good ways to save money?

Question

what are some good ways to save money around the house on utilities (since unplugging appliances isnt significant)

Answer 1

You can save on electricity by buying energy saving bulbs. The look like spiral light bulbs, but use about 1/3 of the power of a normal bulb, and you get the same amount of light.

Make sure the seals around doors and windows are in good shape to avoid losing heat in the winter and cool in the summer.

Just a few thoughts off the top of my head.

Answer 2

Unplugging some types of appliances CAN be significant. TVs and stereo systems draw power any time that they're plugged in so that the remotes will work for turning them on and off. Microwave ovens draw a few watts to run the clock as to some coffee makers. 4 TV sets can easily consume $50 worth of electricity or more in a year even if they're never turned on.

You can usually save a fair amount by switching to compact fluorescent bulbs. They typically draw about 20% - 25% of the power of an incandescent bulb with the same light output. Be careful to not put them in lamps or on circuits with dimmer switches though as they are not compatible with dimmers. Also do not use them in closed fixtures, especially ones where the bulb is installed base up, as the electronics in the base will overheat.

Setting the thermostat lower in winter or higher in summer can reap significant savings. Each degree up or down can affect the total bill by as much as 5%.

An automatic setback thermostat can cut heating and cooling costs substantially. Most folks would rather the heat be turned down at nighttime and it just doesn't make sense to keep the heat at full temp during the day if the house is empty. They can often save enough to pay for themselves in 2 or 3 months.

Open blinds and curtains during the day and let the sun provide the light instead of using lights. Close them at night to slow down heat loss and during the day in summer to limit heat gain.

Install an attic fan. It will provide significant cooling in milder weather and helps extract indoor pollutants as a bonus.

Use fans for spot cooling in summer and set the thermostat a few degrees higher.

Caulk windows and install weather stripping on all doors to minimize air migration and drafts.

Install insulation pads under light switch and outlet cover plates to minimize drafts through them.

Answer 3

Well putting lights on timers is a good start. Also, buying a programmable thermostat so that hear or ac is not being used when nobody is home. Long term savings would include insulating windows or buying new windows, installing a new furnace with a higher efficiency.

You can also turn down your hot water heater so that it isn't heating water too hot, and wrap the pipes around the hot water heater so energy is not escaping. Just a few quick thoughts.

Answer 4

.Turn the lights off when you don't need to use them