Home
>
Personal Finance
>
Save Money Off Your Home Utility Bills

Save Money Off Your Home Utility Bills

Many don't realize that our basic utility bills provide the perfect money saving opportunity for practically every household!

Especially with today's energy crisis so prevalent throughout many of the states, you've probably heard this term - conservation.

Guess what, conservation really means "using less". Using less energy, means you are spending less money. Inevitably, conservation goes hand in hand with saving money.

We sometimes lose sight of the fact that the water, gas and electricity we use in our homes, always comes back to us in the form of a lovely bill. Use the tips below and you may be surprised to find yourself saving $1000 or more every year.

ELECTRIC
~~~~~~~~~

* Fans can really cool a house in warmer months if set up properly. Ideally, you want to set up fans to draw in cool air (shady side of house) and circulate into the warmer areas.

* Get in the habit of turning off ALL lights and appliances that are not being used. You'll be surprised at how quickly the energy savings will add up.

* TURN THE TV OFF! Did you know that leaving the television on is the number one electricity waster in the world? When everyone is finished watching television, especially before going to sleep, turn it off.

* Replace all "non-reading" lights with lower wattage light bulbs or possibly the new "energy plus" bulbs for even more savings over time.

* Get in the habit of hanging your clothes to dry, possibly on a clothesline in a bathroom.

* Insulate! Insulate! Insulate! our number one money saving tip! Check the weather stripping around doors and windows. Caulk or foam insulate any place where outside air has a chance to get in. Don't forget to insulate your attic floor with either "roll" or "loose-fill" insulation.

* Long Term - Install ceiling fans throughout the house. You can then start decrease A/C usage and during winter months, the fans will help circulate warm air throughout the house.

* Long Term - Plant tall shrubs and brushes. Not only will this beautify your property, but also shade your home causing less need for the A/C in summer months and help block out harsh winds in colder months.

WATER
~~~~~~~

* Check to make sure none of the faucets & spigots in your household are leaking/dripping. A slow dripping faucet can accumulate over two gallons per hour.

* When watering the garden, set a schedule and try to water in the early morning hours to help minimize evaporation (between 6am-8am)

* Avoid taking baths and long showers.

* Leave the faucet OFF when you are brushing your teeth or shaving. Only turn it on when needed.

* If you must wash your car at home, only turn on the hose when you're rinsing.

GAS
~~~~

* During winter months, light a fire for warmth instead of using the central heating unit. Wood is still cheaper than gas. * check and make sure fireplace is working properly

* Wear seasonal appropriate clothing around the house. Get used to wearing sweaters and pants during winter months. You'll find that you won't need to turn the heat up as high.

* Lower the temperature on your gas water heater. You really don't need water heated up to 180 degrees. Lower it a bit and save.

* Turn off stove and oven a few minutes before time is up. Residual heat will finish the job perfectly.

PHONE
~~~~~~~

* Compare the prices of various long distance providers and ask the representative which plan provides you the greatest savings based on your calling history. With all the long distance companies on the market, don't be afraid to change to one that's more appropriate for you.

* Get used to email and the Internet! It costs little to nothing to use, and now with instant chatting services like Yahoo Messenger, here's the perfect money saving opportunity.

* Find a good reason to have people call you. You can even come up with a good excuse for them to "call you back".

HAVE A FAMILY? MAKE A GAME
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

If you have a family, turn this utility saving exercise into a GAME! Make some type of 'agreement' with all the family members where the savings accumulated each month will be put into a 'savings jar'. Then after six months or a years time, a nice vacation can be arranged.

Sit down with everyone when the bills come and compare the savings from month to month. Not only can this be an educational experience for your children, but it's the perfect opportunity to get the whole family involved working towards a goal.

Gregory Thomas, editor of http://www.savingsecrets.com - has written hundreds of effective money-saving tips, strategies, and articles over the past 6 years. Visit their website and you'll find FREE money-saving articles, a monthly newsletter, and even a FREE Ebook download just for stopping by!

trusted cleaning company Park Ridge ...

In The News:

Paralyzed woman Audrey Crews controls a computer with a brain chip from Elon Musk's Neuralink, demonstrating breakthrough brain-computer interface technology.

Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

Meta removed over 600,000 predatory accounts from Instagram and Facebook while launching enhanced safety protections for teenage users on both platforms.

Facebook crypto scams trick users with fake celebrity endorsements and legitimate-looking cryptocurrency exchange ads that install malware on victims' devices.

Create private chat rooms using the iPhone Notes app collaboration feature with instant messaging capabilities and full control over conversation privacy.

Lyft rolled out safety upgrades with a new Safety Hub, driver blocking capability and a favorite driver option to give riders more control over their experience.

New research shows Americans increasingly trust AI for wellness guidance over social media, with 63% finding artificial intelligence reliable for health.

Luxury fashion brand Dior experienced a January 2025 data breach affecting customer personal information, and notifications were sent months after the discovery.

The commercial Unitree H1 humanoid robot weighs 104 pounds with 365 pound-feet torque per joint and demonstrates dangerous potential when software glitches occur.

Americans average 10-plus hours online daily, according to recent survey, splitting time between streaming shows on TV and browsing websites on multiple devices.

Boost your smartphone privacy instantly with these security tweaks for iPhone and Android that limit ad tracking, hide notifications and prevent unauthorized access.

Platforms like Hoax Tech and JS Click Cloaker help cybercriminals bypass detection systems using machine learning to selectively display scam content to victims.

A new battery recycling technique transforms old lithium-ion batteries into high-performance components that retain 88% capacity after 500 cycles with minimal waste.

Google's Android operating system can warn users about earthquakes before the shaking even begins – and there are ways to do it on your iPhone, too.

Meta's new gesture control wristband might just be the most seamless way to control a computer yet. And no, it doesn't require surgery, a camera, or even a touchscreen. All it needs is your wrist.

Long-haul trucks are now being upgraded with a surprising twist, thanks to California-based startup Revoy. Their electric boost doesn't replace diesel but works alongside it to cut emissions and fuel costs without major disruption.

PayPal and Venmo just rolled out something big: AI-powered scam alerts for Friends and Family payments.

As data centers multiply across the United States, energy demand is increasing at a rapid pace. This has not escaped the notice of large investment firms from Wall Street.

The Unicode Consortium, the nonprofit organization that maintains the Unicode Standard to ensure emojis work across devices, has announced Unicode 17.0, which includes nine new emojis slated for release this fall, in September 2025.

OpenAI is one of the world's leading AI research labs. Founded in 2015, it's behind some of today's most talked-about tools, including GPT, DALL·E, and ChatGPT.

Ever catch your dog staring at the screen during movie night and wonder if they're actually watching? Turns out, they might be. A new scientific study from Auburn University found that many dogs really do engage with television, and not all pups react the same way.

Stop the scammers from making contact in the first place. They're getting your parents' contact information and much more personal data besides, from somewhere.

The Walker S2 robot from UBTech autonomously exchanges its batteries in just three minutes, allowing continuous operation in car factories operated by BYD, Nio and Zeekr.

The FX Super One electric MPV from Faraday Future offers flexible seating, zero-gravity recliners and an AI system that creates a personal connection between driver and vehicle.

Practical solutions for reducing unwanted charity mail, political texts and email spam by opting out of shared lists, replying "STOP" and using data removal services.

Save Money Off Your Home Utility Bills

Personal Finance