I’ve been a homeowner for more than ten years. Doing annual maintenance or regular upkeep of my property had never been a problem. However, when it comes to finding strategies to save money on my utility bill, it’s another story. The only thing that I did for my house was upgrading all the light bulbs in my house to energy efficient LED light bulbs.
Recently, Hayden Stewart shared his idea on how to save on utility bill with me, I was shocked at how simple some of his strategies were. How did I missed the mark on such simple strategies to save money on my monthly utility bills? So I thought that if I could miss it, others can too. As a result, I’ve asked Hayden to share his strategy with us. Take it away Hayden.
Thank you for letting me share these simple money-saving tips with the iSaved5K community, Leo. I hope that your reader will enjoy using these strategies to save money as much as I do.
As people deal with their monthly obligations, one of the most inconsistent things that they deal with is the monthly utility bill. The utility bill can vary from month to month depending on many different factors. However, some people are often surprised when they receive their utility bill every month and it isn’t as high as they were expecting. They may be using some energy-saving strategies that they were unaware of. With that being said: here are some tips to help you save money on your monthly utility bill.
1) Add Attic Insulation
Research has shown that the attic holds most of the heat inside of the home. As the temperature starts to rise, many homes lack the necessary insulation to keep the heat from getting out. Consider installing some fiberglass, which is easy to install and relatively inexpensive. Adding the extra insulation will help you save money on heating and cooling costs.
2) Replace the Air Filters
Dirty or worn out air filters cause your HVAC system to work harder than it should. Try to change your air filters every three months. New filters can help catch tiny air particles.
3) Use An Irrigation Meter
Many people are unaware that they are charged multiple times for the water that they use (Editor’s note: I am aware of this and I really hated the double charges as I didn’t know how to avoid being hit twice.) You are charged for the water that heads into your home, as well as the water that leaves your home as sewage. To save money, consider installing a separate meter that measures water usage for irrigation and other outdoor activities. Your utility company will track the irrigation meter every month and subtract the reading from your sewage bill.
4) Keep Your Vents Open
Check the vents around your home. Make sure that the vents are open so that your home can easily reach its target temperature. Research has shown that closing most of the vents in your home will actually raise your energy costs.
5) Do A Regular Energy Check
Many people leave their lights and appliances on at night while they are sleeping, which unnecessarily wastes energy. Do a nightly check of the electric devices in your home. Turning everything off can save you a lot of money on your utility bill.
6) Use A Programmable Thermostat
Installing a programmable thermostat will help you save money. If your house is empty during the day, you can save money on your utility bill by letting the temperature drop during the winter and letting it rise during the warmer months. You can program the thermostat to adjust to more appropriate temperatures before you head home.
7) Check Your Windows and Doors
Over time, you’ll likely have to deal with leaking windows and doors. The caulking may evaporate, and the walls will shift over the years. If your doors and windows are leaking air, your HVAC system will strain itself in order to keep the house at the temperature that you want. You can reseal your windows by weather stripping them.
8) Plant Trees
Trees are an underrated factor in reducing your utility bill. When lots of sunlight is entering your home, that can cause your unit to work harder. Planting trees helps provide shade that will keep the heat from entering your home, which lowers your utility bill.
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9) Upgrade Your Appliances
Many utility companies offer financial rewards to people who upgrade their appliances to more energy efficient models. Check the Database of State Incentives for Renewables and Efficiency
10 Change Your Laundry Habits
When you do your laundry, you are using a lot of energy as the machine heats up the water. You can save money on your utility bill by choosing the cold setting on your washing machine to reduce the energy consumption.
The first step to saving money on your utility bill is to identify the items that use both water and energy. Adjusting those items is the key to saving money.
About The Author
If you want to get to know more about Hayden Stewart, a contributing author and media specialist for CreditShout, he regularly produces content based around financial, credit and business solutions that business’ and individuals face on a regular basis. You can find a lot more of his money-saving tips there.
About Leo
Thank you for these tips! I always love to save! I do the laundry one. It’s only ever on cold. And we recently replaced our HVAC system!
@Amber, not sure if your utility rate is time sensitive or not. For me, living around the Greater Toronto Area, Utility rate is most expensive between 7 AM and 7 PM. We tend to do our laundry during of off peek hours during the weekdays or we do it during the weekends.
