with cozy sweaters, learn to layer clothes properly (quite a fashion trend nowadays!), get some thermal underwear, a nice blanket, and you are ready to go even more degree down.

How to decrease electricity usage? ›

Tips for Saving on Your Electric Bill
  1. Turn Down Your Thermostat. It's one of the most effective ways to cut your energy usage. ...
  2. Take Care of Your Furnace. ...
  3. Keep the Cold Out. ...
  4. Turn Down the Tank. ...
  5. Cook Smart. ...
  6. Think Before You Wash and Dry Clothes. ...
  7. Reduce Phantom Load.

Does unplugging things save electricity? ›

Yes. Unplugging your appliances can reduce the amount of electricity you use each month and lower your carbon footprint. However, you might not notice much of a cost savings. It depends on how many appliances you unplug and your overall bills.

Do ceiling fans use a lot of electricity? ›

How much Power does an Electric Ceiling Fan Consume? On average, the electricity consumption of a ceiling fan is about 75 Watts. However, this number may vary because of the following factors. The power demand of a ceiling fan at its greatest speed, excluding the light fixture, is measured in watts.

What uses more electricity, TV or lights? ›

TV Power Consumption vs.

So, the light bulb wins, hands down. But in terms of cost, it's really much closer. Compared to an LED TV, a 60-watt incandescent lightbulb that produces 800 lumens working for 5 hours a day with an average electricity rate of . 12 cents per kWh will cost $13.14 to run all year.

Does TV use a lot of electricity? ›

The average TV uses around 620,000 watt-hours annually. This average is a helpful jumping-off point to understand how TV wattage compares to other appliances. Let's compare! Based on these averages, TVs fall somewhere in the middle in terms of household appliance energy consumption.

Do plug-in energy savers really work? ›

The fact is, there is nothing that you can plug in that will reduce your electricity usage and lower your household power bill. The problem with these scams is that they often rely on a grain of truth, which is why they come across as believable.

How much does it cost to leave an LED light on all day? ›

Running an LED light bulb for 24 hours typically costs about $0.027, assuming an electricity rate of 16 cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh) in the United States. This calculation is based on a 7W LED bulb, which is equivalent to a 40W incandescent bulb but consumes significantly less power.

How does StopWatt work? ›

StopWatt helps stabilize power output by eliminating surges and variations in electricity supply. This transition protects appliances and electronics against unpredictable currents, making it valuable for families and businesses. In apartments with several gadgets, this protection is essential.

What are 5 ways to reduce electricity use? ›

Table of contents
  • Replace your light bulbs.
  • Use smart power strips.
  • Install a programmable or smart thermostat.
  • Purchase energy-efficient appliances.
  • Reduce your water heating expenses.
  • Install energy-efficient windows.
  • Upgrade your HVAC system.
  • Weatherize your home.

What are 7 ways to reduce energy consumption? ›

Our top 10 energy saving tips
  • Switch off lights and electrical appliances when not using them. ...
  • Switch to energy-saving LED light globes. ...
  • Shut doors and close curtains. ...
  • Understand and improve your home's energy use. ...
  • Manage your heating and cooling. ...
  • Get the best energy deal. ...
  • Insulate your roof. ...
  • Save money with solar energy.
Nov 17, 2023

How to save costs on electricity? ›

Energy-Saving Tips for Managing Electricity Costs
  1. Ask the right questions. ...
  2. Turn off lights when leaving your home. ...
  3. Unplug devices: When not in use, unplug electronic devices and chargers. ...
  4. Use energy-efficient bulbs. ...
  5. Use fans instead of AC. ...
  6. Opt for cooking gas. ...
  7. Use solar panels.
Aug 2, 2023

Do energy saving devices really work? ›

They often claim you can reduce or even eliminate your power bill by plugging in their devices around your home. The fact is, there is nothing that you can plug in that will reduce your electricity usage and lower your household power bill.

How much electricity does a TV use? ›

On average, TVs use 50 to 200 watts of electricity – this number is highly dependent on the model you have. 100 watts is a safe average electricity consumption to assume for modern TVs from top manufacturers.

What cuts off electricity? ›

Tripped Circuit Breaker

The first and most likely reason that there is no electricity in one room is that the circuit breaker was tripped. This will happen if the circuit breaker is overloaded by being connected to too many electronics and appliances or if one of these connected electronics has an issue.

What cuts down the flow of electricity? ›

A resistor is a material that cuts down the flow of current, but does not stop it. 9. A series circuit is a circuit in which electrical current can follow only one path.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Fredrick Kertzmann

Last Updated:

Views: 5966

Rating: 4.6 / 5 (66 voted)

Reviews: 81% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Fredrick Kertzmann

Birthday: 2000-04-29

Address: Apt. 203 613 Huels Gateway, Ralphtown, LA 40204

Phone: +2135150832870

Job: Regional Design Producer

Hobby: Nordic skating, Lacemaking, Mountain biking, Rowing, Gardening, Water sports, role-playing games

Introduction: My name is Fredrick Kertzmann, I am a gleaming, encouraging, inexpensive, thankful, tender, quaint, precious person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.