Reduce Your Utility Bills

Utility bills come in many forms – electric, gas, water, internet, phone, etc. – these bills can add up quick. Have you ever looked at one of your utility bills and wondered how the balance got so high? Many utility bills are unavoidable, but there are ways you may be able to lower the cost and save some money in the process.

Electric and Natural Gas

Electric and natural gas are used for a variety of things in our homes. Over half¹ of the energy in the United States is used to heat and cool our homes, making this the most expensive part of our electric and gas bills. There are several things which may help you lower this cost.

• Purchase a smart thermostat: A smart thermostat² remembers your temperature preferences and auto adjusts to energy-saving temperatures when you are away. Some also offer geofencing to track your location and auto adjust the temperature back to your preferred settings by the time you arrive home.
• Use ENERGY STAR™ products:  ENERGY STAR™³ is a symbol that is backed by the government to show that a product is energy efficient.  
• Insulate your home: If your home is poorly insulated⁴ it could be leaking energy, which will cause your heating and cooling system to work harder to maintain your desired temperature. Insulating your home will help ensure the energy you are using is staying inside your home.

Water

Reducing your water bill is as simple as reducing the amount of water that is used each day. There are a few easy things you can do to reduce water usage.

• Repair water leaks: Check all appliances that use water. Including sinks, toilets, washing machine, dishwasher, etc. and make sure there are no water leaks and if there are, repair them. Water leaks can cause an additional 20 gallons⁴ of water usage per leak per day.
• Showering: Set a time limit for yourself when you take a shower and stick to it. 2.5 gallons of water⁴ are used per minute when showering.
• Install aerators: Using aerators on your faucets not only reduces the amount of water you use, but they also increase water pressure.

Internet

Having internet was once considered a luxury, but today it is becoming more of a necessity as so much of what we do is housed online. While internet charges may usually be a flat rate for your plan, there are still some ways you can save money on this bill.

• Cancel unused services: Many internet providers offer add-ons you can purchase with your internet service, usually offering them as a deal. But you may not be using all of them. Look over your plan and if you have services you are not using cancel them to reduce your bill.
•  Bundle: If you have extra services on your plan and you do use them, you can look at bundling them. Service providers typically offer packages for different services which provides you a discount and will cost you less than if you paid for the services individually.

Sources:

¹U.S. Energy Information Administration. Retrieved from: https://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/use-of-energy/homes.php

²Energy Star. Retrieved from: https://www.energystar.gov/products/smart_thermostats

³Energy Star. Retrieved from: https://www.energystar.gov/about?s=footer

⁴Morris, George. (2023, Apr 24). Retrieved from: https://www.incharge.org/financial-literacy/budgeting-saving/how-to-save-money-on-electric-gas-water-bill/