by MJ Miller

Created on: March 01, 2009

Well, I don't know anybody that doesn't enjoy saving money, whether it is by getting something on sale or figuring out a way to pay less for something you buy regularly. This article will show you how to do just that; save money every month on your electric bill by using a few easy conservation techniques that anyone can do without making any big sacrifices or being inconvenienced in any major way.

One of the first things I would recommend is that you contact your local electric company and ask them if they have any programs to help you save money on your electric bill. Many electric companies will come to your home and perform a "home energy audit" completely free of charge and they will show you ways to save. They will even test your home for air leaks, measure your insulation, inspect your heating and cooling system and ductwork, etc. They may even have a program to help you get additional insulation installed in your home at a discount or even free. Several years ago I got additional blown in insulation in my attic completely free of charge from my electric company after my home energy audit.

On the subject of heating and cooling, one way to save is to dial down your thermostat a couple of degrees in winter and up a couple in summer. Just a couple of degrees can save a lot of money over the course of a month and won't affect your comfort level that much. If you don't already have one, get a programmable thermostat. I have mine set to dial down my AC during the day while I'm at work and the house is empty. I also have it set to dial down a few degrees while I'm sleeping. You won't notice a few degrees when you're asleep. You should also check and clean or change your air-handler's filter regularly. A dirty filter will make it less efficient and make it work harder.

Use those ceiling fans and if you don't have them, install them. They make it more comfortable when you dial down the AC by moving the air around and evening the temperature. It's cheaper to run a ceiling fan than having the AC come on more often. Just don't forget to turn them off when you're not using the room. They don't cool the air; they just move it so they are only effective when you're in the room.

While you're dialing down, another thing you can probably dial down is your water heater. Whether it's gas or electric powered, you can save by dialing down a little. The hotter you have it set, the more it will have to come on just to maintain the temperature, even when you're not using hot water.

• 1
• 2
• 3
• Next Page >>