Cutting corners on every day necessities is common nowadays. The cost of living is steadily on the rise and sadly the wages are not. People are struggling to pay rent and have money left over for groceries, and heaven forbid if you have other expenses as well. Some renters are lucky enough to have found a place to rent in which utilities are included, but for others who have not been as lucky or happen to own a home are faced with rising utility costs. Here are some tips on how to save money on utilities.
Cutting Corners on Utility Use
1. Unplug Small Appliances– Although it may seem inconvenient, unplugging small appliances can save you money over time. Before heading to bed, unplug your toaster, kettle, and microwave.
2. Use Portable Fans– Use portable fans to cool a room rather than a ceiling fan. Portable fans can be moved from room to room as needed and use less power to run. Air conditioners should only be turned on during heat waves or in attic rooms.
3. Collect Rainwater– Invest in a plastic barrel to collect rainwater. Use the rainwater to water your garden and flowers. The rainwater can also be used to fill birdbaths or used to wash down decks, outdoor furniture, and so forth.
4. Use a Programmable Thermostat– Use a programmable thermostat to set your heating and cooling equipment to turn on or off at certain temperatures. Lower the temperature settings when you all are going out. There is no sense heating or cooling the place down where there is no one there. Of course, if you are a pet owner and they are not going with you, then you need to think about their comfort as well.
5. Replace Leaky Faucets– If you happen to have a leaky faucet, fix it. You would be amazed at how much you can save on your water bill over the year(s).
What do you do to cut corners on your energy consumption?
These are great tips! i live in a tiny little apt but my electric bill was out of this world! I started waiting until the middle of the night to do my laundry because rates are lower at off peak hours!
These are very good tips. We unplug our phone and laptop chargers, can opener and coffee maker. We also use the temperature control for the central air, we live in super hot FL but at night we don’t need as much cooling as daytime.
These are good tips. I am like an energy saving Nazi.
Great list of reminders…. especially about the fans and leaky faucets.
These are great tips! We started unplugging our appliances a few months ago and we did see a drop in our bill. I also would like to get a water barrel to start collecting rain water soon. Now, if my husband would just leave the thermostat alone!
Small simple steps that can really help a lot in the long run. Thanks!
I just need to remember to pull our chargers out of the wall!!
Great tips! I already unplug things all around the house. At first it was a pain in the butt, but once you’re used to it, it’s no big deal.
Great tips!
I never thought about saving money by fixing a leaky faucet (maybe because I live in an apartment). We do have the occasional drip in one of our bathrooms. I try my best to unplug small appliances and we always use portable fans.
These are all good tips. We have a leak around our washer in the kitchen sink that I need to replace because it’s sending water sideways today. I think that would waste water if we didn’t fix it.
I grew up in a place where having electricity for over 4 hours a day or any time in the night, was considered a miracle. I say “turn off that light” probably 10 times each day. I don’t like to waste water or food either… I’ve been on the other side where there wasn’t even enough to save.
What great tips! I am always trying to save some extra money. I love the idea of unplugging small appliances. I do that anyway for another reason so that is just the icing on the cake for me!!!!
These are all great tips! We usually unplug our appliances after use. When we started doing this, we were surprised at how much we saved.
Great tips to know on how to save money on utilities. Thanks for sharing! We are thinking of getting a new portable fan so that like you said we can take it from room to room to help keep us cool. Rain water is something really helpful too and for us with a big yard and tons of plants in the yard, we need it.
Good tips, I always try to do my best to save my money using utilities.
Never would have thought of #3 … great idea! I for one cannot do the portable fan deal and only use AC during heat waves or attic rooms … I’m happy for those who don’t mind the heat as much but we aren’t that type at all, not to mention our son’s eczema can be irritated from excessive heat!!
great tips, thank you for saving. Every dollar saved on utilities is great.
Great tips! I am always looking for a way to cut costs!
I like the tip about using a programmable thermostat. More home appliances are being made with feature and it really helps save money and energy.