Lower Your Electric Bill

Enlarge Image Image Gallery A programmable thermostat is one way to save energy and money. iStockphoto.com/Paul Kazmercyk

Consumers across America often experience sticker shock with summer’s electrical bills. While kilowatt rates vary by vendor, a new national increase is being seen across the country.

With new federal regulations in place, requiring power plants to reduce sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide emissions, many coal plants are expecting cost increases. Naturally, this expense is being passed on to consumers. Short of going “off the grid,” what’s a customer to do? Here are 12 tips to help reduce your kilowatt usage.

1. Go Window Shopping

When the weather hits over 90 degrees and it’s too hot to be outdoors, leave your credit card at home and head to an air-conditioned mall. After a few laps around the perimeter, you’ll have gotten some exercise while catching up on the latest fashions.

2. Get Out of the House

Turn off the air conditioning, the television and all those electricity hogs, and enjoy some time in the great outdoors. If your children spend their summer vacations playing video games, they’re sucking up a lot of energy without expending any of their own. Sign them up for sports leagues, summer camps and other activities outside the home. While you may have to pay a registration fee, you can still save on equipment by using Target and Sports Authority discount gift cards ordered from such sites as GiftCardGranny.com.

3. Turn Off Power Strips

Even if you’ve turned off the television, computer and other power vampires, those power strips are still sucking you dry. The same goes for rechargers, which may seem benign when not hooked up to your cell phone. The fact is, they’re still drawing electricity when not in use, so flip that switch. According to the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, the standby power of unused appliances usually accounts for 5 percent to 10 percent of residential electricity costs.

4. Power Down Computers

Running a computer and monitor 24/7 uses about 1,100 kilowatt hours annually, or roughly $100 a year. Save 60 percent to 80 percent by putting your computer in power-saving mode or turning it off completely.

5. Use Powerless Cleaning Appliances

Use an old-fashioned can opener instead of that space-hogging electrical opener to reduce kilowatt usage. Clean rugs with a carpet sweeper instead of a vacuum. (You can find these old-fashioned cleaners at a surprising number of garage sales.) Dry laundry on a clothes line or rack instead of a power-hungry dryer. (Washers and dryers are 19 percent of your energy bill.) In general, consider how you can replace miniature power users with powerless appliances.