Being energy efficient makes a big difference to the cost of your energy bill. It does not always take a big investment in time or money to make sure you’re wasting less energy and saving more. Here are some of the best ways to help you save money on your energy bills.
Switch to LEDs and Turn off Lights: Energy efficient lighting is one of the easiest ways to save energy around your house. Replace incandescent light bulbs with energy efficient LEDs and save $100 or more a year on electricity in your house. These lights can cost a bit more upfront than traditional incandescent or halogen lights, but the energy savings make up for that many times over and LEDs also last much longer. Turn lights off or unplug any chargers or appliances when you’re not using them.
Insulate your house: Half of all the heat that escapes a house disappears because your home is not properly insulated. Stop energy loss by fitting draft excluders around all the doors and windows. Consider double glazing and using curtains or blinds with thermal backing for added warmth retention. Insulate the loft or attic as it is one of the most cheap, simple, and efficient energy-saving options.
Reduce heating usage in the winter: Set your thermostat to 70° or lower when home and lower still when you are asleep or away. 
Reduce air conditioning usage in the summer: Set the thermostat to a temperature that is as high as you can tolerate. The recommended setting is 78° or higher when you are home and higher when you are asleep or away.
Take shorter showers: Have you ever wondered how much water you use every time you take a shower? It’s worth thinking about. Shut off the water flow while soaping-up or shampooing and take a shorter shower to save water. By cutting your shower shorter by only four minutes you’ll save over 3,000 gallons of water per year.
Use Energy Star Appliances: Household appliances account for about 13% of the average home electric bill. Take refrigerators: ENERGY STAR qualified refrigerators use 15% less energy than non-qualified models. Models with top mounted freezers use 10% to 25% less energy than side-by-side or bottom-mount units. Use ENERGY STAR appliances to reduce 10-20% of your energy consumption. This helps save money and the environment.
Be Smart with Cooking: Make a few changes to the way you cook as it will save a lot of energy. Ensure you match the hob size to the pan you are cooking with, and always cover pots and pans; they will boil much quicker. Turn off the heat a couple of minutes before your food is cooked especially if you have an electric cooker — electric hobs take quite some time to cool down. Also turn off your electric oven about ten minutes before your food has finished cooking, and it will still stay hot.
Washing and Drying: Washing machines and tumble dryer are two of the most power hungry appliances in the house. Make sure the washing machine is full before you switch it on, or use the half load setting if it has one. As for the dryer — do you really need to use it? Putting your clothes out on the line instead is a really simple way to save electricity!
There are many more quick and easy energy saving tips that you can do all year round. By taking the time to think more about energy saving techniques will help the environment – and your bank balance!
