My house gets a huge electric bill every month. Will turning the electricity off while everyone is at work and school save me money?

Keeping the heat and air conditioning off whenever you can is a really good idea. Where I live we are on propane and our heat pumps are run by that and electricity. Using them is a double wamy! We save so much electricity by not using them. Right now I am electing to use small heaters for each room I am in too.

Replacing light bulbs with CFLs is a good idea too. Some are a little warmer than others. We also somehow manage to keep use of large appliances like the dishwasher and washing machine/dryer to a minimum – but that can be hard to do.

Things you can do:
1. Put a timer on your electric water heater. Adjust it so that it heats water only while you are home and are awake. You don't want to heat water while you are asleep or at work. There's enough thermal mass to keep the water warm enough for quite a while.
2. Turn off all lights. Change to CFL or LED lights where practical.
3. Don't heat or cool the home while you are away. Adjust the thermostat so that you are not heating or cooling the house to comfort levels but heat to about 65 and cool to about 85.
4. Don't overload the electric dryer.
5. When baking in the oven, turn it off about 5 minutes before the food is done. The food will still cook with residual heat.

Assess other electrical usage in you home. You surely will find other areas that may help.

What about the fridge and freezer??!!

Shut all lights off when nobody is home and switch to energy saving light bulbs.

Will turning the power off save me money on my electric bill?

Popularity: unranked [?]

My rent is 675 which goes over the recommended percentage of 30% of my monthly income. I make close to $1900 a month. Its a one bedroom and I have no kids or debt besides a student loan. How much will my electric bill be?

that depends on in what state you live in, here in texas the monthly electricity bill can reach as much as $200 considering the nonstop AC use, but I am sure further north it's much less.
Cable or DSL is usually $50 ish

my electric bill is usually $30 in winter and can be $100 in summer. You just have to make sure you don't leave it running when you aren't home, and make sacrifices. Instal a programmable therostate to keep the heat and air conditioning low when you are not home. As for food, buy a lot of vegetables and pastas, those will keep you healthy w/o breaking the bank. Take your $1900 less rent, less cell phone, less any other fixed monthly expenses, then budget $130 for utilities and hopefully you have about $500 per month left over for food, gas, and entertainment. If you don't, then you might have to cut cable, cell phone, or anything else that you don't need.

You must document ,on a generous calender,all that has transspired. There are many intricate details of each company's contract that you must first assimilate and document. Many of these 'details' must be recorded.Future deposit accreditations and short term 'special pricing for first time customer sign-ups' must be recorded for future corespondence. Dates,times and amounts have to be recorded. Every minute you spend on this is worth a day of solstice. Do not allow the 'bigs' to gain an inch of ground. Thus is the way to forward you to accepteted(and respected) life as a responsible adult.

What advice do you have for a 1st time renter and how can I save money on food, electric bill, cable bill etc.

Popularity: unranked [?]

Green residents get £15k grant

2:00pm Monday 26th July 2010

• Print
• Email
• Share
• Comments(1)

A VILLAGE in Oxfordshire has been crowned ‘Britain’s most innovative green community’ after landing a £150,000 award to make it even more environmentally-friendly.

Tackley, near Kidlington, is one of 14 communities to have been given £150,000 by British Gas to boost energy-efficiency.

The money will be spent on solar panelling for Tackley’s community building and scores of green initiatives to help homes cut their energy costs.

The village is also hoping to land a further £100,000 prize, which will be awarded to the scheme which makes the most improvement by January. The cash will be spent on a local environmental project of its choice.

Chairwoman of the village hall Barbara Vaughan said members of the Tackley Village Green Streets group had worked hard to get the grant.

She said: “We applied for this grant last November and then, after we were shortlisted, three of us went to London to make the case for Tackley.

“It was something we really wanted to do because the energy costs of places like the village shop are horrendous.”

The energy bills for the shop are around £8,000 a year due to the fridges, air conditioning and other energy-hungry devices.

Mrs Vaughan added: “The hope is that this scheme will help show us how to cut down on that.”

In addition to the £150,000 granted by British Gas, 78 households have also signed up to monitor their energy usage.

Over the coming months, they will take regular readings from their gas and electricity meters.

They will then analyse the results and be shown how to make a difference to their bills.

Last week, villagers also held an awards evening, where all 78 households were eligible to win some big cash prizes.

Tina and Fred Cook won the top prize of £10,000 to be spent on work to their home.

