Believe it or not, most of us here at SimpleBills have been right where you might find yourself right now, wondering, “what in the world was I doing that used so much electricity?” No one likes receiving a utility bill that’s higher than expected. It’s expensive, and usually catches you a bit off guard.
As a company founded on the idea of trying to making lives easier for students, we want to help you save money anywhere you can, especially on your bills! Here are a few ideas on how to do just that. Keep in mind that every house/apartment is different, and so are the habits of the people that live there.
“On” vs. “Auto”
- “Auto” on your thermostat means the AC/fans will adjust according to the existing temperature in the room, whereas “on” keeps the fans running all day. Your air conditioner normally cycles off 30 percent of the time. In this case, turning the fan switch to “on” will make the fan run over 200 extra hours a month. For a standard AC unit, that would cost you about $8 more each month. Not to mention – a fan that runs all the time wears out a lot faster.
When in doubt, fan it out.
- A central air unit (the most common type of AC) runs on about 3 kilowatts and costs about 36 cents per hour to run. But a good fan? On average, that costs only 30 watts to run, adding up to only 1 cent every 3 hours. All of this said, you could potentially save over $128 per month by using a ceiling fan in the bedroom and weening off the AC.
Say “bon voyage” to wasted electricity!
- Knowing what to set your thermostat to when leaving for a trip can be tricky. Different communities have different minimum and maximum temperature requirements, so check with your property before you make drastic changes to your thermostat. Other than that, it is important to always consider: Where do I live and what time of the year is it? Based on this information, you can set your thermostat as close to the outside temperature as your community’s boundaries allow in order to save money.
Still want more? Follow these links to some helpful articles:
- Lower My Bill Toolkit
- 10 Easy Ways to Lower Your Electric Bill
- How To Save Electricity
- 9 Ways to Save on Your Utility Bill
- Fall and Winter Energy Saving Tips
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