Average Electricity Costs? Try Energy-Saving Tips – everything energy
At Everything Energy, we love us some good energy-saving tips. That’s especially true during the hot Texas summers. Check out these five cheapest energy hacks to help you use your air conditioner a little less and beat the heat. (And trim some dollars off your next electric bill.)
Cheap Energy Hack #1: Maximize your thermostat settings
Going for a cheaper energy bill? Start with your thermostat. If you have a programmable or smart thermostat, set it according to your household’s schedule. When you’re home, run it at a comfortable temperature. When you’re sleeping, kick the setting up a few degrees. And when you’re not home, bump it up even further, or turn it off completely. (Unless you have pets that may need you to maintain a comfortable temperature while you’re away.)
Increasing the temperature setting in summer, even by a degree or two, can make a big impact on your monthly bill.
Cheap Electricity Hack #2: Seal air leaks to keep cool air inside
It doesn’t make sense to run your AC all day if it’s just seeping out of your home left and right. If you own your home, seal up those leaks with caulk or weatherstripping. And if you rent, ask your landlord to take care of the issue. It’s essential to keep the cool air in and the hot air out to avoid waste.
This is another way to achieve cheaper electricity bills in summer.
Cheap Energy Hack #3: Avoid adding more heat
When you’re going for the cheapest energy bill in summer, the last thing you want to do is add more heat to your home. For this reason, avoid using your clothes dryer, dishwasher and oven/stove during the day. Instead, try to run loads of dishes at night, hang clothes to dry and grill outdoors or have a chilled meal.
Cheap Energy Hack #4: Eat to hydrate
About 20% of the water our bodies need comes from the foods we eat. For optimal hydration, which will help you regulate your body temperature, eat foods that contain a lot of water. The following foods contain 92% or more water content: cucumbers, iceberg lettuce, celery, radishes, tomatoes, bell peppers, spinach, strawberries and watermelon.
Cheap Electricity Hack #5: Get creative at night
Falling asleep in hot weather can be tricky and just plain uncomfortable. Instead of running your air conditioner all night — running up your bill — open your windows and try some other ways to beat the heat:
- Stick a clean pair of socks in the freezer an hour before you go to bed. Then, put them on as you hop in bed for a refreshing cool-down. This also works with your pillowcases or even your sheets.
- Use an ice cube or cold water on pulse points to cool off.
- If your bedroom is upstairs, camp out on a lower level. Heat rises, so a room closer to the ground should be cooler and more comfortable.
- Store lotions and face sprays in the refrigerator for a cooling bedtime skincare routine.
- Take a cold shower right before bed.
- Sleep in lightweight, breathable, loose-fitting pajamas.
Avoiding summer spikes starts with getting the cheapest electricity rates.
You can cut back and optimize your air conditioner usage to your heart’s content. But at the end of the day, you’ll still be using some electricity every month. That’s where finding the best energy prices for your home and lifestyle comes in.
In your search for the best electricity prices, be sure you’re making apples-to-apples comparisons. One easy way to do so is to use Everything Energy’s advanced filtering tools. We help you look beyond the price per kilowatt hour and show you plans based on your specific needs and usage habits. You can even see customized bill estimates! That way, you can be confident you’re making a smart energy choice.
Shopping for electricity has never been so easy!