Lately it seems that the electricity bill has been rising at a ridiculous rate. There are so many reasons for this – it’s summer and the fans and A/C units are cranking, fuel charges might be high etc. But the truth is that you’re annoyed that the bill is that high. Paying more towards electricity means that you have less money for something else.
There are a couple things that you can do to reduce your electricity bill. But, you might have to pay close attention to what the figures on the bill says so that you can monitor any movements in your usage.
1. Change those light bulbs – Compact fluorescents use less energy than the traditional incandescent bulbs. Large department stores and hardware stores carry these bulbs in bulk at reasonable prices.
2. Turn off those lights – When you leave a room, turn off the light. Many people leave lights on in rooms that are not being used.
3. Unplug appliances and electronics – When you’re not using an appliance, unplug it. Although you might not be using the appliance, it still pulls electricity. For example, your stereo might be turned off, but the flashing clock display indicates that electricity is still flowing to it.
4. Wash full loads of clothing – When washing clothing, accumulate full loads of clothing. A small load in the washing machine uses the same amount of electricity as a large load.
5. Dry laundry outside – In the Caribbean this is very common and many of us do this as a norm. Laundry is hung on lines to dry by the sun and the wind. For those with dryers, put them to rest for a while because they consume a lot of electricity.