Ways to cut your electricity bill

[Darthrazz]

you can't dispose of them through the normal trash; they contain mercury.

says who?

 

[Hulksmashed]

ways to cut your electircity bill in order of increasing coolness:

scissors
paper cutter
Utility Knife
Switch Blade
Hatchet
Prison Shiv
Fine and controlled stream of acid
Laser
Wolverine PF claws

 

[Hellspawn]

you can also lower the temp in your fridge and freezer to average levels. Your milk may not be "ice cold" but that helps. Also if you have an electric water heater you can wash your clothes with only cold water (i do and they get just as clean as with warm) also you can get a timer for your water heater where it only heats at a certain time instead of keeping the water warm all day, You have to schedule your shower times but it will save money. Also obviously use less water and you wont have to heat as much water.

 

[barryo]

all good suggestions so far........my wife hangs the clothes out of the washer on a clothes line until they are dry or just about dry & puts them in the dryer for just a few minutes with a fabric sheet to finish. dryers are electricity whores. and she started using a toaster oven for a lot of things that she used to use the oven for (also cuts down on excess heat in the house).

between the flourecent bulbs, programmable thermostat, ceiling fans, hot water heater timer, turning lights off, the toaster oven, clothes line, turning up the fridge setting we have manage to knock off about $100 or more a month from before we started conserving.

 

[hairlesswookiee]

I almost never use my AC but I always have a fan on me when I sleep.

Same here. I turn the AC off during the day until around 4pm then turn it to 75. For the rest I just have fans in every room and open the windows and porch door. I've also become a drill sergeant with yelling at people to turn off electronics when leaving a room. The first month I practiced this we shaved off $50 on the bill. Now it's second nature for me and the GF. In Florida it's expensive on the electric, but we've managed to keep it at around $100 for a 2 bedroom apartment during the summer.

 

[morbidaj]

Need one of these solar a/c units..
https://www.solarac.com/

only $10,500.00 !

 

[Kabukiman]

hot water heater timer

I actually disabled mine. The maintenance guy suggested it may be working too hard in the morning.

He was right, I noticed a change after I left my hot water heater on. I think it depends on the model though, our old one needed to be on a timer or it go nuts on the electricity.

 

[darthviper107]

Also, unplug stuff that you aren't using. Lots or things keep power running through them even if they aren't turned on, like cell phone chargers.

 

[barryo]

I actually disabled mine. The maintenance guy suggested it may be working too hard in the morning.

He was right, I noticed a change after I left my hot water heater on. I think it depends on the model though, our old one needed to be on a timer or it go nuts on the electricity.

yea it really depends on the make & size & age as well. i believe mine is set to come on 4 times in a 24 hour period (with an override heat now button) but really that water stays quite hot in the tank in between heatings so the elements dont work near as hard as they previously had.

 

[daikkenaurora]

Just use scissors.

 

[BuffyGirl]

Same here. I turn the AC off during the day until around 4pm then turn it to 75. For the rest I just have fans in every room and open the windows and porch door. I've also become a drill sergeant with yelling at people to turn off electronics when leaving a room. The first month I practiced this we shaved off $50 on the bill. Now it's second nature for me and the GF. In Florida it's expensive on the electric, but we've managed to keep it at around $100 for a 2 bedroom apartment during the summer.

I was told you weren't supposed to turn it off at all. That it costs more to turn it on later as it runs harder trying to get the place cooled down.

 

[hairlesswookiee]

I was told you weren't supposed to turn it off at all. That it costs more to turn it on later as it runs harder trying to get the place cooled down.

It is if it's a drastic change in temp. It barely gets over 85 in the house so it's not too bad. If I was trying to drop it down to 65 degrees, then yes I'd recommend keeping it on during the day.

 

[user 1190]

But they really don't save much money and you can't dispose of them through the normal trash; they contain mercury.

The ones I've used didn't last for ____ either, so they weren't worth the extra cost.

You would be surprised what some states allow you to throw away.

 

[grphyx1]

BG i am a maniac at unplugging things that don't need to be plugged in. the microwave, the television, I unplug the modem and router and the computer. it's crap that it cost more to turn it back on....Never understood the logic in that. I got a great clothes hanger for laundry and rarely use the dryer. Electricity is expensive.

 

[The Ween]

My electric bill was $235 this month. Damn Ohio humidity. I have to keep it really cool in the house because we do cakes. Humidity and cake does not mix.

 

[The Ween]

I was told you weren't supposed to turn it off at all. That it costs more to turn it on later as it runs harder trying to get the place cooled down.

We had a new system installed about 3 years ago and that's what they told me.

 

[The Ween]

you can also lower the temp in your fridge and freezer to average levels. Your milk may not be "ice cold" but that helps. Also if you have an electric water heater you can wash your clothes with only cold water (i do and they get just as clean as with warm) also you can get a timer for your water heater where it only heats at a certain time instead of keeping the water warm all day, You have to schedule your shower times but it will save money. Also obviously use less water and you wont have to heat as much water.

My water heater shuts off if you don't use hot water during the day, so at night when you want to shower you only have a short period of time before the water goes cold. I run the dishwasher everyday, and after that the water is real hot. It sucks when you have to take a shower at the wrong time.

 

[BuffyGirl]

I run my dishwasher just about everyday also. I turn off the heat dry option and try to do my dishes on one of the shorter runs.

 

[Mesa]

We had a new system installed about 3 years ago and that's what they told me.

many of the newer AC units have two stages where 1 stage can run at low power just to maintain the temp; this prevents the unit from kicking off and on continuously. The second stage is used when you get out of your target hysterisis, say 80 +/- 2 degrees. This is supposed to help with efficiency.

I plan on replacing my AC in a couple of months. Mine runs non stop. Then again, it is nearly 110 outside.

 

[LOTRFan]

I run my dishwasher just about everyday also. I turn off the heat dry option and try to do my dishes on one of the shorter runs.

Run your appliances at off-peak times too, save some dinero that way.