Hi everybody, I would like to know, how much each of you spend on electricity bills here in US especially if u are staying in an apartment ? I get around $180 to $230 every month (I think that s a little too high :-() . It's just me and my husband staying as of now. I am looking for some tips.Please share...Here is a small one, Every degree increase in thermostat in summer and every degree decrease in winter time, saves 1% of bill. I saw this in a magazine. I use Microwave often to semi cook before I fry, so that it consumes less oil and time on electric stove.But again Microwave consumes power. So :idontgetit: Fluorescent lights compared to incandascent lights save power. They are 6$ or 7$ in price, but come for 7 yrs solid and save $50 compared to the latter. :idea: Please share your tips here and tell me if those methods have made a difference.
Hi meena I jus came to US 2.5months back. But think i can help u in this.... My first bill was $69 and the second bill was $55. When i came to US it was the last part of summer and we used the A/C daily - full night. But last month onwards we are not using the A/C due to the start of winter and our bil got reduced to 555 from 69. From this I could understand that A/C consumes more power. Even now-a-daz we use A/C but for 20-30 mins a day. But I heard Heater wil consume more than A/C. So my suggestion would be use the heater less time. (I can understand that we require the heater atleast 12hrs a day). In order to use the heater effectively, close all ur windows and doors b4 and after u switch on or off the heater. Coming to kitchen - To my knowledge hot plates - coil (sorry dont know how people wil call those stoves - electic stove ?!!) consumes less energy rather gas. But dont use the the hot plates for re-heating purpose. Instead use microwave for that. Living room - Normal flat monitor TVs consumes less rather than plasma. Plasmas consumes more...As u said always best to use the Fl.bulbs. But better use the white ones rather than the yellow one. Bath room - Some of the bath rooms will have 4 to 5 bulbs...this is purely for fantacy and not required at all. So better to keep one or two nos. General - On the whole switch off the bulbs whenever not required. (I use to run behind my hubby whenever he switch on any light and leaves the place without switching it off - :-o) If your apartment has 4 or 5 families and all the familied share the electricity consumed by the common light (such as varaanda light or portico light), then switch off those whenever u see they r on unwantingly. Trust this helps. warm regards:hiya
Dear meena, I was also getting for the first few months electricity bills of $100 every month. I was having the A/c on during night and I realised that I used to forget to switch off A/c while going to office. Apart from that I use micro-wave limitedly just to heat coffee/tea or sometimes pre-heat the frozen foods. I am watching TV and movies through DVD player. My electricity service provider is Pepco and I was told that recently they have hiked their rates. But, to my surprise this month I have got a bill of $51 only. I think this is because last few days the night temperature has dropped and I am not switching on the A/c. I was also wondering whther they are charging on a uniform rate based on earlier (before my occupation) consumption and so later once they take the meter reading they will adjust the bills accordingly. In Mumbai, in Anushakthinagar they used to do like that. My gas bills are low though. (~$15-$20 only). Regards, TDU
hi all, Energy bills the story is the same everywhere...we get huge bills.... during peak summer..otherwise also it is a big sum..what with chennai being hot all throughout the year.... I agree with all the measures that subha has mentioned. Two more to add.... The fridge..always dont store things when they are hot.....Try not to open it frequently....list out what you want and then open the fridge...and clean the fridge periodically... Microwave...try to maximum bring things to room temperature before heating..that way you save on the bills.... Last but not least, keep your ac filters clean...it helps in cooling the room faster...
Hi, I am a little late in answering, neverthless hope this helps. The general theory is keeping the thermostat 2-3degrees lower than your comfort level saves your energy bills tremendously. The usual recommended level of heat in winters is about 68-70 (and wear socks and sweater to feel comfortable) - as they mention behind the bill to save energy and I have seen keeping it by a couple of degrees more increases your bill - this is not penny pinching, but too much heat, since it is dry heat has its own adverse effect. Setting the thermostat to the desired level and not changing it often helps the house heated/cooled at the required level - like reduce the heat if you are out f the house whole day and keep consistent when you get back home. The second thing I strongly feel about your apartment is the windows - they may not be tight enough and you may want to get it checked for a draft coming through. If possible, check with a couple of your neighbors for their average bill and then complain to the maintanence to get it fixed - this I think could be the reason why your bills are over the roof. It is a little too much! Also just fyi, using any room heaters increases the bill. And I just realised after typing all this, that you will in TX. So it may not get that very cold however, you can apply the same principle to using A/C also and see if that makes a difference. Thanks.
Have you ever tried switching off the heat dry in the dishwasher.....it sure does save a lot of energy...may be I saved 20 bucks a month... Also there was a flyer in bill which said to minimise the use of dishwasher and aircondition during 2pm to 8 pm to reduce your electricity bill...I tried....but didnt work for me..:idontgetit:.may be someone should try and let me know.... Ladies...Pls keep posting your tips...I desperately need this kinda info...
Its a dilemma i had when i came here. I have seen all types of energy bills from 150 -100 to 75. Anyway after coming to this state,my bill used to be 75 or 50 sometimes. Now last month it occured that maybe my dishwasher is consuming some electricity. So for everyday dishes i put my dishes to short wash. The dishes are really clean and it works. I tried for a month and my power bill was 35. So it works. When i put some good dishes i do use the long wash. Otherwise short wash works and my bill is less and dishes are clean with no dry hands.try it good luck.
Here is a website that lists some of the tips to minimize your energy bills. Eight Ways to Cut Summer Energy Bills (Consumer Action: Personal Finance) | SmartMoney.com My husband and I consciously make an effort to follow some rules inorder to minimize the bill. We always caulk and weather proof our windows during the winter. Change the filter for the HVAC every two/three months. We replaced all our bulbs with energy efficient bulbs. We got ceiling fans installed in the rooms that we use often, and have additional pedestal fans, in case we have guests. With fans, we often put them on timer. Go to the nearest Home Depot/Lowes and they usually have a lot of ideas/materials to weather proof your home. Turn off the heated wash/heated dry in your dishwasher. Wash and rinse clothes in Cold/Cold setting. Will post more if I think of something. Also did you all know that if you spend $500 exclusively on weatherproofing your home, you can get a Tax return. I will ask my hubby for more details about this and post here. Regards Padma
Hi , There are many energy saving tips in the jea website .You can have a look at it .It sure helps. If you are not using enery saving bulbs ..you can try that out . Also , avoiding hot water frequently for Washer helps .
