The constant “lights on/lights off” battle between my parents has always been a source of great amusement to me. My dad is a creature of darkness (and low electricity bills). My mom acts like she invented electricity and should get royalties every time it’s used. I’ll leave the regular conflicts to your imagination.
When I got married, however, I found the “Battle of the Blaze” had crept undetected into my suitcases and followed me into my own home. As I observed with growing horror the disturbingly familiar way my husband would follow my trail of blazing lightbulbs, turning off switches and calling me “Imelda Marcos,” I realized the need for a quick battle plan.
It turns out (to my light-loving delight) that blazing bulbs are merely minor players in the making of a massive electric bill. The main culprits in this nasty scenario are air conditioners, refrigerators/freezers, pool and water pumps (if you have them), and clothes dryers—although all home appliances (big and small) share in the blame. So here are ten easy tips to lessen the damage all around and cut your energy costs significantly:
1. Unplug whatever is not in use at the time.
Many household appliances (answering machines, TVs, computers, etc.) use about three to four watts of electricity even when they are “off.” The energy used up by each appliance by itself may seem minor, but all together, the costs do add up.
Tip: Chargers are particularly deceiving. Many people have the tendency to leave cell phone (and other) chargers plugged in 24/7—not realizing that a charger continues to eat up electricity even when it isn’t actually attached to its “chargee.”
2. Invest in energy-saving fluorescent bulbs.
Energy-saving bulbs cost more than regular bulbs, but also last longer (almost a year in some cases) and use up less energy.
Tip: Buy the “warm white” instead of the regular fluorescent bulbs. They give off a nice yellow glow, and make your house look less like a twenty-four-hour roadside clinic. Also, use one large bulb instead of several small ones. One large one-hundred-watt incandescent bulb produces more light than two small sixty-watt bulbs—with 20 percent less energy.
