Lighting
- Use florescent bulbs ??you have seen this article from me before.? They save energy, are just as bright and last longer
- Turn off the lights when you leave rooms or don?? need them anymore ??I know you knew already, now just remember to do it every time.? Off topic but for some reason, my sister and fianc? is really bad at doing this.
- Use sunlight whenever you can ??There are many people who would turn on the light at home in the daytime.? Why not use the sun light that is free to all of us?? Go out when it?? sunny outside and do your reading at night.? Better yet, read outside!
Refrigerators
- Make sure the door is shut ??I know I have done this a few times (especially when I was younger) and this is so easy to fix.? Every time the doors are opened, the warmer air outside will affect the temperature inside the fridge which means it will use more energy to cool it back down.
- Don?? turn your fridge too cold ??Some of us turn the temperature setting on the fridge so cold for some reason.? Listen to me, you do not need to try to freeze your milk!? All you are doing is wasting your money.
- If you shop for a new fridge, look at their energy rating.? There are some that are just more efficient than others at the same size.? Since refrigerators last years, the extra expense to purchase a more energy efficient one might be worth it.
Air Conditioners and Heaters
- Don?? turn it on if you don?? need it ??This might sound common sense, but how many of you will cover the air vents to rooms that aren?? occupied?
- Check your filters ??This might be just for air conditioners, but check your filter regularly and keep it clean!? More efficient filters will keep your room cooler and your wallet thicker.
- Don?? overcool or overheat your room ??This is similar to the fridge tip.? If you set your thermostat to 68 degrees Fahrenheit in the summer, try to change it to 70 (change it to 70 from 72 in the winter).? We probably won?? feel a difference but it will save us tremendous amounts of money over the years on electricity.?
Other Energy Saving Tips
- Close the blinds when you are not in the room during the day.? It keeps the sun from overheating your room which will help your A/C cost
- Use the dishwasher only when it?? full ??The more you use it, the more energy it needs
- Unplug unused appliances including TVs, computers etc ??I have never seen anyone do this, but I heard that a TV might use more energy during the hours that it is off than while it is on.
- Use more energy efficient equivalents ??other than lights, appliances also have energy efficient counterparts.? For example, a LCD TV uses many times less energy (and also gives off less heat) than a conventional CRT TV.
This list should be a good start.? How many of these tips do you already practice?
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{ 8 comments… read them below or add one }
Great tips on saving! We all need to work together to reduce waste!
You are quite correct. I noticed that these energy saving tips are as good for our wallet as they are for the environment.
So everyone should start implementing tips!
Thanks for the tips, good idea for myself since I just moved into a house that is far too big for me.
Wish me luck on my electric bill!
Great to hear that you got yourself a new home!
Have fun with the new expenses and make sure you don’t over spend on your new expenses.
I unplug all of the unused appliances when not in use. I have a router because I share the wireless internet with someone else and that has to stay on all the time but it is on a separate power strip from the computer. The computer gets turned off all the way too and it is on a different power strip.
Not only do I use fluorescent lights everywhere (including inside the refrigerator!!!!) but I also bought a pack of solar lights (4 for $14.99) at Walmart that I use as night lights and emergency lights around the house. That way when I get up at night to use the bathroom/get a drink of water/investigate a suspicious sound I do not need to turn on the lights in the apartment because my solar lights provide all the light I need for these small tasks.
Lulu: You must be one of the most frugal person the world has to offer. I really applaud that. But like I said, you are already doing great in the “conserving department”, I think it would help you more if you spend more time in the “earn more money” department.
Air conditioning can account for anywhere from 5 to 50% of your household budget. Because an air conditioner is such a sizable investment, you can save money and energy by carefully purchasing and operating your air conditioner.
These are fantastic tips and I myself are doing most of them, I have changed all bulbs, to the energy saving ones I try get every thing that I need out the fridge at once so that I don’t continuously open and close the fridge as for the plugs in my home I really do my best to switch everything off after use, which sometimes can get over looked as I am only human an tend to forget sometimes, but the biggest thing that I have done is unplugging my cell phone charger which I would just always leave plugged in.