Mrs Vaughan said: “I don’t think they’ve decided what to do, but it will be something along the lines of solar panelling.”

Another 18 homes received £3000 and everyone involved got a £50 web voucher to be spent on an energy-saving device such as an eco kettle.

Mrs Vaughan said: “And for all the electricity we create through renewable sources and feed back into the national grid, British Gas will be giving Tackley a payment that will be shared around the community.

“It means all the buildings that haven’t got an income, like the church, get a bit of the money from the national grid.

• Print
• Email
• Share
• Comments(1)

More News stories

<a href="http://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/headlines/8291699.Green_residents_get___15k_grant/tag:news.google.com,2005:cluster=http://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/headlines/8291699.Green_residents_get___15k_grant/Sun, 25 Jul 2010 17:27:18 GMT 00:00″>Green residents get £15k grant (From Oxford Mail)

Popularity: unranked [?]

RANCHO MIRAGE — Many Southern California Edison customers are angry about a summer discount program on air conditioning.Those who sign up for it agree to give SCE the authority to turn off the customer’s air conditioning for various reasons, including weather, or so it can reduce the electrical load in SCE’s system.It’s the customers choice, said a SCE representative. Maximum savings versus maximum comfort.Choosing maximum savings means the customer’s air conditioning could be turned off continuously for up to six hours, she said.”It blew hot air, and then on Thursday the same thing happened,” said Martha Benzler, an upset Rancho Mirage customer.The customer can also choose between having this to happen an unlimited or limited amount of times.”Unlimited” saves the customer up to $200 for the duration of the 4-month program.Choosing a “limited” amount of interruptions would save the customer up to $100.”It’s the hottest time of the day, and they turn it off,” said Benzler.”Not at 12 a.m., or at 8 a.m.,” she said. “No, they turn it off at 12:30 p.m. and 1 p.m. in the afternoon.”Maximum comfort means the customer could lose power 15 out of every 30 minutes for up to six hours.This results in savings ranging between $25 to $50 depending on whether the customer chooses the unlimited or limited interruptions options.”It doesn’t give us any incentives,” said Benzler. “It gives them all of the incentives, and I still have to pay a regular electric bill.”Benzler dropped out of the program on Friday, and she claims the program didn’t save her any money.

Energy Savings Program Leaves Customers Gasping For Air

Popularity: unranked [?]

Whilst conservatories can make a wonderful addition to any property there is a fair amount of planning involved, a fair amount of space needed and the cost can be quite significant. This is not to put you off having a conservatory but instead just to make you realise what might be involved.

Firstly you will want to select a design that you like, but you need to bear in mind that you also need to select a conservatory which suits your house, many people don’t realise this and will put a traditional looking conservatory onto a contemporary looking house to poor effect.

With the above in mind it is usually best if you sit down with an experienced conservatory designer who can advise you what will and wont look best with your home. All that said though at the end of the day it is your property, your money and ultimately your decision, but always keep in mind that you want to add value to your house rather than subtract from it.

You may need to apply for planning permission for your conservatory; this will depend on a number of factors. If you are in the United Kingdom there is an element of planning legislation which allows a certain amount of development to be carried out to a property provided that is meets certain guidelines. Under the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order 1995 you are allowed to make certain alterations to your property without seeking Planning Permission, as said above thought this will depend on certain factors such as whether the property has been extended in the past and whether the property is in a Conservation Area or if it is a listed building for example.

The orientation of your conservatory will make a difference to how usable the room might be, for example if you have a south facing conservatory then this will get the sun most of the day as it moves across the sky but it will be a very warm room so you will want lots of openable windows and doors, perhaps tinted roof covering and maybe even air conditioning. Also you should note that in the summer months a conservatory can act as a thermal store so if you haven’t got external grade separating doors between the conservatory and the inside of the property expect the adjacent room to get hot also. Obviously from this example it follows that a west facing conservatory will get early morning sun and an easy facing one will get the evening sun. It is useful if you bear all of this in mind if you have options which side of the house you put the conservatory on.

Whilst there are a variety of materials which you could use today for your conservatory including wood, aluminium and uPVC it has to be said that uPVC is by far the most popular today and it is so easy to maintain requiring no painting and just a wipe down from time to time and maybe a drop of oil on the hinges and locks. There is a new style of conservatory around today called a frameless conservatory but these are very expensive at the moment.

Save Money Choosing Conservatories

Popularity: unranked [?]

