Even though it’s getting closer to spring, winter is still in full swing and a lot of areas in the United States are still getting hit with what’s known as “arctic blasts,” which makes the temperatures plummet. This combined with the random snowstorms popping up all over the country translates to higher heating bills. Chances are, you’ve noticed your heater kicking on a lot more often and sometimes it may even stay on all day and night long.
Below, you’ll find a collection of tips that will help you save money on your electric bill.
#1. Adjust Your Thermostat
A lot of people just set their thermostat on a temperature and just leave it there. Instead, you should adjust the thermostat to find out what temperature you’d actually be comfortable at. Every day, you should drop your thermostat by a degrees and see if you notice any kind of difference. Chances are, you probably won’t even notice going down 2-3 degrees and for every degree you go down, you’ll save 3% on your electric bill.
#2. Get on the Budget Plan
The budget plan is an excellent option for just about anyone, especially those that live in areas that are being hit by arctic blasts. You could go from having a $150 electric bill one month to a $250 electric bill the next. To avoid fluctuations like this, you should consider calling up your electric provider and telling them you’d like to be put on the budget plan. This is a plan that is based on your average usage and is a much cheaper option.
#3. Adjust Your Ceiling Fans
This is a trick that a lot of people don’t know about. You can reverse the direction of your ceiling fans, making them spin clockwise. Do this and set them at a low speed and they will push warm air down.
#4. Clean Your Filters or Replace Them
Check on your air filters and clean them or replace them if necessary. Clean air filters will enable your system to run more efficiently and the quality of the air in your home will increase.
#5. Get a Winterization Kit
It’s really easy for some cold air to make its way through your windows and into your home. In other words, your heating system has to work more to make up for it. Therefore, you may want to invest in a winterization kit. A winterization kit enables you to easily seal up your windows, so no cold air gets through at all. They’re cheap, easy to install and will certainly save you some cash.
#6. Harness the Power of the Sun
During the daytime, you should go around your house and open up your blinds and pull your curtains back. The sun can drastically increase the temperature in your home and it’s completely free! However, when the sun stops shining in through the windows, you need to make sure you close the blinds and put the curtains back.
#7. Dress Warmer
Grab yourself a pair of socks and a sweater and wear them around the house. This is a really simple step and it will help keep you warm, as I’ve read that simply by wearing a sweater you can increase the feeling of warms by up to 4 degrees. If you wear your favorite sweater and a nice, fuzzy pair of socks, you may be able to even decrease your thermostat a little and save more money.
