Do not read this article if you're filthy rich or if you don't care about saving money on your electric bill. Just go ahead and click on another article. The information to be presented here is intended only for the normal, energy-conscious American.
Now, let's get serious about these outrageous prices over which we all seem to have no control.
The hot weather is just starting in the southern and western states, so many of us have begun using our air conditioners and central air. We haven't yet received the first huge electricity bills with their 20% increases reflecting that usage and the rate increases that nearly all electric utilities have announced, but I'll wager if you live in a northern state you're still fuming over your winter heating bills! The hard facts are that it will require some discomfort and sacrifice this summer and for the foreseeable future, but you very well may weather the crisis with significantly more money in your pocket if you consciously initiate some of this article's suggestions.
The Electric Bill
The sixth grade explanation of an electricity usage bill is that it's based on the number of kilowatt hours of electricity you use multiplied by the actual price-per-kilowatt hour or rate. For example, a homeowner in Hawaii who pays about 23 cents a kilowatt hour will pay a heck of a lot more for the same usage than someone in Idaho, who pays approximately 7 cents. But we all know that our bills are more complicated than that. Did you know, though, that your usage is the only control you actually have over the bill? All of the add-ons: the monthly service charges, the taxes, the delivery charges... these are pretty much beyond our control even though they usually comprise over half of the bill. This is why it is so critical that we exercise the little control we still have!
Air Conditioning
It is imperative that you set your air conditioning thermostat at least five degrees higher than you would normally set it. Five degrees can save at least 10% on your bill. (One utility rule-of-thumb states that you'll save 3% for every one degree increase.) You'll save even more if you set it higher and use fans, or turn it off completely while nobody is home during the school and workday. Directly after school, your kids can take a public bus and go directly to the air conditioned comfort of the local library for a few hours to start their homework. Simply pick them up on your way home from work. No kids? Living alone? Try going to the library yourself! They're usually open until 9:00 PM during the weekdays. You'll be able to use the internet for a while or just relax and read magazines for free until the sun goes down. Once home, set your air to eighty or eighty five degrees and put the fans on. You might even want to open the windows if you're A/C is off while you sip on a cool drink. Try it once a week for a month and your savings will show on the next bill.
Yes, I warned you that it would be uncomfortable and there would be sacrifice. If you cannot even think about raising your summer thermostat, read no more. Go join the lazy, filthy rich who stopped reading this article at the first paragraph.
Laundry
Most of us have electricity providers who offer "time-of-use" plans. Please sign up for the plan your utility offers. The on-peak, heavy use hours of the day cost more under with these plans, but the point is to allocate all of the discretionary usage to the low cost, off-peak hours.
Wash clothes in cold water whenever possible! Many laundry detergents work well in cold water and contain enzymes which work better the longer they are in contact with soiled clothing. Fill the washer with your dirty clothes, cold water, and detergent before you go to work. They'll soak while you're at work and you can turn the machine on at night for a shorter period of time, during the off-peak hours. Also, remove your clothes from the dryer as soon as they're dry. The pants and shirts will have fewer wrinkles and you won't have to turn the dryer on during on-peak hours to remove the wrinkles because you left everything sitting in the dryer drum.
Showers
Your hot water heater will cost you 10% to 15% of your total electric bill. That's because you probably leave it on when you don't need hot water. Turn the hot water heater on a half hour before you need to shower and wash in the coolest water you can stand. You'll feel cooler after you leave the bathroom and get dressed. Turn off the heater before you leave the house. Why would the house need hot water when no one is using it?
Dishwashing
Forget about your dishwasher. "Oh, no," you say. "Oh, yes," I say.
Just wash your pots and pans, your dishes and cups, and your cutlery by hand in the kitchen sink and air dry on the drain board. Sure, you'll be using the dishwasher during the holidays and when company is over, but you'll be saving a lot of money the other three hundred and fifty some odd days of the year. The dishwasher uses more electricity than you think.
Dark House - Light Bill
If you don't need it, turn the light off. When nobody is in the kitchen, why would the light need to be on? If no one is in the living room, then turn the television off. If all you are doing is watching television, why would you need the lights on?
Use the lowest wattage light bulb necessary. Or, better yet, replace the regular bulbs with the compact fluorescent bulbs. They use a heck of a lot less energy for the same amount of light. Plus, over their seven year lifetimes, they'll save you up to $50 per bulb!
Become Politically Active
Finally, pester your elected officials, requiring that they pass legislation forbidding and prohibiting your utility companies from raising rates simply because conservation has reduced the amount of electricity they sell. Require that rates can only be increased to the extent of the federal government's official rate of inflation. If you do not do this, you'll find that the public share holders of the utility company will have their way and raise your electricity rates simply to increase their profits.
