Saving Energy Makes Cents!

This Thursday is National Cut Your Energy Cost Day! Not only is cutting energy cost good for your wallet, but it’s great for the environment too. Imagine someone offering to pay you $1,000.00 towards your energy bill this year. That would mean $1,000.00 to put towards your vacation fund, college savings, or your Christmas account. That would be wonderful! Here are ten ways to save over $1,000.00 and celebrate National Cut Your Energy Cost Day.

You can save up to $180.00 annually according to Save On Energy by replacing your old bulbs and light fixtures with Energy Star qualified compact fluorescent lights (CFLs). They cost more than a regular bulb but use 75 percent less energy and last longer. You can also install dimmers, timers, or sensors to extend their life.

Consider using energy free options for all of your outdoor lighting needs. Invest in Solar powered light fixtures for all of your landscape and outside lighting needs.

Utilize natural light by opening curtains, using skylights and strategically placing mirrors for optimal reflection of natural light intake.

Put $131.00 into your vacation fund by turning your printer off when it’s not in use. Yep, you read that correctly. According to Save On Energy, your laser printer draws the most standby power in the house at 131.07 watts, which comes to about $131 for the year. It requires some extra time allowance for startup and an extra touch of the finger to turn it off after use.

How about a $175.00 deposit for your Christmas account? Just sit back and unplug. It’s that simple! Unplug DVD players, TVs, chargers, wall art, and everything else in your home. Real Simple tells us that a whopping sixty to eighty percent of the electricity is consumed while those things idle. The power light displays, clocks, and everything plugged in is slowly sucking the life out of your energy bill and your pocket. The more we leave in the outlets, the more money we throw away on wasted energy.

Do we actually need the clock on the microwave? In the age of cell phones and Fitbits, we seem to have the time at our fingertips so ditch those appliances that eat up the vacation fund every day so we can see the time while we walk through the house.

Depositing $500.00 into college savings for your growing family is a great start. Real Simple tells us that if you just simply close the fireplace damper, install timers on the bathroom exhaust fan, and seal windows you can save, save, save!

Cool your home naturally by opening windows early in the morning when the air is crisp and close them along with curtains before the heat settles inside your home. Hang your laundry out to dry to avoid using your dryer and get a naturally fresh outdoor scent as an added bonus. Hot inside? Grill food outside. Cold inside? Use the kitchen oven for dinner. Install window awnings for shade. Visit your local nursery and plant deciduous trees on the east and west to shade your house and cool it by as much as 20 degrees.

The Department of Energy says that even lowering your water heater thermostat can save you anywhere from $12.00 to $30.00 per year for every 10 degrees you lower the temperature. Some manufacturers automatically set water heater thermostats to 140ºF, but setting them at 120ºF slows mineral buildup and corrosion in your water heater and pipes. The Mayo Clinic suggests that homes with elderly and small children have the water heated at 120ºF to prevent burns.

Check out Energy Star for more ideas to save on energy cost that increase your savings accounts. Celebrate National Cut Your Energy Cost today and save money in lots of little ways.

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