With the country just coming out of a national recession and with money tighter than it’s ever been for most people, saving cash wherever you can seems like a good idea. To that end, here are my top tips for reducing the cost of your car (a major expense for most people). For me, there are two main areas where people spend a lot of money (short of buying the car in the first place), and that’s petrol and insurance.

Fuel prices are continually increasing and with no sign of an immediate reduction, it’s up to the consumers to try and save money on their fuel. It might sound obvious, but simply driving slower is one of the most effective methods for saving petrol. Generally speaking, the quicker your drive your car, the more fuel you will use. So if you can try and cut down your speed, you cut down the wind resistance and as such you’ll find your fuel lasts longer. You should also try and switch off your engine wherever possible, for example when you’re stood in traffic.

Another good tip for conserving fuel is to remove any excess weight from the car. Take out anything you don’t need or use, particularly anything heavy. You shouldn’t carry around heavy items in the boot just because it’s easier than removing them. The heavier your car is, the more petrol it will take to move it. Your air conditioning can also negatively affect fuel consumption – try turning off your AC completely and open the windows instead and it will improve your cars’ fuel consumption.

Once you’ve started saving money on your petrol, you should look to cut down the cost of your insurance. The easiest way to lower your premium is to look for a cheaper policy; you don’t need to be at the end of your current cover to do this either (a common misconception). Take some time out to do some research, looking at several different insurers. Try and find sites that offer an instant car insurance quote, allowing you to collate lots of different quotes, meaning you’ll be better informed to make the right choice. Alternatively, you can cut down the cost of your current policy by keeping your car off the road in a locked, secure environment, changing the wording of your job description or limiting the amount you drive the vehicle. If the last one sounds like a genuine option for you, then it may well be worth considering temporary car insurance; if you use your vehicle very irregularly, you could even opt for day car insurance just for the days you’ll be driving it, as opposed to forking out for a full years’ cover.

Save Money On Your Car Insurance And Petrol

Popularity: unranked [?]

With summer temperatures soaring, combined with the current weak economy, everyone is looking at ways to save on electricity bills. Here are ten tips that will help you Save Money on energy.

1. Cooling costs burn money. In most homes, air conditioning costs comprise 16% of total electricity used (more than anything else). In hotter locations, this can run as high as 60 to 70% of your summer energy bill. You need to strive to keep cooling costs down. To start with, try keeping your AC at 80 degrees F. If you’re serious about saving on electricity bills, look at your cooling costs first since this is what uses the most energy.

2. Change your old refrigerator. Your refrigerator is the second biggest user of electricity in your home. If you bought your refrigerator prior to 1990, the chances are that a new refrigerator would be four times more energy efficient.

3. Insulate your home. This will ensure that heat does not escape. Insulate your attic. This will keep you cool in summer and warm in winter, and it will also get you a 30% tax credit. Ensure that heat is not escaping from your doors. If so, install weather stripping. Caulk your windows and use weather stripping if needed.

4. Use ceiling fans. They’re a useful alternative to AC at night and when it is not too hot. Ceiling fans can keep you between 3 to 4 degrees cooler.

5. Washing clothes can clean out your wallet. Most of the energy used to wash clothes – about 90% – is used to heat the water. Consider washing your clothes in cold water. If you insist on using hot water, you can start saving by turning the temperature down. You can also change to a front-loader washing machine. They use 63% less water than a top-loader. Less water means that you require less electricity to heat the water.

6. Use motion detectors outside. If you’re the type of person that prefers to leave the exterior lights on when you go out at night, then consider the use of motion detectors. They will automatically come on when you return, and be activated in the event that an intruder enters your property. There’s no need to leave exterior lighting on, burning through your cash.

7. Change you water heater. Many homes use the old-style tank water heaters. These heaters keep the water hot 24/7 and this uses a lot of electricity. The heat is also lost to the surrounding air, which means that more energy needs to be spent to keep the water hot. Nowadays, you can buy a tankless unit that heats the water when you turn on the faucet. This eliminates the “standby” losses. Tankless units may be more expensive to install, but they last twice as long as tank water heaters. A great way to save on electricity bills.

8. Switch your light bulbs. Replace your conventional light bulbs with compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFL’s). They will save you a fortune. They are 70% more efficient on energy and last ten times longer than the old-style light bulb. CFL’s also generate a lot less heat, which means that in the summer months, you spend less on cooling bills. Turn off your lights when you’re not using them.

