If your reading this then you’re just as fed up with the cost of your electric bills as I was. After years of spending thousands of dollars on electricity, I decided it was time to do something about it. Here are five easy and effective steps you can take to lower your electric bills in Connecticut and save thousands, just like I did.
1) Use LED Light Bulbs
LED’s are an easy and cost efficient way to lower your electric use. LED bulbs use less power than a regular bulb and last twice as long. While LED used to be expensive, you can get them today for less than $10. Personally, I use them in our office and in my own home. They are a great way to brighten up your rooms and reduce your usage!
2) Get a Nest
If you’re like me, you don’t always have time (or remember) to turn off your AC or heat when you leave the house. Unfortunately, this wastes hundreds of dollars every month. The Nest, a smart thermostat, is super easy to use, environmentally friendly, and learns your behaviors to adjusts the temperature in your home accordingly. While requiring an upfront cost, the Nest will pay for itself in less than two years by reducing the amount of electricity and heat your home uses each day.
3) Spring Cleaning
When cleaning your home, be sure to look behind the refrigerator. Here, there are condenser coils that love to collect dust, making them much less efficient at transferring heat away from the fridge. If you clean these coils with a vacuum every few months, as well as the sides of the fridge to ensure maximum airflow, the fridge will consume less electricity. While you’re at it, unplug any devices that are not being used; even when idle, devices draw energy if plugged in.
4) Plant Shade Trees
While planting trees might sound like an outlandish idea for energy reduction, a well-placed tree will block the sun and can significantly reduce temperatures in your home and therefore minimize your AC usage. I recommend a Kousa Dogwood or an Oak; both are beautiful trees, great at shading your home, and grow happily in Connecticut!
5) Sign up for Expense Counselors
One of the best ways to save money on your electric bill is to pay less for electricity in the first place. Electric companies and marketplaces are notorious for signing you up for a rate and forgetting about you, at your expense. Many rates are traps, designed to lure you in with a low initial rate and then lock you into a long term high rate, with a fee to break out of the contract. Most people are unaware that they have the right to choose their electric supplier and pay up to 50% less for their electricity. Choosing the right rate and supplier, however, can be tricky.
After figuring out the best way to lower my bills without changing the services I was receiving, I was determined to share this information and started Expense Counselors. Expense Counselors was designed to make this process inexpensive and painless for you, by assigning you a professional to manage your rates, meaning that you won’t have to spend one more second worrying about it. We guarantee you will save money every year or we will cover the difference; our clients are saving $1,000’s every year, hassle free. It takes minutes to sign up and your information is secure: why spend more on your electricity than your neighbors do?