Are you not interested in saving money? I didn’t think so. I know there is people in this country who are so well off they don’t need to think about how to save money at home. But I don’t know any of them. If you’re at all like us, you’re always trying to think of ways of how to save money at home.
Cut your energy bill
You can cut your utility bill simply by turning off the lights when you are not in a room. Another way to cut those costs is to install ceiling fans labeled Energy Star in those rooms you use most frequently. A ceiling fan will help you stay cool in the summer and your air conditioning working less or not at all. You can then switch the fans to rotate clockwise in the winter so they will drive warm air that has risen to the ceiling down into the room. Some experts say that you can cut your utility costs by as much as 19% just by installing ceiling fans in your most used rooms.
Wash your clothes in cold water and air-dry them
Believe it or not, if you wash your clothes in cold water, they come out as clean as if you had washed them in hot water. This alone will cut the amount of energy your washer uses in half. You can also save around $100 a year in energy costs if you dry your wash on an indoor rack or outdoor line.
Give your water heater and your hot water pipes some love
If you cover your water heater with an insulating blanket this can reduce your heat loss by 24% to 45% percent. The same is true if you insulate your hot-water pipes. Or you could save even more by upgrading to a solar water heater or one of those new tank less water heaters. This could cut your energy bill by more than 12%.
Air-dry your dishes
You actually save money if you wash your dishes with a dishwasher instead of by hand as this saves water. But if you skip the drying cycle and let them air dry, you will save both energy and money.
Caulk and the weather strip
Another great way to cut your energy bill is to cover up air leaks around your doors and windows with caulk and weather stripping. You might also consider adding low-E film to your window glass or you might install plastic window films or storm windows to reduce winter heat loss.
Get rid of that second refrigerator
If you have a second refrigerator–maybe sitting out in the garage–get rid of. The chances are you don’t have that much in it and it’s basically doubling the amount of energy you use for refrigeration. If you just don’t have enough space in your regular freezer, think about replacing that second refrigerator with a small, energy efficient freezer as this could help you save money at home.