20 practical and easy energy saving tips from everyday people

Would you like to save up on energy? It might sound like a tough task, but with some knowledge you will see a difference in no time. Saving some money and thinking about the environment is always a good idea! Here are 20 tips on how to do it. 

1. Use the timers on your heating and cooling 

Set them to the desired temperature some time before you are about to arrive home. In this way you won’t have to turn them on in full power once you are home and you will be saving some energy.

2. Take showers with the duration of two songs

We all have some songs which we love to listen to (and maybe sing to) while in the shower. Choose two of them and play them while taking a shower. The idea is to be done with your shower by the time the two songs end. 

3. Cook all of the things at once

Everytime you can, choose to cook more than one thing in the oven. You will be turning it on anyway so use it more efficiently. This will save energy which would otherwise go for 3 separate uses of the appliance and another bonus is that you will be done with the cooking for maybe the whole week. Win-win! 

4. Try some new activities

Try some type of dancing with your roommate or partner and then dance at home together. It warms the soul and the apartment as well. We promise it will be fun. 

5. Don’t heat or cool the spaces which you are not using

There is no need to heat the whole house if you are only working in the office or chilling in the living room. 

6. Get romantic with a candlelit dinner

The atmosphere that candles create is always wonderful. Pick a day of the week and organize a candlelit dinner with your partner. If you don’t feel like cooking you can order something or just enjoy some peace and quiet with cheese and wine. 

7. Lower your heating, or increase your cooling by one degree

The chances are you will not even recognize that there is a difference in the temperature. There is no need to walk around the house in a tank top when it is winter – just put on a cozy sweater.

8. Make the kids pay the bills

It might sound weird at first, but if you think about it this is a great way to make them realize and appreciate the energy and prepare them for when you grow up and have their own place with their own bills. They will no longer leave the lights on without reason or increase the temperature in each room.

9. Use the appliances at night 

Here we are not talking so much about energy saving, but about cutting on expenses. Many have off-peak rates, so you might as well take advantage of them.

10. Use cold water for washing

Most of the time you don’t have something super dirty, so cold water works just fine to make it clean. In this way you will be saving on energy which is otherwise needed to heat up the water. 

11. Defrost food on the windowsill

There is really no need to use the microwave if you have to defrost some food – just put it some time in advance on the windowsill and by the time you have to start cooking, it will be ready. A tip is to leave a note on the fridge so that you don’t forget it.

12. Make the use of hot water inconvenient

You can block the handle for the hot water with something, for example, with a cup over it. Since it will become a bit tougher to use, you will more often opt for using the cold one and save over time. So easy, right?

13. Use your pets to heat yourself up

Lure them in with some treats and then hug them – they will act as a water bottle and help you get warmer. 

14. Warm yourself on your own

Workout at home and do some push-ups and sit-ups. You will feel warm and you will be in shape. How awesome is that? 

15. Bedtime stories on torchlight

The kids will love the atmosphere and you will be saving some energy. It will be very fun to read some adventure stories just with the flashlight on the book.

16. Optimize your home

If you can, try to make your home in such a way that you have consistent end-to-end airflow. You won’t have to cool the place down when you have a nice breeze going through the house.

17. Be informed about the weather forecast

If the forecast says it will be sunny tomorrow and you are equipped with solar panels, think about the appliances which could be used on the next day. In this way you will be using free electricity. 

18. Turn off at the switch

It might be annoying to some, but trust us, it will make a difference in the long-term.

19. Save energy by comparing numbers

You can ask to compare your bills with those of your neighbours. You can even make it a challenge – whoever has the higher numbers has to buy dinner for the rest. 

20. Vacuum the refrigerator coils

This might not sound like fun as some of the other suggestions, but it improves the efficiency of your fridge a lot.