Have you ever felt that sinking feeling when you open your electricity bill? When the amount due is much higher than you expected? Your apartment isn’t a sprawling mansion, so why such colossal costs? Can it be tamed, or is it just the price of modern living?
What if we said there was an alternative to this costly situation? That’s right—with some simple yet effective changes in how we use electricity in our apartments, we can transform these seemingly uncontrollable expenses into manageable ones.
Intrigued? Let’s take a trip together around your apartment. We’ll explore your electricity use and demonstrate where you can make some changes and how to save money on electricity in an apartment.
16 Ways to Save Electricity in Your Apartment
Reducing electricity bills can be as simple as rethinking the gadgets we use every day or slightly changing our lifestyles. These 16 tips could significantly affect your yearly energy costs over time.
1. Turn Off the Lights
You may forget to turn off that light in the bathroom or leave it on because you’re coming back in just a few minutes. Turning off lights when you don’t need them can drastically save energy in your apartment.
Take it a step even further. During the day, open the curtains and use natural light instead of making your bulbs work overtime.
2. Switch to Energy Efficient Bulbs
Lighting is one of the biggest uses of electricity in your apartment. 15% of your electricity use goes to keeping things well-lit. If you switch to energy-efficient bulbs and LED lighting, you could save over $200 a year.
3. Use Smart Power Strips
A typical home is filled with electronics, from appliances to phone chargers. Even when these devices are off, they’re often still drawing power. This phenomenon, known as “vampire energy,” can cost you a pretty penny over time.
Smart power strips, however, provide an easy fix for this issue. These handy devices simply cut off the electricity supply when electronics aren’t in use—helping save up to $200 each year on electricity bills.
4. Unplug Appliances
If you don’t have a smart power strip, unplugging appliances when not in use can effectively counter “vampire energy” loss.
5. Make Smarter Appliance Choices
When shopping for new appliances or replacing old ones, opt for models marked with an Energy Star label whenever possible. While these may have a higher upfront cost than their less energy-efficient counterparts, they pay for themselves in the long run by consuming less energy.
6. Change Your Charging Habits
We’ve all done it: left our phones charging overnight only to wake up and find they hit 100% hours ago. But did you know this habit could increase your utility bill? Unplugging phone chargers once your phone is fully charged conserves energy and helps keep costs down.
7. Turn Down the Water Heater
Reducing the temperature of your water heater to 120°F instead of the default 140°F set by manufacturers can help you save up to 22% on energy costs each year. 120°F is hot enough for most homes and helps avoid accidental scalding mishaps.
Remember that you don’t need boiling-hot temperatures all day long. When you’re away or sleeping, lower the heat settings even further. Just remember to turn them back up before needing hot showers or doing laundry again!
8. Use More Cold Water
Cold water is often underrated when it comes to its role in heating efficiency. Opt for cold water instead of using hot tap water for tasks like washing hands or rinsing dishes. As long as you use soap, it gets the job done just as well.
9. Do Your Laundry With Cold-Water
Did you know washing clothes in cold water gets them just as clean and saves around $60 annually? Adjusting the temperature dial on your washer is an easy way to save a few extra dollars every month.
10. Make Smart Laundry Choices
Laundry takes a lot of energy to heat the water and run the machines. To save some money, only run full loads of laundry so you’re never wasting space inside your washer or dryer.
When drying clothes, hang them in a window and let them air dry to save energy and avoid using the dryer.
11. Take Shorter Showers
Taking showers may be one of life’s small pleasures after a long day at work or a sweaty workout session. However, they can use significant amounts of water and energy. Cutting down your shower by just one minute saves at least two gallons of water per session.
12. Make Use Of Sleep Mode On Electronics
If you use their computer or other electronics frequently throughout the day, unplugging them each time you take a break might not be practical. Instead, try using sleep mode. Sleep mode significantly reduces power consumption, and the device wakes up faster than if fully turned off.
13. Regularly Replace Air Filters
Your HVAC system uses the majority of the electricity in your apartment. If your air filters are clogged, your system has to work extra to keep your apartment at your favorite temperature. Replacing air filters regularly can help your HVAC system run more proficiently and lower the system’s energy consumption by up to 15%.
14. Use a Programmable Thermostat
They’re not just cool gadgets but real money-savers, too! You could significantly reduce your energy costs by programming your thermostat to lower or raise the temperature (to match the season) while you sleep at night or while you’re away during the day.
When you leave on vacation, turning off the thermostat could save you a lot of money, especially because you won’t be using it.
15. Use Outside Air
The simplest trick? Open those windows. You’d be amazed at how much you can cool your apartment naturally by letting some fresh air in. But remember to close them before cranking up the AC or heater so you don’t waste all that freshly conditioned air.
16. Seal Windows and Doors
You may not realize it, but heat or AC can escape underneath doors and through windows. Since you probably can’t make too many changes in your apartment, you can put a rolled towel at the bottom of a door or painter’s tape along the edges of windows.
Power Finance Texas Can Help You with Money
By now, you should have a better grasp on how to save money on electricity in an apartment. A lot of it comes down to being mindful of how and when we use our electronics and heating systems. The idea is simple: Small changes add up over time. All these steps combined could potentially save hundreds each year! So go ahead, try them, and see those savings roll in.
If you still need a way to afford the necessities, Power Finance Texas can help. We want to make sure you can afford your rent and utility bills. With our installment loans, you can get up to $1,250 in just a day or two. Then, you’ll be able to pay for what you need right away. Contact us and see how Power Finance Texas can help you today.