Boy, we all begin to dread this time of year, don't we? The high cost of heating, especially in cold climates, can be devastating to many! So how do we even begin to save money on our utility bills?
Well, here's just a couple of ways I have found that helps us to save a bit of money. Of course, what I save, may differ from what you do, depending upon utility companies and regional weather. But doing these things can only help.
Because i work full time, and spend many long hours on the highway, I do splurge and always use my clothes dryer, where many others don't. So, you have to make that call. Is the added cost of using your clothes dryer worth it to you or not? Weigh it out for yourself.
You can cut the cost of your water bill by either installing a low flow toilet, or simply adding 2 bottles (bottle and all) of water to your toilet tank. This will keep your water flow low, and will help cut your flushes down by as much as 2 gallons a flush, depending on the type of toilet you have. Also, check your spigots for any leaks or drips. Winterize your water pipes if you live in cold climates to prevent water lines from freezing, and having to repair burst pipes!
You can cut your electric bill by turning off lights not in use, and unplugging small appliances when not in use. Now, I have to tell you, our computers and coffee pot are never unplugged. Because of the job I do, and the work my husband does, our computers have to be ready at a moment's notice. And the coffee pot, well, although it's only used once a day, there's been many a morning we spent waiting for the coffee to be ready before we decided that we'd leave that one appliance always plugged in (pure silliness, I know). You can also cut your water heater to a lower temperature. Just 10-degrees can save as much as $12 a month in savings. Also, I wash all of my clothes, except for whites, in cold water. They get just as clean, and save us a ton of money by not using the hot water! I do use it for whites, as I work in the public, and my white blouses and white garments need to be spotless white. Whether you heat your home with gas or electric, you can save a lot of money simply by turning back your furnace's thermostat. Ours is set on 68 and simply left there. Sometimes it's a bit cool during the day, but 68 and under the blankets at night means we sleep like babies. During the day, we simply make sure we are wearing winter socks, and a warm sweater. Doing this one simple change saved us from a winter heating bill of $400 to a bill of only $150. So, yeah, a little cooler house is worth it for us! Winterize your windows if you have an older home with old windows that aren't double or triple thick for insulation. Use draft blockers if you have any drafts around door facings or window facings. Close off heating vents in rooms you aren't using, and shut the doors. Use a draft blocker at these doors to keep the cooler air in those rooms.
Want to save on your phone bill? Cut the land line if you have a reliable cell phone. We did this a couple years ago, and I've never regretted it. Frontier charged us $80 a month for our phone. I have two cell phones, one for me, and one for hubby, with unlimited talk, text and data for $60 a month (taxes included). (I use Consumer Cellular.) Since I have to have a cell phone for work, it just made sense for us. iPhones were purchased from Amazon.com. We bought the next to last released model. Not the latest. This saved us several hundred of dollars.
We had our cable turned off. Purchased a Roku device for a one time charge from Amazon.com. We have thousands of channels (yeah, literally thousands!), and while there are channels that require subscription to watch, we haven't needed to purchase any yet. There is ALWAYS something to watch for free! Love it!
Winterize your car. Make sure you have good snow tires on it if you live in northern clime. Never purchase cheap tires. This is your life we're talking about here! Literally, you are trusting your life to those tires! So spend accordingly.
I hope this has given you a few ideas about how to cut some of your utility bills this winter. Not everything here may work for you, but there should be some ways listed that will!
Now, get out there and get your home ready! Winter is on its way!
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