12 Tips and Tricks that Will Bring Your Energy Spendings Down

The Consumer Federation of America (CFA) – a nonprofit agency founded more than 50 years ago has been focusing on improving the environment and saving households from excessive energy bills through sharing knowledge of more intelligent and independent use of our resources. Through detailed research, the CFA has discovered 12 easy ways that everyone can apply and expect to be more energy and cost efficient.

The CFA’s Energy Projects Director, Mel Hall-Crawford was quoted saying:”Energy bills make a huge chunk of our family budgets. The average household’s expense for utilities is around $2,000 per year. This organisation is working towards making consumers more educated and efficient in using their energy. The CFA is offering to the consumers those free tips that can save them a lot of money.”.

Below, you can find those energy saving tactics mentioned that will also be beneficial for the environment.   

12 ways to save energy, money, and potentially – the Earth

1. AIR DRY: You can skip the “heat dry” function of your dishwasher. Instead, most of the products on the market now offer the “air dry” function. 
2. SHUT IT DOWN: Make sure you don’t use energy needlessly. With all those smart devices available, you can make your home a lot more efficient. You can set timers or install motion detectors for your lightning. Turn off entertainment systems when you are absent for a longer period.
3. YOU DON’T WANT TO GET BOILED IN HOT WATER: One of the most common energy consumers is the water heater. Bring the temperature down (120F). 
4. FULL CAPACITY: Use your washing machines and dishwashers at full capacity. Fill it up and then turn it on.
5. MAINTAIN ‘EM: Like every other machine in the world, our energy appliances also need to be maintained. Regularly (every month) check and clean your AC filters, furnace and heat pump. If needed replace them by the specifications from the manufacturer. This will save you money.
6. CHECK IT, PLEASE: Complex air conditioning and heating systems need to be checked by certified specialists every year, to make sure they are operating safely and efficiently. This can be an important process in discovering issues.
7. THE COLD WIND: Windows are the escape route for your heat. Make sure you have a solid insulation to stop the breeze.
8. ASK THE EXPERTS: You can turn to an expert auditor who can check and advise you how to make more savings. Most utility companies now offer this service for free. 
9. INSPECT YOURSELF: Make sure you have no gaps in the facade of your home or on some pipes. If you identify some holes, use a foam insulation spray to fill them.
10. BE UP TO DATE: You can get a smart thermostat that will be able to set the temperature at different levels in different times of the day. That way, you can save energy when you are at work.
11. LET’S SHINE: The old and well-known incandescent light bulbs are quickly being replaced by the more efficient light emitting diode bulbs (LEDs). Don’t be fooled by the higher price tag of those bulbs in the stores. This up-front cost will subsequently save you a lot of energy and money because LEDs are not only using 25% less energy, but also have 12 times longer life than the conventional bulbs.
12. A RISING STAR: When you consider buying a new electrical appliance for your home, look for the ones that have ENERGY STAR labels. You can be sure that those products have passed the strict energy efficient criteria.

Use your savings wisely

When having more disposable income, consider some smart ways to make use of it. You can contribute the money saved from energy bills to your emergency fund or simply make some extra payments to your loan or credit card.