Some Tips to Reduce Electric Bill
1. Keep your refrigerator full (but not TOO full)
Refrigerators eat up 15 to 20 percent of household electricity. For this reason, extra care must be observed both in buying and maintaining one.
We all know that frequently opening the refrigerator can cause heat to enter the unit. And the more heat trapped inside, the higher the operating cost will be.
But the effect is doubled once you leave your refrigerator empty. This is because more space in the unit means more cold air will escape once the door is opened.
To keep the coolness intact, it is recommended to fill both the refrigerator and the freezer with necessary items like bottled water. These will displace the empty air and avoid unnecessary energy waste every time the door is opened. Just be extra careful not to overload it, though, because too much stuff in your ref can also take its toll on your electric .
2. Unplug Appliances When Not In Use
Electronics such as TV, DVD player and computer game console still consumes energy even on stand-by mode, so its best to unplug them when not in use. Keeping them on will incur an additional monthly bill of around P20, which may seem like a small amount but it will add up, depending on how many of these appliances you keep plugged in and for how long.
If you are too lazy to plug and unplug like me, consider buying an extension cord with power switches that light up. These will remind you to turn off the switch when you’re not using the appliance.
3. Schedule Your Ironing
Flat irons are considered power muncher, so it is best to schedule clothes ironing to just once a week. To save time and energy, use a reflective ironing board cover – this reflects heat so you’ll be ironing both sides at once. Putting a piece of kitchen foil under the ironing board cover also does the trick. While the iron is heating up, sort your clothes into three piles – those that require a low temperature iron, and those that require medium and high. Progress from clothes needing the lowest temperature towards medium and do the high temperatures last.
If you do your own laundry, the use of fabric conditioner help lessen wrinkles on your clothes, making them ready to use once dry.
