Six Ways You Can Save Money By Saving Energy

Pull the Plug on Phantom Power

Even when turned off, electronics use a small amount of electricity, known as "phantom power," that can add up over time. Unplug any appliances, chargers, adapters and gadgets when not in use. To make it easier to conserve, plug your biggest energy eaters into a power strip and simply flip the switch when you’re not using them -- you could save as much as $110 a year. Need we say more?

If you keep your coffee warmer on so your second (or third) cup of joe is nice and hot, you might as well spend the dough on a Venti at Fivebucks. Believe it or not, keeping your coffeepot on can cost you around $35 annually, which may not strike you as a huge number, but remember, it’s just one of your many appliances. Use the microwave to heat up your leftover java, or brew one cup at a time.

Finally, use the hibernate, sleep or standby function on your computer every time you run out for lunch or head to a meeting. Putting your computer to sleep (instead of just relying on the screen saver, which, by the way, doesn’t use less energy) after several minutes of inactivity can save you between $25 and $75 a year.

  

Stop Blowing Hot (or Cold) Air

Turning down your thermostat by just 10 degrees in winter (and turning it up in summer) -- a difference so slight, you’ll barely feel it -- can save you as much as 15 percent on your energy bill. Or you could install a programmable thermostat that will automatically adjust the temperature while you’re at work or asleep, saving you up to $150 a year.

Use caulking and weather stripping to close gaps around openings in your windows, doors and air-conditioners, and you could reduce your heating and cooling costs by 15 to 30 percent. And if you live in an older house with a crawl space, basement or attic, adding insulation can cut your heating and cooling bills by as much as 10 percent. Another great solution is installing storm windows, which can reduce the amount of heat that escapes through your windows by 25 to 50 percent -- well worth the effort! Does all this sealing sound like too much work? Ask your utility company about a free energy audit to ID drafts.

A dirty air filter means your heating and cooling system has to work harder to keep your house warm or cool. At a minimum, change your filter every three months. During the winter and summer months when we tend to crank up the heat and AC, dirt and dust can build up much faster, so check it at least once a month.

  

Don’t Throw Water Down the Drain

Most of the energy your washing machine uses is to heat the water, so using cold water to wash your clothes can help slash your energy usage. Worried your whites won’t get white enough? Many brands, like Tide Coldwater, have started making special detergents designed especially to get out stains and smells using cold water. Bonus: Clean the lint trap every time you run the dryer. If the lint trap is, well, full of lint, the machine has to work harder (read: use more energy) to dry your clothes.

Run your dishwasher (or washing machine) only when it’s completely full to avoid wasting water andenergy (it takes a ton of energy to heat the water to clean your clothes and dishes). 

Lower your hot-water heater’s temperature by 10 degrees, insulate your hot-water pipes and wrap your hot-water heater in a blanket, and you can reduce your energy bill by 5 percent or more. While you’re at it, drain a quart of water from your hot-water heater every three months, as sediment can build up over time, making your water heater work less efficiently. 

Install a low-flow toilet, or for an easier (and cheaper) DIY solution, install the Brondell Simple Flush ($79, Amazon.com) to your current toilet to help reduce the amount of water you flush away. This one-time investment could save you up to $100 a year.

Make it a habit to turn off the water while you’re brushing your teeth, shaving, shampooing and even scrubbing the dishes. Just a quick turn of the faucets while you shave and brush your teeth can save enough energy to power a 60-watt light bulb for 14 hours! Did we mention that you’ll be saving a ton of water in the process?

  

Choose Better Bulbs

Swap regular light bulbs for LED bulbs, which use a fraction of the energy and can last more than 22 years (no joke!), so you’ll be raking in double the savings. 

  

Lighten Up

Paint your walls pink, yellow or white -- all colors that reflect light. Your room will look brighter, so you won’t need to turn on every light in the house.

Photo credit: Mark Lund / from The Nest / Posted by Mags