Tips on How to Reduce your Electricity Bill

Like most people who are moving into their first apartment, I did not realize that the cost of electricity was as expensive as it was because I had never needed to pay for it myself. Although it is not an overwhelming amount of money, it is actually one of the easiest ways to cut costs and save a bit more money monthly, now if you choose to spend that extra money or save it, which is up to you!

 As a small housecleaning, I am located in Quebec, Canada so my electricity Bill comes from Hydro-Quebec. If you are also located in Quebec, as a disclaimer, if you call up Hydro-Quebec to set up your account, they will charge you $25 as an activation fee. However, if you go on their website yourself and create a new account, you can waive this $25 fee and you will not be charged for this new account.

Here are seven easy tips for keeping your electricity bill down:

1.) Reducing phantom power: Although your iPhone might be fully charged, if you keep it plugged in all day, it will continue to draw electricity even if it is already at full power. This is what we call phantom power because it is drawing power but it is not necessarily charging your phone. To reduce this, you can avoid charging your phone overnight, or unplugging electronic devices that you are currently not using. One of the best examples for me is my air conditioning unit. I do not use AC in the winter so I unplug my machine so that it does not sap energy when it is not in use. 

2.) LED Bulbs: When it comes to lightbulbs, LED bulbs have a slightly more expensive upfront cost but they are worth it over the long run! Switching to LED bulbs can actually cut your electricity usage by 75%, they last much longer than normal lightbulbs, and they do not heat up. Overall, they are definitely worth the price.

3.) Programmable thermostat: Although I personally do not have a programmable thermostat as I live in an apartment, setting your thermostat at 18 degrees when you leave the house on a regular basis can actually reduce your heating costs by 8-10%. Usually the rule of thumb is that for every degree that you lower, you can save yourself 3% on heating costs.

4.) Dishwasher: Depending on where you live, you might be eligible for off-peak hours. These hours usually run on weekdays from 10pm-8am and can actually save you about 50% of your electricity cost when you are running your dishwasher.

5.) Laundry: Similar to the dishwasher, try to run your laundry loads during off-peak hours and try to wait for a full load of laundry rather than just doing a single item of clothing that you might want to wear immediately.

 

6.) Clothing lines: During the summer months, you can save a lot off your electricity bill by air-drying your clothes on a clothing line or a drying rack if you do not have a clothing line available or want to keep your clothes indoors and away from other people.

 

7.) Microwave: Surprisingly enough, if you need to reheat or cook food quickly, the microwave uses about 50% less electricity than your stove. So if you feel like ramen noodles, pop them in the microwave with water rather than on the stove to save on your electricity bill!

If you have any other ideas on how to reduce your electricity bill or want additional information, please comment below and I will take a look!