Utility bills for some households can amount to hundreds of dollars each month. When it comes to monthly expenditures, it is heartbreaking to see so much money going out to pay for utilities when more of it should be available to spend on the family, and making memories.
To help lower utility bills, a few household changes and additions can help save the money that deserves to spend on those who have worked hard for it in the first place. There are lots of different tips to take advantage of but here are six ways that work well to lower utility bills and save money.
- Look at your utility bills closely.
Before doing anything else, take a look at the utility bills and how much is coming out each month. It may be that prices have slowly crept up without being noticed and there could be savings made by going elsewhere.
It is always good to compare utility providers because there may be times when some serious money could be saved by switching to another provider. Other times, it is best to simply stay put. However, taking a look at the utility bills can be a good way of assessing what the current expenditure is and what could be changed if anything.
Understanding the bill can be hard to figure out, especially if the person looking at it, does not typically pay the bills.
- Understand what appliances are using up the most energy.
The utility bill received each month can be an eyesore, especially if there are certain appliances that are swallowing up energy greedily. The older the appliances are, the more likely they are using more energy than is necessary.
It is good to take a look at what appliances may be using the most power so that these can be replaced where possible.
If replacing them is not feasible, perhaps due to a limited budget available, then it is well worth looking into finding the culprits and limiting their usage. When they are not being used, switch them off at the outlet so that it keeps them from taking any further engine when they are not being operated.
By honing in on certain appliances, it will definitely help avoid sky-high utility bills that are taking away all of the monthly earnings.
- Draught-proof windows and doors.
Two areas of the home that often leak out heat are the windows and doors. These are two areas of the home that can be using up more energy due to it taking out all the warmth that’s been generated.
Draught-proofing is a good practice to do in order to reduce the leaking of warm air or avoid any cold air from coming in.
There are going to be occasions when the windows and doors are no longer performing to the best of their ability. In this case, it can be necessary to replace these windows and doors where required.
For windows, energy efficient picture windows will not only help save energy but can also last for years and years. The same goes for doors and the right picks will ensure they last for a lifetime without needing to be replaced again.
- Spend less time in the shower.
It can be a habit of many to spend a lot of time in the bathroom. Whether that is taking a bath, which can be a big use of water on utility bills, to hopping in the shower for up 30 minutes or more.
When it comes to showering, try to spend less time under the shower head. Yes, it can be tempting to do a seven step process with hair and bodycare but try to avoid spending too long with the water continuously flowing.
It is also very natural to want to karaoke your way through shampoo and condition, but this can often delay the process as a whole. Try to keep it limited where possible.
For bathtime, this should be an occasional luxury, rather than taking one every few days. The amount of water and gas needed to make a bath is going to be adding a lot of money onto the utility bills.
When a bath is desired, go all out with the bubbles and candles. Make it more of a weekly or twice monthly occasion and the utility bills are guaranteed to reduce.
- Reduce washing and tumble drying loads.
When washing and tumble drying clothes, it is important to try and reduce this aspect of the household chores. Of course, it is helpful not to overload the machines too much as this might cause them to break down. However, by reducing the amount of times that they run for, it can make a big difference to the overall energy usage each month.
Where possible, avoid tumble drying altogether. It is one of the appliances that can end up taking up a lot of energy throughout its use.
Every so often, it might be worth looking at upgrading these appliances as over time, they will end up using more and more energy until they become too expensive to run.
- Install a smart thermostat to manage energy levels.
A good way of helping to track how much the household is spending on energy each month is by installing a smart thermostat. It can be easy to just switch on the heating and let it run all day and night. However, it is good to control the amount of usage it gets and to monitor that energy through the use of a smart thermostat.
A smart thermostat will ensure that the temperature is at a reasonable setting, but that it adapts to a more eco-efficient level. Not only that but it can be controlled from outside the home too, so if it is forgotten about switching off after leaving the home, it can be done so from the phone instead.
Find useful ways to help lower utility bills in general
There are lots of great ways to help reduce the impact of utility bills on the household income, so use these tips and more that are available online to help save money!
