Doctor Money
- Jan 27, 2021
- 4 min read

How to Lower your Energy Bill Without Compromising

With great power comes sizeable utility bills. And this couldn’t be more relevant to a typical family that pays over $1,400 every year on utilities according to the Energy Department. This also shows that utility bills alone can take away 5-10 percent of your monthly income. The Phrase “Lower your Energy Bill” will be more clear when you read the below content.

The truth is it isn’t surprising that the cost to warm or cool your house is getting obscene. Of course, we can manipulate a couple of things at home to cut down energy bills, but not everyone is willing to go there. Especially, with working from home, you cannot be miserable to save some extra money.

Many say that a great way to reduce bills is by investing in energy-efficient appliances. But why install a programmable thermostat or buy a new washing machine with energy-efficient motors and pumps when your old ones are perfectly fine. And while all of us can do more to conserve energy, most of us are looking for simple ways rather than extreme home makeovers.

Excellent Ways to Lower your Energy Bill Without Compromise

Luckily enough, it doesn’t really need a big investment of time and money to do so. Read on to find out how to lower your energy bill with some super easy tips!

1. Unplug Electronic Devices

Unplugging your electronic devices when not in use is the first thing to take care of when it comes to energy conservation. It should go without saying that you should unplug all phantom energy in your house. And no, we aren’t talking about ghosts.

Phantom energy is the little amount of energy that some appliances keep using up even when they are turned off. Surprisingly enough, it costs an average Joe up to $100 per year on utility bills and that too for nothing. This could be phone chargers, televisions on stand-by or any other electronic appliance that is plugged in but not in use. So, start unplugging those devices when you are not using them.

2. Adjust the Temperature on Your Water Heater

The default temperature setting on water heaters is usually 140 degrees. Lowering this default temperature to 120 degrees can help you lower your water heating costs by up to 10%. And if you are going away from home for a few days, it is best to turn your water heater to the lowest setting to cut down energy bills even more.

3. Buy Energy-Efficient Appliances

It is true that throwing out a perfectly functional appliance won’t save some extra money, but when it is time to buy or swap, investing in an energy-efficient appliance will always be a winning option.

Here is an article on how to calculate energy efficiencies of devices.

Whether it is a programmable thermostat, a modern and efficient dishwasher, or an energy-efficient fridge freezer, any energy-efficient appliance will cost less to run and save more on energy bills over its lifetime.

4. Don’t Warm or Cool an Empty House

If you already have a programmable thermostat, all you have to do is program it. But if you don’t, you will have to do it the old fashioned way; change the thermostat in the morning and adjust it again before going to bed. Make it a habit to raise the thermostat when you leave the house and close off rooms that are unoccupied. Sure, it sounds like a pain, but oh the things you can do that are good for you!

However, if you do have a programmable thermostat, it can save your sanity more than you can think. Not only will it allow you to change the temperature from your smart phone, but some devices even have geofencing. This feature in a thermostat uses your smart phone’s location to track when you’re home so it adjusts your temperature automatically. This might make swapping your old one with a programmable one sound not so bad anymore.

5. Replace Your HVAC Filters

This is one of the most important part of home maintenance that is often overlooked by most people. But the truth is that the vents of your HVAC and furnace collect gunk and dust that keeps building up over time. This residue buildup can lead to inefficiency of your HVAC system and the simple way to avoid it is to replace your filters.

In fact, it could save up to $7-10 every month if you replace your filters regularly. All you have to do is take off the vent covers and vacuum the vents and filters. If you feel that they need to be replaced, purchase new ones and improve the airflow in your home.

6. Wash Laundry in Cold Water

About 90% of the energy used up by your washing machine goes to heating water. The water heater has to work harder and use more electricity when it has to provide warm water to your washer. However, the easy way to save some extra money is to wash your clothes in cold water. All you have to do is turn the dial to cold and cut down your energy bill. And since your washing machine uses a lot of electricity, you can also reduce the consumption by only washing full loads.

Final Word

Each individual, family, and home has a unique energy profile. But regardless of your distinct energy needs, there are so many ways to shave money off of your energy bill every month. And that too without having to compromise on any of your daily comforts.

Implementing these above tips and simply by re-evaluating the inside and outside of your home, you are sure to save some extra money on your energy bills. Even better these simple lifestyle changes can heavily reduce our carbon footprint over the long haul.

If you need a little help to plan and manage your personal budget better, the Doctor Money app is your go-to solution. Not only does it help you create a feasible budget, but it also keeps your expenses in check. Download the app today and lets rein in our cumbersome energy bills.