by Pamela Kay

Created on: November 14, 2008

Simple Tips For Saving Energy During The Holidays

You don't want to be a scrooge this holiday season, but you do want to save on energy. Then your holiday cheer can spill into the New Year without the worry about utility bills. Try some of these simple tips for saving energy during the holidays and have a wonderful holiday season.

*Use Solar Energy, Compact Florescent and LED Lights

Don't give up decorating your home for the holidays to save energy, just rethink how you do it. For example, use solar energy to power your outside lights and only leave them on for a few hours each night.

LED holiday lights come in green, red, white, blue, gold and orange and they don't get hot, so there is no danger of fire. These little gems can save you up to eighty or ninety percent more than regular holiday light bulbs.

Another option is to use yard decorations that can be lit with only one spotlight. Use compact florescent bulbs here and all through your house to save on energy. Hang fewer lights on an outside tree and reflect their light by hanging small mirrors.

*Turn It Off And Unplug It

Make it a rule in your home to turn everything off before you retire for the night. Leaving Christmas lights on is an invitation for disaster and they run up your energy bill as do room lights that aren't being used.

However, just turning things off is not all you can do to save energy during the holidays. Many appliances continue using phantom energy even when turned off. So unplug the TV, microwave, cell phone charger and any other appliance that use LED lights.

*Thermostat-Set It And Leave It

With the constant in and out of guests, children at home from school and shopping trips, the heating unit already gets a real workout. Constantly turning it up and down costs more money. Resist the urge to turn it up when the house cools down quickly and try adding a sweater, which you can remove when the house warms up.

*In The Kitchen

Make use of energy saving appliances such as crock-pots, toaster ovens, microwaves and electric skillets to prepare your holiday meals. These money saving treasures use up to fifty percent less electricity than your stove top and oven.

Timing your use of the oven to the coldest parts of the day (morning and evening) will help warm the house. Unless you are baking breads and pastries, you can skip the preheat for most of your baking and save the energy. Always place pot and pans on the right size burner to save about fifty percent in energy costs.

Wait until you have full loads before using the dishwasher and washing machine. Running two small loads will cost you twice what one full load will. Better yet, fill your sinks with wash and rinse water and wash and dry your dishes by hand.

*Winterize Your House

Keep icy winds and cold air out of your home by using caulking and weather striping on your doors and windows. Place draft guards under doors, including interior doors so you can close them off when they are not being used.

With the wonder and joy of the holidays at hand, saving energy may not be high on our agenda, though it should be. January will come soon enough and with it, all the charges to our credit cards as well as a high-energy bill. Try these simple tips for saving energy during the holidays and let January find you smiling.

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