Skip to main content

10 easy ways to lower your electric bill (because it’s way too high right now)

Are your home energy prices rising? You’re not alone. Between the effects of the pandemic, winter demand, and the war in Ukraine, natural gas prices have proven volatile. In the state of New York alone, at least 1.4 million households and residential customers haven’t been able to keep up with their electric and natural gas payments. Because of the continued disruption to world energy markets, experts expect to see higher prices through the end of the year.

While there’s not much you can do to change that, there are ways you can make your home more energy-efficient. Prioritizing energy efficiency in your home has two significant benefits: You’ll save money on your electric bill, and you’ll contribute to saving the environment

Related Videos

Nowadays, you can buy a certified, energy-efficient house that is equipped with solar panels and energy-saving appliances. You can also have solar panels installed for your existing house. These are big projects, though, so even if you’ve been wanting to make your home more energy-efficient, you may be putting them off. Here’s the good news: There are many small, simple ways you can optimize energy usage in your home that don’t require any major overhauls. If your wallet has taken a hit recently, these surefire methods will help cut down costs right away.

Use energy-efficient light bulbs

Replacing your light bulbs is a great way to make your home more energy-efficient. You’ll want to get LED bulbs, which use far less power than regular fluorescent bulbs. While LEDs are a bit more expensive, they will drive down your electric bill and last longer, so you can look at it as a worthy investment.

Invest in a dimmer

Dimming your lights means reducing both the wattage and the output, which can help you save energy. Although you’ll need bulbs that work with dimmer switches, they’re worth it in the long run. Some dimmer switches can be controlled by an app — saving you money and offering you the convenience of controlling your environment from wherever you are. Plus, not only are dimmers energy-efficient, they’re also great for setting the mood if you’re planning a romantic dinner, a luxurious bath, or just want to watch TV in bed.

Laundry

Wash your clothes in cold water

If possible, choose the cold water setting for your laundry cycles. It takes lots of energy to heat up water, especially the amount of water needed to clean a pile of clothing. You can also try to conserve hot water when washing dishes or showering.

Keep your dryer clean

According to the Department of Energy, residential dryers are responsible for roughly 6% of residential electricity use. A clean dryer is a more efficient dryer, so be sure to clean out your lint trap after every load. Even better? Weather permitting, consider a drying rack or clothesline for any articles of clothing and any linens that are suitable for air drying.

Reassess your heating and cooling situation

Okay, here’s a biggie. We know the winters get frigid and the summers get sweltering, but heating and cooling are two of the biggest energy eaters in a home. 

The first thing you can do is get a smart thermostat that adjusts the heat based on a timer. This way, you can set it to turn off when you’re not home and turn back on when you return. It’s a good investment that will save you money on your electric bill, but if you don’t want to spend upfront on a new thermostat, then make sure you’re changing the temperature yourself when you leave the house.

Another way to save energy is to set your thermostat to the manufacturer’s suggested temperature — never above. It may get chilly, but layer up and buy some extra blankets, and you’ll be set. Also, check your windows to make sure they’re not drafty and letting in unnecessary cold air. In the summer months, use the air conditioner sparingly, or use a large ceiling or floor fan instead of the AC.

Unplug your devices

Once your phone or laptop is finished charging, unplug it. Don’t keep your cell phone or tablet plugged in overnight. That also goes for any other devices you put on a charger, including gaming consoles, smartwatches, portable chargers, and wireless earbud cases. When it reaches 100%, it’s time to unplug and save power.

well organized fridge

Adjust the refrigerator temperature 

Your refrigerator should also have a standard temperature recommended by the manufacturer. If you have the fridge or freezer set to a lower temperature, raise it to the factory setting. This is another large appliance, so adjusting it even a little bit makes a difference.

Cut back on dishwasher use as well by using the best dish-drying rack.

