Saving money during the summer months is easier than you think and it might only involve changing a few everyday habits. When practiced consistently, these tips and tricks help cut energy costs. Here are seven quick and easy options for saving money.
Change Your Light Bulbs
You can save a lot of money if you pay attention to what bulbs are frequently used around your house. Be wary of incandescent lightbulbs, which give a lot of energy off as heat. You should replace the bulbs in frequently used light fixtures with energy-efficient LED bulbs that last longer and can save you a bundle each year in energy costs.
Turn off the Lights
Many people check that the lights are off before they leave the house and before they go to bed. This diligence seems trivial but can add up when it comes to electricity costs. Luckily, during the summer hours, there is little need to use lights at all. You can train yourself to flip the switch every time you leave a room.
Manage Outside Air
During the daytime, it’s best to keep windows closed while your air conditioning is running so you can keep the cool air in. This may seem obvious but it’s easy to accidently leave windows open. A simple check before you run your air conditioner could save a lot of money and prevent air from escaping. Another way to manage air flow is to avoid running the kitchen and bathroom fans for too long while the A/C is running because these ventilation systems actually combat the cool air flow.
Unplug Unused Appliances
Some non-essential appliances can actually drain energy even when they are not in use like your phone charger, television, radio and computer. These appliances can easily be plugged into a power strip and turned on and off as you leave the house and especially during prolonged absences. Adding these little rituals to your locking-up routine can help you save energy in the long-run.
Rent an Air Conditioning Unit
Rather than owning outright, you can save money by entering into an appliance rental agreement which means the appliance company covers the cost of any repairs as well as regular yearly maintenance. With this type of agreement, the air conditioning unit is owned by the company so you can trust that the variety of brands they’ve selected are high quality.
Do Some Dishes
Instead of running the dishwasher frequently, you can turn cleaning up into a family bonding exercise by occasionally doing the dishes together. You should only be using your dishwasher when there is a full load, and you can save money by avoiding peak hours. Washing some dishes and letting them air dry doesn’t take much time at all.
Let Laundry Dry Outside
A very simple way to save is to buy a clothing rack or clothesline so you can dry your clothes outside during the summer months. Not only does this save you energy costs because you’re not running your dryer, but many items of clothing maintain their structure and last longer if they are hung out to dry.
Taking the time to adjust your household allows you to save your hard-earned cash and to put your money towards the things you really want — like a family vacation or some light renovations.
If you want to keep your wallet full this summer, simply follow these 7 steps to prepare your house for energy efficiency during warmer months. A few small changes can have a big impact and can go a long way to keeping you smiling all summer long.