Winter is just around the bend, and in some places you might have already seen snow. With colder temperatures come increased heating and electricity bills. While your winter electric bills might not be as high as your summer ones (especially in the south), it can still cost a great deal in the wintertime.
Luckily, there are some things that you can do during the winter, and other times, to help reduce your electricity bill while still living comfortably.
Tips To Reduce Your Electric Bill
In General You Should:
1. Turn it Off: Everyone knows this, but sometimes there is a difference between knowing and doing. Turn off your lights when you leave a room and turn off the television. If you have a DVD player, a game system, or a sound system that run independently of the TV turn those off too. You can even buy a power strip that hooks all of these electronics up to one on/off switch. You can see an example of one here.
2. Unplug It: Did you know that your appliances will leech power even when they are not turned on? You can save on electricity by unplugging your appliances when they are not in use. Now, I’m not saying that you should unplug your TV every time you turn it off, but what about that cappuccino machine on your counter that you use once or twice a month? It is also a good idea to unplug phone and computer chargers when you are not using them as they also draw power even when you aren’t charging something.
3. Buy Energy Efficient Appliances and Light Bulbs: If you are buying new appliances, you should spend the extra money on the energy efficient versions if possible. That extra money upfront translates into a great deal of energy savings over the years. Also, it gets dark earlier in the winter, which will mean that you will be turning on the lights earlier as well. Take the time to buy energy efficient light bulbs, and they will help you save money on your electricity bill. They also tend to last longer than less expensive bulbs.
In Winter You Should:
4. Install Storm Windows: Now, this really only applies to people who live in colder climates, but they can greatly reduce your heating bill, especially if you live in an older home. Storm windows are installed on the inside or outside of the window, and they put an extra layer of glass between you and the outside.
5. Adjust Your Thermostat: This can be one of the hardest tips for people to follow, but by reducing the temperature in your house by one or two degrees, you can save a great deal of money on your heating bills. For example, try setting the heat at 68 or 70 instead of 72. It’ll be cooler in your house, but you can wear a comfortable coat and some house slippers during the winter. You can also use space heaters, such as oil heaters, in your bedrooms and reduce the load on your central heating system. You can find these heaters for around $30. Remember to keep these heaters at least two or three feet away from anything flammable.
Tip: Try turning your heat down before you cook dinner, the heat from a stove or an oven can raise the temperature of a kitchen/living area by a couple of degrees, especially if you live in a smaller home.
6. Purchase and Install a Programmable Thermostat: If you do not already have one, this is a great (and easy) way to reduce your electricity bill in both the summer and the winter. With a programmable thermostat you set the temperature for certain times of day, generally 6 to 8 a.m., 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., 5 to 10 p.m., and 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. You can program lower temperatures for when you are not in the house or for when you are sleeping and your heat will adjust automatically. This way you do not have to remember to adjust the heat every time you leave the house or go to bed.
7. Reverse Your Fans: Most ceiling fans have a small switch on them that reverses the way the blades spin. In the summer, you want the fan to push air down, creating a breeze. However, many people do not realize that you can use your ceiling fans in the winter by reversing them. This draws air up, and it helps move warm air off of your ceiling. By circulating the air, the room feels more comfortable (and less stuffy), and you can actually use your central heating less.
8. Use Sunlight to Your Advantage: You should open your curtains and your blinds during the day. This allows sunlight into your home and can help raise the temperature by a couple of degrees. At night, close the curtains and the blinds, and that will help retain the heat that was absorbed during the day.
By following these easy tips, you can reduce your electricity bills throughout the winter.
Do you have any more useful energy saving tips that you use?
This was an article by YFS from yourfinancessimplified.com. If you want relevant, witty and easy to follow financial guidance subscribe to his newsletter by clicking here!
A great one I read recently was that when you have finished cooking with your oven, keep the oven door open! It’s great if you’re sitting in the kitchen eating!
That is a great tip Jon. I know many people who do this.
We are 8 for 8 when it comes for your list. I have also found magic bags and slippers to be great. If I get chilly, instead of turning up the heat, I put on my slippers, and heat up my magic bag. It uses way less energy.
You’re right! one of the easiest and best tips is to simply put on more clothes. Feet and hands play a major part.
What is a magic bag? Where can I get one?
Great post – everyone can afford to save some money during the winter (with the holidays and all). P.S. Do you ever sleep? You are a blogging fanatic! Keep it up! You provide some nice motivation to keep going myself. :)
Sleep? What’s that? Stop cursing at me!
Even in southern California, it gets cold in winter. I lower my thermostat to 65 degrees during the day when no one is home and raise it to 68 degrees. I do something similar with the A/C in the summer to keep electricity too.
I’m curious by doing all those things how much do you save? Have you tried higher/lower temperatures to see if the savings is sufficient for what I assume will be a loss of comfort?
Heavy drapery over large windows slows down heat loss from the house. An hour’s work with a tube of caulk also works a treat.
We do that, we have the heavy drapes over the windows in the winter to stop heat loss -they seem to work pretty well.
I am forever going around the house and unplugging lights, coffee makers, toasters,,and computer power cords. I am sure it has saved us a few bucks!!
Using the oven/stove definitely warms us up in the kitchen and adjacent rooms but the rest of the house gets cool, since the thermostat (which is right down the hall from the kitchen) registers the heat from the cooking.
My electric company allows me to use a bill smoothing feature which helps me budget my electricity bill each month. After 12 months of data, the electric company sets my monthly bill at the average price so I pay the same amount in the summer and winter. At the end of the year we settle up and I pay the overage or get a refund for the amount I overpay. It is a great incentive for me to try and reduce my usage and get the monthly price lowered each year.
Those are fine tips, but I question to effectiveness of reversing your fans. The engineer in me thinks that as long as reversing your fans does not allow access to some untouched portion of heat that the other direction couldn’t access, then there is absolutely no heating difference between the two.
It gets pretty cold in South Florida too sometimes. Heck, last winter it got into the 20’s and on a trip to Orlando in the middle of Jan, it snowed.
Layering is a great way to keep warm (one of the tricks I use from my days in NYC). It keeps the heat close to the body, and prevents the need to jack up the thermostat. And, it’s not a uncomfortable or restrictive as many people think.
I always love winter at the beginning but after january I really start questioning why we are still living in upstate New York. Good tips but it would be cheaper to just move to a warmer area.