Cutting Back on Electricity and Gas Use

Saving money on utilities can be as easy as making a few minor adjustments in your day-to-day life. Every penny saved adds up to a decent chunk of change after time. The following tips, when combined, can cut your electricity and gas use considerably.

• Wash clothes in cold water. The majority of electricity used for washing clothes is used to heat the water. Save hot water washes for white towels, socks, and undergarments.

• Wash only full loads in the washing machine and dishwasher.

• You use less electricity to heat a cup of water in the microwave than on the stovetop. When boiling water on the stove, keep the pot covered (water boils much faster in an enclosed pot) or use a teakettle. Don't boil more water than you actually need, or you're wasting energy to heat water that's just going to get dumped down the drain.

If you're preparing food and the recipe says, "Heat to a boil; then simmer for five minutes," don't simmer! Just heat it to a boil, cover the pan tightly, turn off the burner, and let the whole thing sit undisturbed for 5 to 10 minutes. It actually simmers and stays hot long enough to cook your soup, ramen noodles, oatmeal, or instant rice.

• Keep indoor lights off during the daytime. Position your desk near a window for adequate lighting.

• Turn off your computer, printer, scanner, monitor, and any other office equipment at night. Even when they're turned off, a lot of devices (TV and VCRs, for example) use electricity. Instead of trying to remember to unplug each device every night, plug them all into power strips that can be flipped off easily.

• If you keep an aquarium, choose fish that can tolerate room temperature water so that you don't have to pay for heating their tank.

• Find out whether your local energy provider has off-peak hours when electricity use is less expensive. If they do, do your laundry and run the dishwasher accordingly.

• Many power companies allow users to pay a flat rate every month of the year, so they don't have really high energy bills in the heat of the summer and dead of winter. If the total energy use is higher or lower than the amount paid over the course of the year, the extra amount will be charged or refunded accordingly the next year.

• If you have an outdoor pool or pond, circulate the water for only one hour per day. Set it on a timer so that you don't forget.

• Put a timer on your hot water heater so it runs for only four hours total each day during peak use times (morning showers, evening dishes, and children's bath times).

• Use a programmable thermostat in your house that you can set for different temperatures at different hours. This costs a bit upfront, but can quickly recoup any money spent by not overheating the house all day while the family's at work and school or at night while everyone's sleeping.

Improving your appliance efficiency

Older refrigerators, freezers, and air conditioners are often inefficient and sometimes run constantly, draining needless amounts of electricity and money. Buying a newer appliance is often more economical than using an old one over a long period of time.

If you're in the market for a new major appliance, carefully check the energy ratings. Purchasing a slightly more expensive refrigerator or washing machine that's energy efficient can save you hundreds of dollars in energy bills over the life of the appliance.

Refrigerators and freezers work better if they're full. Fill the empty spaces with clean milk jugs filled with water. Not only will your freezer run more efficiently, but the ice-filled jugs also will keep your freezer cold during a power outage. You can also use the water for drinking in an emergency situation.

Here are some other ways to use your appliances efficiently:

• Clean the coils of the fridge regularly so the cooling mechanism runs more efficiently.

• When you open the refrigerator or freezer, close it again as quickly as possible. Every time the door's opened, the appliance's cold air is replaced by warm air in the room, so it needs to work harder to cool itself again.

• Gas stovetops heat up instantly, so they don't have to run as long as electric. If you're considering replacing your stove and you have access to gas, switch from electric to gas.

• Use a water-heater insulation blanket and keep the water heater's temperature set at 120 degrees.

• Keep your dryer lint-free. A full lint trap doesn't allow the moist air to escape properly, which slows down the drying cycle, consequently using more energy.

Have your air conditioner inspected and serviced every spring.

• If you have a window unit air conditioner, run a fan in the room at the same time. The moving air makes the room feel cooler so that you don't have to set the air conditioner thermostat so low.

Shedding some light on the subject

After appliances and heating, lighting is the biggest electricity user in an average home. By cutting down on the number of light bulbs turned on at any one time, you save substantially on your electric bills. Here are some easy tips for lighting-related savings.

• Limit outside lighting to the minimum required for safety; don't use it just for looks.

• Replace frequently used light bulbs with fluorescent bulbs. They're a bit more expensive to buy, but they often last up to ten times longer than incandescent bulbs.

• Use sunlight for indoor lighting as much as possible.