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HOW TO SHRINK YOUR ELECTRIC BILL

Do you open your electricity bill with anxiety and dread? Would you like to shrink your energy use in the face of endless rate increases? Are you concerned about limiting power use in your home in order to live green?

By taking a few common sense steps in managing your household's daily use of energy, you can reduce your electric bill. The following ideas will help you use electricity more efficiently at home.

* TURN OFF WHAT YOU'RE NOT USING *

The number one strategy to reduce energy use is turning off what you're not using. Be mindful of waste at all times. When you leave a room for any length of time, turn off the lights. Just because you wisely replaced your old light bulbs with the new energy efficient ones doesn't mean they should be on eternally.

Be conscious of frivolous power use. For instance, don't let the TV blare for hours to an empty room, or forget the coffeepot warmer all day. When the movie is over, shut off the entertainment center. After a device is fully charged, unplug the battery charger. When you're out of the house, turn down (or turn off) the air conditioning. Learn how to use "sleep mode" on your computer.

* APPLIANCES CAN BE POWER HOGS *

Take a look at your major appliances, and consider whether they might be driving up your electric bill. Do you own a second refrigerator or freezer in the garage or basement that you barely use? Consider selling it to someone else who needs it more. Do you have a dehumidifier or humidifier that runs all day? Should it? Do you sleep in a waterbed or heated bed? How much "juice" is that heater costing you?

Pay particular attention to your hot water heater. An electric water heater will impact the energy used by your washing machine or dishwasher. Adjust the water heater thermostat to no higher than 120 degrees, using an "energy saver" setting if it has one. If it doesn't, and you own your home, think about investing in a more efficient model of water heater with energy saving features, one that will save you money in the long-term.

Also, be mindful of how efficiently you use your electric oven. If you like to bake, do all of your baking at once instead of heating the oven more than once a day. For instance, bake two pans of cookies simultaneously, or put a couple of baked potatoes in the oven while you're making that cake or casserole. On a cool day, when you're done baking, turn off the oven and prop the oven door to heat the kitchen (keep little fingers safely away).

* BEWARE

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