5 Extremely Simple Ways To Cut Home Energy Costs

So, you’re feeling the “green” spirit, and you want to do your part and save some money in the process? Well look no further, because below you’ll find 5 very simple ways to be more environmentally friendly, and put some extra cash back into your bank account at the same time. Saving energy is critical, as we get closer to 2009, and if you’re not doing your part yet, there is no better time to start - then now!

1. Prevent over-drying - Since living in an apartment building, I’ve taken many trips to the local laundry center and while I’m there, to kill the time, I’ve observed quite a bit. One that that I notice is people, in general, dry their clothes for wayyyy too long! Over-drying your clothes makes them more difficult to iron, not to mention, it wastes energy. Taking your clothes out of the dryer while they’re just a tad damp will make the ironing process easier, and you’ll save energy in the process!

2. Cold water wash - I know, I know - you couldn’t bear washing some of your clothes in cold water, because you’re under the impression that they won’t get as clean. Well, let me break it down for you. First of all, when you wash your clothes in warm or hot water, you’re wasting tons of energy very needlessly. Why? Well, in the past few years, there have been some amazing advancements in cold water detergents, and now we’re at the point where you don’t have to wash anything in hot water anymore. With the amount of quality cold water detergents available, it will clean anything you throw in there! Plus, washing in cold water saves the washer from having to heat the water, which saves you a significant amount of money in the long run.

3. Mr. Dishwasher can handle it! - What I mean is, a lot of people are under the impression that pre-rinsing dishes is necessary, and will make the dishwasher work less. This is not true, people! Consumer Reports even said that this can waste up to 20 gallons of water per day. With the new detergents out, which are enzyme based, they can handle just about anything you throw at them, all you need to do is remove excess food, and you’ll start saving on water right away!

4. Sleep mode - Did you know that leaving your computer on constantly is quite an energy drain? Granted, it’s not as bad as leaving a kitchen light on 24/7 or something else, but still, it’s a waste. Instead, just get in the habit of putting your PC into “sleep mode”, as it could cut electricity consumption by upwards of 80%!

5. Use the microwave - A lot of people still like to fire up the oven in order to heat up food. Did you know that using your handy dandy microwave saves about 80% of the energy an oven uses? The heat from an oven can be nice in the cold winter months, but during the summer, it puts an additional load on your A/C that forces it to work harder.

I hope you’ve enjoyed the 5 energy saving tips above, and these are just the first batch of many that will be coming in the future! As more and more clever people figure out how to efficiently save energy costs, it will benefit us all. So if you have an idea, by all means, leave it in the comment section below!