Pretty smart! Saving that kind of money makes a huge difference. We upgrade our light bulbs and we have a programmable thermostat. My husband often plants new trees and I always wash my clothes on cold!
@Tamara, planting tree is great for your home and the environment. I take it to the next level – planting trees that bare fruits. Cherries, apples and pears are my favourite.
I’ve never thought about using cold water instead of hot water on the washing machine! And I would probably greatly benefit from the nightly appliances check. Thank you for the great tips!
@MaLee, unplugging the appliances that you don’t use often can definitely save you a few extra bucks a year.
Nice list.
Interesting about the irrigation meter. Is this something in ontario? Never heard of it.
It always amazes me what some peoples hydro bills are. Led bulbs are the best, like leo it was the first thing i did.
Cheers
@PassiveCanadainIncome, great minds think alike. I am also thinking of trying to implement the irrigation meter. I am not sure if it’s available in my area or not, but I would definitely love not to be hit twice when I water my garden.
Luckily, utilities are included in my rent, but these tips will come handy when I am house hunting. I had no idea people were charged twice for water. That’s crazy!
@Le, I didn’t know that either until I became a homeowner and started to pay my utility bills.
I never thought that planting trees could help you to save money on bills. That is such an amazing idea
@Dee, I can think of several other advantages that comes with planting trees on your property. It’ll beautify your home, provide shade during the sunny summer days and provide fruits if you plant a fruit tree.
We purchase our house a year ago. The house was like 7 yrs old it was big so we knew our electric bill will be high. However checking those basic things like the window and doors sealed really save a lot on your future bill. We replace the light bulbs to more efficient and lasting use its all worth it.
@Farrah, I got pretty tire of changing regular light bulbs almost once a month. After upgrading my light bulbs to LED, I haven’t changed a light bulbs in more than three years.
These seem like some easy tips that I can do to save some money! My utility bill has been super high these past few months.
It’s not easy to maintain a home but it’s important that you do checks regularly. It’s really going to save you a lot of time and money when you do so. These tips are great!
Saving on bills is a great way to stay ahead financially. This is going to help a ton of people!
Great tips! Our utility bills are so expensive, it really bugs me that we have to pay out so much each month for them!
Checking energy usage is such a big thing if you want to make sure your costs are down. Automated thermostat usage makes things easier on energy usage. Would definitely save money in the long run. I know I should pay attention to details like this more.
These all sounds like greta tips and bills can be so high sometimes! and i’d rather spend that money elsewhere. i am renting a flat right now so there is not much i can do unfortunately
We have 2 properties, a rental home that was built in 1900 and our primary home which is a new build. The rental, although it is 800 square feet smaller, the utility bill is at least double that of our primary home and it has everything to do with the tips you mentioned! Nice, informative post!
Awesome tips that I will start checking. Summer is starting here and it means electricity will go up.
All of these are some really good tips to save on utility bills. An air filter is one thing people overlook a lot.
These are some great tips for saving on utility bills! Summer is near, so electricity will go up. This is going to help a ton of people!
Changing the air filter is a big one!
We also make sure to turn off all the lights when we are not in a room…it’s amazing to see how often you can leave lights on when nobody is home! Same with the TV sometimes, not sure why it is on!
And the biggest winner for us is to use the dishwasher and washer/dryer on off-peak hours (half the rate). If you live in Ontario, check out the time of use electricity rates.
http://www.ontario-hydro.com/current-rates
@Caroline, thanks for the link. I try to follow the off peak hours too and often do my laundry during those hours. It’s amazing how much of a difference that you can make when you change your habits around the house.
Thesse are great tips! Definitely will incorporate these going forward
I pay for the electricity bills and it is really a pain in my pocket. Thank for these tips, it will surely be a big help.
Thank you for sharing such these awesome tips. I just moved in last December of 2017. Since it’s my first time living on my own, there are certain things that I need to change at my home to reduce utility bills. Anyways, great post learned a lot!
Number 8 does it for me. Such an important tip and not many will follow it through.
Really helpful tips. I’ve tried many of these and they really work. It’s crazy how much money I was flushing drown the drain, literally. Thanks for sharing.
I love your fifth tip about making sure to check and see if you’re leaving the lights and appliances on at night while you’re asleep. It seems like it might also be a good idea to see if you could compare utility rates online if you have an option. Finding out what others are charging might allow you to switch carriers and save money.