5 Proven Ideas to Reduce Your Electric Bill

Your monthly electric bill is an unavoidable part of life. Without fail, it comes each month and is often higher than you would like.

You can’t wave a magic wand and instantly reduce the amount of electricity you use each month, but there is a few proven way you can reduce your electric bill.

We live in New Hampshire, a state with some of the highest electric rates in the country. With four kids and forced hot air for heat during the cold winter months (which span a solid 6+ months of the year), we use a decent amount of electricity every month.

Our electric bill used to be pretty high. It still can be some months, particularly when the outside temperature hovers around single digits, but we’ve learned a few simple things that have helped us reduce our electric usage without a whole lot of hassle or living in the dark. And yes, this is with four young kids and me working from home every day.

5 Proven Ideas To Reduce Your Electric Bill

1. Switch to LED bulbs.

Lights are one of the biggest wastes of electricity because they are often needlessly left on.

Two years ago, we replaced 95% of our incandescent light bulbs with LED light bulbs. LED bulbs use a fraction of the electricity typical light bulbs do and we noticed a difference in our bill almost immediately.

They also last longer and provide a nicer light ambiance than fluorescent which I’ve never been a fan of.

While LED light bulbs do cost more money to purchase than other versions, the cost has decreased quite a bit in recent years and, because LED bulbs are meant to last for many years, it’s a smart investment.

2. Unplug unused appliances and electronics

How often do you leave electronics and small appliances plugged into outlets continually when you only use them occasionally?

While it might not seem like much, these “vampire” appliances do use a small amount of constant electricity to stay powered and that does add up over time.

Electronics like televisions, Blu-ray players, game consoles, etc. are some of the biggest culprits.

Consider plugging these electronics into a power strip, so you can easily power them off when not in use or simply at the end of the day. 

A few years ago, we made this simple, inexpensive change by plugging our TV, DVD player, and game console into a power strip. We simply turned the power strip off whenever we weren’t using those electronics. After just one month, I was shocked to see a $20 savings on our electric bill!

We’ve continued to do this ever since and while I haven’t calculated the exact amount, I know it’s saved us quite a bit of money.

 

3. Get your kids on board!

One of the hardest parts of reducing your electric bill is getting your family on board, especially with turning off the lights!

Have you ever walked around your house and noticed that almost every light was left on, but everyone was in one room? I have MANY times!

I’ve tried different things over the years in an attempt to get my kids on board with reducing our electric bill, but nothing stuck until recently when I tried a whole new approach.

Blogger Owl Haven shared how she motivated her kids with a simple, brilliant idea: she paid each of her kids a dollar every month their electric bill decreased.

I tried this with my kids and it works! They love earning a whole dollar every month and it’s much simpler than tracking individual times each child turns a light off (or doesn’t.) On top of that, it helps them work as a team compared to each kid for him or herself. And it’s a positive approach vs negative, which I prefer.

4. Install a Nest Thermostat

We installed a NEST thermostat a couple years ago. We didn’t notice a huge decrease on our electric bill immediately, but over time, the savings became more obvious and I think we do indeed save an average of 10% as Nest claims.

The NEST thermostat can be programmed to automatically turn your heat on or off. You don’t have to think about turning the thermostat down every night because the Nest will do it for you. You can even turn it to “Away” while you’re gone with a lowered temperature and increase it before you get home.

Since we received our Nest thermostat, it feels like our home is warmer, but we spend less on heating and energy costs than before.

Find out how you can get a Nest thermostat for free below!

5. Consider your energy company options

You might not be as ‘stuck’ with one energy company as you think! Did you know you might be able to choose your energy company based on things that matter to you, like price, service, rewards, etc.?

A few years ago, New Hampshire was deregulated, making it possible for people to choose the energy company they prefer. You don’t have to be “tied” to one energy company any longer!

Direct Energy is one of the energy company choices in New Hampshire. You can save up to 41% a month compared with the traditional utility unit Eversource by signing up for a fixed-rate electric plan.

Here are the benefits of joining Direct Energy:

• Save up to 41% a month by joining a fixed rate energy plan! The current rate with Eversource New Hampshire is 10.950¢/kWh* where you can join Eversource at a 12-month fixed price offer of 7.19¢/kWh.
• You’ll get access to online usage tools where you can analyze your energy usage
• You’ll receive a free Nest Learning Thermostat with features like auto-schedule, auto-away, access to energy history, and more. You can potentially save another 10-12% on your heating bill with this “smart” thermostat!
• Direct Energy is the only energy provider that uses Plenti rewards, a rewards program that lets you earn points and use them elsewhere! You’ll earn at least 1,000 points when you sign up with Direct Energy. For more information, visit this link.
• Direct Energy is a proud partner with the Children’s Miracle Network Hospital. They’ve committed to sending $5 million dollars (the largest corporate contribution ever given to a specific campaign initiative at Texas Children’s Hospital!) You can learn more about Direct Energy’s charity efforts here.

Those are some great reasons to make the switch, most of all because it will easily reduce your electric bill.

Get more information and sign up here: Direct Energy Even if you don’t live in New Hampshire, you may still be able to save with Direct Energy, so visit the link to find out more!

Follow Direct Energy on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for more information and energy saving tips.

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Direct Energy. The opinions and text are all mine.

*Savings refers to the current difference (of up to 41%) between Direct Energy’s 8-month fixed price offer of 6.59¢/kWh and Eversource New Hampshire’s current Fixed Rate for Basic Service of 11.170¢/kWh, and does not include any other component of your electricity bill such as delivery or taxes. Eversource New Hampshire’s fixed rate is effective until February 28, 2017 and may change at that time. There may be no savings following that date. Direct Energy’s rate includes energy charges only and excludes delivery/transmission charges, taxes, and all other utility-related charges.