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When I was younger, my father would scold me for leaving a room without turning off the light. It was not until I started paying my own bills that I truly understood the reason for his vigilance. As energy costs are rising, some are feeling the pinch quite directly and any way to save on their electricity bill would be welcome.

The problem is knowing what are the best and most efficient ways to do cut on electricity usage. I think the reasons why most people do not do them is because they are either a hassle, such as installing more insulation or caulking, or it involves a rather large up-front cost, such as buying energy efficient appliances or installing new doors or windows. Saving money on electricity can be simple and cheap.

First, it pays to understand what kinds of appliances use the most electricity. Surprisingly lights do not take as much electricity as one might think, at least compared to other things. The simplest rule of thumb is that things that require heating or cooling usually requires the most electricity. This is true for things like the central air and heat to refrigerators and ovens, even your hairdryer. The less you use these appliances, the more money you will save. Granted, there are some things that you can not just turn on and off at will, such as the refrigerator or hot water heater, but there are things you can do to help minimize their consumption of electricity.

Heat/Air
The best way to save on heating and cooling your house is to get a programmable thermostat so that you only cool and heat your home when you are there. These thermostats are relatively cheap and easy to install in most homes as the wiring is color coded. The cost to even hire someone to install it can potentially be recouped in just the first several months of electricity bills.

Refrigerator/Freezer
A full refrigerator uses considerably less energy than an empty one. This is because the items within the refrigerator retain their temperature much more efficiently than the air around it. Once you open the refrigerator door, a significant portion of the cooled air leaves through the door. So keep your refrigerator stocked and it will work more efficiently and on less energy.

Water Heater
If you have an electric water heater and usually have plenty of hot water for your household, adjust the setting to the point where the hot water is just tolerable to the touch when you turn on the shower or sink all the way to the hottest setting. A considerable amount of energy is used maintaining the water temperature in the water heater while it is just sitting there. The lower the temperature it has to maintain, the more energy that is saved.

Dishwasher
If you do not need heated drying for your dishes, turn that feature off. It may be easier to simply let the dishes air dry, but if you do this make sure you crack the door of the dishwasher open when the washing and rinsing cycles are completed to let the steamy air out of the dishwasher which will prolong the drying considerably.

Compact Fluorescent Lights
It will not probably be too long before these lights replace incandescent bulbs altogether. Not only do they use a fraction of the energy but they also last several times longer and the materials and methods to manufacture them are only getting cheaper. As your incandescent bulbs die, replace them with the compact fluorescent counterparts. The initial cost will be more, but over the long run you will save many times the difference.

Saving money on electricity does not have to be cumbersome. There are simple things you can do and forget about - at least until you see your electricity bill and are pleasantly surprised for a change.

Learn more about this author, Nathan Kim.
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