How To Save Electricity And Save Money On Electric Bill In 11 Easy Ways -

When I received my monthly electricity bill of $215.86 in March 2018 I immediately started searching for ways on how to save on electricity. I even called the electricity company to check if there had been a mistake because the bill was so high for a 2 people household. They said there was no mistake and gave me a generic list of ways to save electricity.

Most of them were really dumb and along the lines of ”Turn off your TV when you’re not watching it”…? I needed tips that were actually useful and would save me big in the long term. So after about a month of searching and testing out ways to save money on utilities I’ve come up with power saving tips that actually work!

This post contains affiliate links. Please read my disclosures policy for more info.

How To Save Electricity And Save Money On Electric Bill In 11 Easy Ways

1. Unplug appliances that are not in use

We own 3 TVs and I am ashamed to say, all three of them used to be constantly plugged in so we wouldn’t get that 10-second delay when switching them on. Realistically though, we only use one TV daily and the other 2 rarely get switched on. So I started completely unplugging them from the wall and found a slight reduction in energy use by doing that. I found that appliances that are plugged in still use about 5% of the energy they would use while being switched on.

Only things I keep constantly plugged in are my fridge, internet modem (takes 20+ minutes to start up if I switch this off), dishwasher and washing machine(only because they are extremely hard to move and unplug). I have noticed a noticeable saving in my power bill thanks to doing this.

2. Only use the dryer for towels

I used to use my dryer for absolutely all of the clothes I would wash. It was so easy to just throw them in and let the dryer do all the work. Not only was the dryer shrinking some of my clothes but it was also costing me a lot of money on my power bills.

I have since invested in good quality clothes drying rack. This particular one I bought is made out of chrome and sturdy enough to even hang heavier items like my jeans and jackets. It also has over 2200 5 star reviews on Amazon so there is a lot of people happy with this cheap clothes drying rack.

Only things I still dry in my clothes dryer are towels because they don’t come out soft when air drying. I also throw in some reusable hedgehog dryer balls which tumble in the dryer and separate the towels allowing the hot air to flow more efficiently and use less electricity. It also softens my towels and makes them nice and fluffy.

3. Make sure your fridge is set at the right temperature

Fridges should be set between 3 and 5C and the freezer at -18C. If your fridge is set too cold it will cost more to keep that temperature. Consider switching the temperature to 5C to use less electricity and still keep your food at a safe temperature.

Did you know that an empty fridge also uses more energy than a full one? And no that doesn’t mean you have to fill it with food. I save empty water bottles and fill them with water and pop these in my fridge to keep the temperature consistent and save more on my electricity bill.

4. Use cold water to wash your clothes

Not only will you save a ton of money by not using hot water, doing your laundry in cold water will also make your clothes last much longer. Just make sure you are buying laundry detergent that works in cold water.

5. Take shorter showers

An average shower uses 12 liters of water per minute. Make yourself wet. Turn the shower off. Lather yourself down. Turn the shower on. Rinse off. Not only will you save money on your electric bill, you will also be saving water and helping the environment.

6. No more than 2 lights on at the time

Me and my partner now follow the 2 light rule, which means at all times there must not be more than 2 lights switched on. As soon as I leave the room, I turn the lights in that room off.

7. Invest in an electric blanket

Previously, I used to use my heater to keep warm in the winter because let’s be honest, no matter how many sweaters you put on you won’t get that snuggly warm feeling without any kind of heating appliance. This year I decided to buy a cheap electric blanket that only costs about 4 cents an hour to run. The electric blanket is now my nr1 favorite item in my home and I use it pretty much all day long in winter. This particular one is extremely affordable at under $40 and is a #1 Amazon Best Seller!

8. Turn your oven off a few minutes before the food is ready

The oven will keep it’s temperature as long as you don’t open the door and continue cooking for a few minutes using the heat that’s already in there. Also, resist the urge to open the oven door halfway through cooking because you will let the heat escape and the oven will need to use more energy to build back up to the needed temperature.

9. Only run your dishwasher when you have a full load

Running your dishwasher with a full load is by far the most energy-efficient way to do your dishes. Also, make sure your dishwasher is clean by following my cleaning tips to make sure it’s working efficiently.

10. Invest in LED light bulbs

We replaced all of our old light bulbs with 9W LED light bulbs. They cost a bit more than standard light bulbs but last for over 18 years will make up for the higher start-up cost in just months by saving you money on your electric bill. Save up to $250 a year by switching out your light bulbs to these LED ones which cost less than $20 for a 6 pack!

11. Take advantage of the suns free energy

In the winter, open up your curtains or blinds in the middle of the day and let the warm sun in. In summer, use your blinds to block out the sun’s heat to keep the inside of your home nice and cool.