Cut down on oven use

Out of all your cooking appliances, your oven uses the most energy, so heat up food in the microwave or on the stove whenever possible. Also, when you are using the oven, don’t open the door while your food is cooking — peek in using the oven light instead. Opening the door lets the heat out, and then the appliance uses even more energy to rise to its set temperature again.

couple standing in front of window in a red painted room

Take advantage of natural light

To avoid keeping lights on for long periods, pull back the curtains, roll up those blinds, and let the natural sunlight flood in. Doing this as much as possible will save you on your electric bill in the long run. The exception here is in the dead of summer when you’ll want to keep the heat out with closed blinds and curtains.

Schedule an energy-efficiency audit

If doing all these things still isn’t saving you money, check in with your electric company. You may be eligible for a free energy-efficiency audit. An expert will come to your home and assess your electricity use. They’ll give you a breakdown of what’s costing you the most so you can be sure you’re targeting the right areas to save energy.

Making your home more energy efficient is simpler than you think. While the optimal action to take for saving power is to install solar panels or buy a new, energy-efficient home, there are super easy steps you can take immediately to save money and energy, benefitting both your wallet and the planet. These tweaks to the ways you interact with your home could take some getting used to, but they all add up and will bring down your electric bill significantly. And let’s face it: Most of us could use that right now.

Editors' Recommendations

3 things to know about homemade laundry detergent so you don’t ruin your clothes
Consider these factors before using homemade laundry detergent on your clothes
Mom and child placing laundry into a front loading washing machine

A full wardrobe of freshly cleaned clothes is a delight. A bed neatly made with crisp, just-washed sheets is divine. Is there anything quite like clean laundry? You probably purchase your go-to laundry detergent from the store every so often, but have you ever wondered about homemade laundry detergent? There's a lot of talk out there about the health and savings benefits of making a DIY laundry detergent concoction, but is it really safe? We dive into what you need to consider before making your own laundry soap.

Does homemade laundry detergent really work?
This is the first question people usually ask about homemade detergent, and it's certainly a good one: Does it really get fabrics as clean as store-bought detergents do? The answer is yes, but with a few caveats since homemade detergents require specific conditions to do their best.
The issue with hard water and DIY laundry soap
Hard water has high amounts of natural minerals in it, and those minerals can hinder the removal of dirt and stains on your laundry. While store-bought detergents have added chemicals to prevent those minerals from interfering with the cleaning process of the soap, homemade detergent doesn't; this means your clothes won't be as clean when washed in hard water and they may feel stiff or have a filmy residue.
The issue with using cold water with homemade laundry detergent
The ingredients used to make homemade laundry detergent don't perform as well in cold water since they won't dissolve completely. With most homemade laundry detergents, using warm or hot water is recommended.
The challenge of rinsing away DIY detergent
While store-bought detergents contain chemical ingredients to assist with rapid and effective rinsing, homemade detergents are free of these chemicals. It's always good to use fewer chemicals on your clothes, but that means an extra rinse cycle is likely in order if you're using homemade detergent.

Read more
Should you be using vinegar in your washing machine?
We weigh in on if vinegar is a good fabric softener or if it's a myth
Woman putting dirty clothes in washing machine

There are so many practical uses for white vinegar that go way beyond an ingredient for salad dressing or brining. Vinegar has long been used as a natural cleaning option, beauty product, and overall household miracle worker. You may have heard your grandparents offering advice to use vinegar for nearly any household obstacle. And to this day, many people tout its numerous benefits, uses, and applications. If you want an idea of some of the incredible ways white vinegar can benefit you and your household, we'll list a few below.

Just a few of the many out-of-box uses for white vinegar:

Read more
7 creative ways you can make your small laundry room feel huge
small laundry room ideas at home

Laundry rooms are notoriously very small. If you want the experience of doing laundry in your home to be a pleasant one, you’ll want to take advantage of some creative small laundry room design tips that will make your small laundry room look huge.

Modern laundry rooms often make use of vertical space, brighten up the walls, and use space-saving small laundry room ideas to make the room look big, even if it’s really not. Instead of cramming everything into a tiny room, open up the area with these seven DIY small laundry room ideas.

Read more