Everyone dreads the end of the month when you have to fork out for your household bills. Even though you know it is coming, you can’t help but feel depressed at the amount of money that leaves your bank account. Let’s face it; the cost of living is pretty high at the minute, and it doesn’t look like lowering anytime soon.
What you might not realize, however, is that you could be contributing to your energy bills by using unwanted energy. Here are just a couple of the ways we waste electricity on an everyday basis at home.
Not Switching Off The Lights!
Just because appliances are not plugged in and working doesn’t mean you are not using electricity. If the switch is on, the circuit is open, and electricity is flowing from the mains to the outlet. The electricity board cannot tell when you use an appliance or not. All they can tell was when the switch was on and when the electricity was flowing. Turn off all the switches on the plug sockets and save yourself a fortune!
Have Appliances Too High
When it comes to electric, less is more. You might think there are odd occasions when you cannot help using lots of it, but you are not thinking creatively enough. Take the fridge as an example. Fridges use a lot of energy, but you need to keep your food cool right? Yes, you do. However, you can still do that by turning the fridge down a notch. Your refrigerator will still work; it will just use less energy in the process.
Buying Inefficient Appliances
The last thing you think of is ‘how much is this going to cost me in electricity’ when you buy something electrical. Mainly, you think about the initial cost and how it can improve your life or your home. Unfortunately, that needs to change. If you are struggling to keep up with the costs, it could be because your home is inefficient at using energy. Appliances that are not ‘green’ or environmentally friendly are the main culprits, so check their energy settings before you buy. Otherwise, they will constantly suck up electric that you cannot afford.
Using The Wrong Energy Supplier
For some reason, we are quite loyal when it comes to electric. Once we pick a supplier, we tend to stick with them through thick and thin. Although that is commendable, it is also silly in a lot of cases. If your deal is not the best possible deal, you are going to pay a fortune or gas and electric. By asking around other energy companies, you can evaluate your situation. The odds are that a competitor will offer you a far better deal. Competition is stiff in the energy market, and suppliers are always looking for new customers.
Using More Than You Need
It is hard to figure out when you are using too much electricity. One way to make sure you only use as much as you need is to install a meter. Once the meter runs out, you can top it back up with as much as you can afford.
Hopefully, the end of the month won’t be too daunting anymore!