9. Curtail heating costs. Only heat those rooms that you actually use. Consider the use of space heaters in the rooms that you use as opposed to turning on the heat in the entire house. Use rugs on bare floors if you walk around bare footed or in your socks. If your feet get cold, then you will be cold. Turn down the heat at night in winter. Let your blankets do their job and keep you warm. You can turn up the heat in the morning when you wake up. If your rooms are not getting enough heat, adjust the dampers that control the inflow of air and how much each air duct gets.

10. Install a skylight. This is another great way to Save Money on energy.

Saving on electricity bills also helps the environment. You may not see any pollution when you switch on your lights and use electricity, but the power plants that generate that power generally burn fossil fuels to generate the electricity. If you use less electricity, we will produce less pollution. Being energy-smart not only saves you money, it saves the planet as well.

About the Author:

Save Money on Energy: Ten Tips Will Save You Plenty

Popularity: unranked [?]

There’s no point in trying to brush the problem of excess energy use under the carpet any longer. Change begins at home and it begins with every one of us. If we own or rent a home and use all the creature comforts that we are used to, then we are responsible for using a certain amount of energy and have, consequently, a carbon footprint to worry about. We cannot turn to big business and blame them for everything, nor can we half-heartedly point to the fact that we might take the bus when we go to work and not use a car. We all need to make big changes and look for ways to save electricity wherever we can find them. A journey of one thousand miles begins with a single step.

To start off with, you should make sure that all your windows and doors are fitting properly and you should go and check this right now. You might not be able to see any issues and should check by running your hand along the edges or by using an open flame of some kind to see whether you have any drafts. There is no sense whatsoever in heating the inside of your house or using air conditioning to try and cool it down during the brief hot spells that we get, if your hard earned money is flying out the window. Take steps to secure your home in this respect and then start to worry about your air heating and cooling costs.

Rooms that are only rarely used should be isolated and you can put timer activated lighting appliances in these areas. You could also put them on a motion detector, so that they will go on and off if someone enters or leaves the room. Unplug all electrical items when they’re not actually in use, as they can still drain electricity when connected to a wall socket. Turn off computers at night. There’s no need for you to maintain them and they tend to build up heat within the casing anyway. Every little bit helps and will account for a good savings at the end of the year.

We all know of the benefits of renewable energy, but once again, we tend to think that it’s a project for somebody else. Solar energy panels could be a good idea? It is possible to run your entire property by using solar power, whether you mount them on the roof or set it up so that they are appropriately angled within your garden. One of the ways to save electricity is to cut down on its extraction from the grid and to reduce the size of your footprint. We all need to buy energy-efficient shoes that fit us, rather than continuing with this extravagant way of life. When heating water, why not turn the thermostat down a degree or so and remember that heating water with electricity is highly inefficient normally. Did you know that two thirds of the energy used to produce that electricity, the product that you use to heat your water, is actually lost as it is being distributed to you? For efficiency’s sake, oil or gas fired water heaters are much better, more highly efficient and will be far more beneficial when it comes to helping the environment as well.

Tags: environment, environmental sustainability, Renewable Energy, saving electricity, saving money

Valuable Ideas For Saving Electricity At Home

Popularity: unranked [?]

