6 ways to reduce electricity bills

Ways to cut down the amount of money you spend on electricity

Piece by: MILLICENT ATIENO
Lifestyle

• Electricity bills have been more costly than usual this year.

• There are plenty of simple measures you can take to lower your electricity bills.

COURTESY

Electricity bills have been more costly than usual this year.

If you are looking for ways to cut down utility costs, there are plenty of simple measures you can take to lower your electricity bills from turning off the lights to doing laundry the most efficient way.

Below are ways to start saving now;

1. Spend less time in the shower

It's easy to lose track of time in the shower. Fifteen minutes feels like a mere five when you finally get to relax with a hot shower after a long day. But all good things come at a cost.

Many of us likely don't realize how much time we spend in the shower, which can make it difficult to change our habits. As a starting point, consider monitoring your water usage.

Simply timing your shower is a great place to start. You'll have a better idea of how much time you're spending in the shower and can set a goal for how much you'd like to reduce your shower time.

You can save even more money by taking colder showers. Because you pay for water heating, reducing your water heating needs will also cut your energy bill, even if just slightly.

2. Unplugging appliances

Appliances still use energy even when they are turned off and still plugged in.

 Just unplug the appliances or anything that is not actively in use.

Unplugging them will stop energy from silently draining out and increasing your bills, saving both electricity and money in the long run.

3. Switch to energy-saving LED lights

LEDs use much less energy to provide the same amount of light as other forms of lighting.

One of the main reasons LEDs are so efficient is that most of their energy is used to simply create light, rather than creating light and heat, as less efficient forms of lighting do.

4. Don't overfill the kettle

A surprising amount of energy is needed to heat up water quickly. So when you are boiling water in a kettle, just make sure that you only use as much water as you need instead of filling it up.

But if you want to take things to the next level, boil a full kettle in the morning and pour the remainder into a thermos flask, keeping it warm for the rest of the day.

This saves boiling a kettle several times throughout the day, therefore, saving a lot of money.

5. Cook cleverly

Reduce overall cook time, the less time you spend cooking, the less energy you will typically use.

Ensure that you defrost all frozen foodstuffs by dipping them in the water earlier instead of using a microwave and ensure that you prepare for future meals in that, you will just boil them later in the day.

6. Put off your lights when not in use

The power consumption may be initially insignificant but becomes significant if left over a long time.

While you are at work, asleep, or outside your home, switch off all unused lights. Make it a habit in your home and watch your electric bill reduce by a reasonable percentage.

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