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10 Tips for Saving Money on Your
Power Bill
by Sherri Allen
As temperatures rise across the country, power bills rise across the
country. By following some easy energy-saving tips, you can save money
on your power bills to spend on summer fun.
1. Clean or change your air conditioner filters monthly. Dirty filters
can increase operating costs for your air-conditioning unit by as much
as 20 percent.
2. Set your thermostat at the highest comfortable setting. Turn the
thermostat up higher when you are more sedentary.
3. Use a ceiling or portable fan to supplement your cooling system. One
fan can make you feel 3 to 4 degrees cooler and costs only half a cent
per hour to operate.
4. Close your blinds, drapes and shades during the hottest parts of the
day to keep the sun from heating your home.
5. Take advantage of cool mornings and evenings; turn your air
conditioner off, open your windows and let the outside air cool your
house. Don't forget to close the windows as the temperature gets warm.
6. Avoid generating large amounts of heat with cooking appliances, which
work against your cooling system by adding extra heat to your house. Use
a microwave oven or counterop appliances instead of your stove top or
oven. Better yet, cook outside on a grill.
7. Hang your laundry outside to dry instead of using your gas or
electric dryer. This saves you money two ways; you eliminate the cost of
power needed to operate the dryer and reduce the heat you generate
inside your home.
8. Use fluorescent light bulbs instead of incandescent bulbs in your
home. Fluorescents use significantly less energy and produce much less
heat.
9. Take advantage of the summer sun and use solar lighting in place of
traditional electric lighting in your landscape.
10. Use smart landscaping to shade your house from the sun's rays. Plant
trees on the east and west sides of your home and plant shrubbery close
to the foundation.
Evaluate power usage around your home. There are changes you can make.
You just have to be willing to make a small effort. Start now and reduce
the amount of money you give to the power company every month!
About the author
Sherri Allen is the editor of an online publication featuring topics
such as family, food, home, garden and money. For great tips, resources,
articles, recipes, reviews and coloring pages, visit
www.SherriAllen.com
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