Article Directory :: Home & Family Articles

By Bernard Brown

With summer temperatures soaring, combined with the current weak economy, everyone is looking at ways to save on electricity bills. Here are ten tips that will help you save money on energy.1. Cooling costs burn money. In most homes, air conditioning costs comprise 16% of total electricity used (more than anything else). In hotter locations, this can run as high as 60 to 70% of your summer energy bill. You need to strive to keep cooling costs down. To start with, try keeping your AC at 80 degrees F. If you’re serious about saving on electricity bills, look at your cooling costs first since this is what uses the most energy.2. Change your old refrigerator. Your refrigerator is the second biggest user of electricity in your home. If you bought your refrigerator prior to 1990, the chances are that a new refrigerator would be four times more energy efficient.3. Insulate your home. This will ensure that heat does not escape. Insulate your attic. This will keep you cool in summer and warm in winter, and it will also get you a 30% tax credit. Ensure that heat is not escaping from your doors. If so, install weather stripping. Caulk your windows and use weather stripping if needed.4. Use ceiling fans. They’re a useful alternative to AC at night and when it is not too hot. Ceiling fans can keep you between 3 to 4 degrees cooler.5. Washing clothes can clean out your wallet. Most of the energy used to wash clothes – about 90% – is used to heat the water. Consider washing your clothes in cold water. If you insist on using hot water, you can start saving by turning the temperature down. You can also change to a front-loader washing machine. They use 63% less water than a top-loader. Less water means that you require less electricity to heat the water.6. Use motion detectors outside. If you’re the type of person that prefers to leave the exterior lights on when you go out at night, then consider the use of motion detectors. They will automatically come on when you return, and be activated in the event that an intruder enters your property. There’s no need to leave exterior lighting on, burning through your cash.7. Change you water heater. Many homes use the old-style tank water heaters. These heaters keep the water hot 24/7 and this uses a lot of electricity. The heat is also lost to the surrounding air, which means that more energy needs to be spent to keep the water hot. Nowadays, you can buy a tankless unit that heats the water when you turn on the faucet. This eliminates the “standby” losses. Tankless units may be more expensive to install, but they last twice as long as tank water heaters. A great way to save on electricity bills.8. Switch your light bulbs. Replace your conventional light bulbs with compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFL’s). They will save you a fortune. They are 70% more efficient on energy and last ten times longer than the old-style light bulb. CFL’s also generate a lot less heat, which means that in the summer months, you spend less on cooling bills. Turn off your lights when you’re not using them.9. Curtail heating costs. Only heat those rooms that you actually use. Consider the use of space heaters in the rooms that you use as opposed to turning on the heat in the entire house. Use rugs on bare floors if you walk around bare footed or in your socks. If your feet get cold, then you will be cold. Turn down the heat at night in winter. Let your blankets do their job and keep you warm. You can turn up the heat in the morning when you wake up. If your rooms are not getting enough heat, adjust the dampers that control the inflow of air and how much each air duct gets.10. Install a skylight. This is another great way to save money on energy.Saving on electricity bills also helps the environment. You may not see any pollution when you switch on your lights and use electricity, but the power plants that generate that power generally burn fossil fuels to generate the electricity. If you use less electricity, we will produce less pollution. Being energy-smart not only saves you money, it saves the planet as well.

EasyPublish™ this article – publishers click here

More articles by Bernard Brown

Save on Electricity Bills: Ten Tips That Will Save You a Fortune

Popularity: unranked [?]

The U.S. economy isn’t that hot right now and when you worry about your money, you’re not alone. In fact, millions of Americans are in the same shoes as you. Since every penny counts in today’s world, it’s vital to know some of the few saving money tips that can save you a few dollars every month. Remember that every penny counts! Here are some steps you can take in order start saving money.The electric bill – If you don’t have a digital thermostat, I suggest you get one. Once you get one, set your heat or air down to a low or high rate when you’re at work. There’s no reason to have the house at 70 degrees when you’re working. Instead in the summer, have the house at 80 and turn on the air conditioning when you get home. The same goes in the winter, when you’re not home or even sleeping, lower your heat and just pile up the blankets! This alone can save you a fortune during the month.Use coupons – Every time you grocery shop, hop on online coupon websites and see how much you can save. Some grocery stores will even provide you with simple and cheap meal making thoughts. Your dinner meals can be made for less than $10. Don’t believe me? Do some research online and find out for yourself!Don’t eat out – Eating out is fine but with a family of four, you’re spending way too much. Instead, try and limit your eating out. If you only eat out once or twice a month compared to five times, you’re already saving a hundred dollars. Sure, it can be convenient but if you want to save money, don’t eat out, it’s that simple.Limit your driving – Gas prices aren’t cheap today. Instead of making ten trips a week, condense to a few trips. Do all of your errands at once. So when you need to grocery shop and go to the doctor’s office try and do it all in one day. This way you’re saving on gas and you’re save your car some troubles. It’s always best to make a plot and stick with it.Just watch your finances – Each month, write down everything you spend a dollar on. At the end of the month, look back and see what you’re spending your money on. Are you eating out instead of packing a lunch? If so, cut that out. There are so many things you can cut out to save money on. Just because you’re cheap, it doesn’t mean you have to live a cheap life. There are many ways to have fun while saving money!Saving money is so simple and no one cares what you look like or what you drive. You’re saving your wallet and family money. The more money you save, the earlier you can retire. Don’t work 10 extra years just so you can show people that you drive a BMW. Saving money is simple. It just takes discipline and action.

Share and Enjoy: These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers can share and discover new web pages. Processing your request, Please wait….

Saving Money in a Rough Economy

Popularity: unranked [?]