Cut Down on Your Bills – How to Save Money Today

1. Adjust Your Thermostat

When the weather is cold, make sure you turn down the thermostat to a temperature that is cool but bearable. Similarly, when the weather is warm, make sure the thermostat is turned up. While you don’t want to be sweating in your home in the heat of summer, there is no reason for it to feel frigid, either. In the winter, you can use blankets and warm pajamas to offset the cooler temperature. In the summer, make sure to stay hydrated and dress coolly.

2. Use a Programmable Thermostat

Your air conditioning and heat do not need to be on all hours of the day. This is particularly true if your family is not home for several hours at a time. A programmable thermostat can come in handy in several ways. For example, if you have a 9 to 5 job, set your thermostat so that your air conditioning kicks back on at 4:30 in the afternoon. The house will still be cool when you get back, but you will not have wasted all that energy during the day, when you were not even home.

3. Change Your Filters

You should change your filters every thirty days. If they are allowed to accumulate dirt, your home will not be as energy efficient. The air quality will not be good, either. Therefore, get in the habit of switching out your filters whenever you pay your mortgage each month.

4. Add Insulation

Go up into your attic and put in some insulation that will help the home to be more energy efficient. To that end, you should look for something that is resistant to heat flow.

5. Cut Back on Drafts

You can seal up your home and not spend a lot of money on the process. Look for caulk or expanding foam at the store. Put these products in any little holes that you have around your door frames, windows or walls. This will cut back on the amount of air that is able to flow in and out of your house.

6. Clean Your Refrigerator

Your vacuum can help you make your refrigerator more efficient. Simply use this device to get at the coils, so they are not as dirty. In addition, the dryer is another area to target. Simply make sure the lint collector is clean and target the hot air duct with your vacuum as well. If you really want to see a difference in your bills, don’t use the dryer during the summer.

7. Turn Down the Hot Water Thermostat

Make sure your hot water thermostat is set around 120 degrees Fahrenheit. However, you do not want to go any lower than this. You will still have hot water, but your home will be much more energy efficient.

8. Change Your Light Bulbs

One simple change you can make is to replace the incandescent light bulbs around your home with compact fluorescent light bulbs. They are a little more expensive initially, but they last a lot longer. They are energy efficient and do not give off a lot of heat. If you don’t want to switch out everything in your house at one time, make the change systematically.

9. Unplug

If you are not using an electrical device, unplug it. Many of these products use a little bit of energy, even if they are in a “resting” state. You can cut back on this by pulling the plug when the product is not being used. Do this with your computer, your cell phone charger and even your microwave.

10. Check Your Home Before Bed

Before you go to sleep at night, take a moment to walk through your living space and turn everything off. This includes lights, televisions, and fans. You would be amazed at what a difference this can make!