Lower Your Monthly Costs
It is important to keep up with your utility payments, since you want to keep warm water flowing in your apartment. However, did you know there are ways you can lower the cost of your utility bills? By making a few small adjustments to your daily routine, you can save hundreds of dollars each month. Try using these tips to save money on your next bill.
Adjust Your Thermostat Accordingly
One of the easiest ways to save money on your utility bills is to make better use of your unit’s thermostat. We tend to rely heavily on thermostats during the summer and winter, and this can dramatically increase the cost of our utility bills. Adjusting the temperature by just a few degrees can actually make a significant impact on your heating or cooling bill.
If you are going to be out of the apartment for a little while during the summer, try raising the temperature a small amount while you are out. During the winter, lower the temperature a few degrees at night and bundle up with some extra blankets. Try changing up what you wear in the apartment so the change in temperature does not bother you.
While you can save money by lowering the temperature during the winter, do not lower it below 60°, even while you are out of the apartment. This helps prevent pipes from freezing or bursting.
Shut Down Appliances When You Aren’t There
Another easy way to save some money is to turn off any devices or appliances while they are not in use. Even when they are not turned on, all electrical devices that are plugged in still use a small amount of energy. If you have a lot of appliances and machines plugged in at once, this can lead to a hefty electric bill.
Try and get into the habit of turning off your devices when you are not using them. If you do not need to use your lamp at the moment, unplug it from the wall. To make this process easier, consider picking up a power strip so you can easily turn off multiple devices at once.
On a side note, make sure you turn off all the lights in your apartment if you plan to head out for a little while. Eco-friendly decisions like this can do a lot to keep energy costs down.
Try Energy Efficient Bulbs
The lights in your apartment may be responsible for increasing the amount you have to pay each month. Certain lightbulbs require more energy than others to operate, and this can have a massive impact on your electric bill. If you are able to, try swapping out your current bulbs for ones that are more efficient.
Typically, the best models to go for are CFL and LED bulbs, since they consume a lot less electricity. They also last longer than other bulbs, so you do not have to worry about replacing them frequently. It is a simple change that can dramatically lower your electricity bill over a long period of time.
Tips for Washing Your Clothes
Typically, you need to use warm water when you wash clothes. Warm water can cost a decent amount, so if you need wash your clothes frequently then this will contribute to your utility bills. An easy way around this issue is to only wash your clothes when the load in the machine is full. This lessens the amount of times you need to use the washing machine, and will help keep the water bill down.
Adding to this, you may want to use more cold water while you wash your clothes. Newer detergents are able to dissolve in colder water, and this can help to reduce the amount of warm water you need to use during the washing process. Cold water requires less energy to use, so this can help your financial situation quite a bit.
Do More Cooking at Home
If you are looking to save some money during the winter, you might want to cook more meals at home. Most ovens cannot trap all the heat they produce, and as a result some of the heat is able to get out. Therefore, your oven can provide some heat in your apartment, which lessens the need to raise the temperature on your thermostat.
Just be mindful when you do your own cooking during the warmer months of summer. The extra heat can make it much hotter in your apartment, and you will need to turn the air conditioning up to combat this. During the summer, try to do most of your cooking at night when the air is a little cooler outside.
Want to learn about some ways to can keep warm in your apartment during the winter?
