100 Ideas To Save Money on Utility Bills

Are you looking for ways to save money on your utility bills? We have 100 ideas that will help you reduce your energy consumption, and lower the cost of living. These are tips that won’t take much time or effort, but can provide significant savings over the long run!

Are you ready? Here we go:

1. Turning off lights when not in use.
2. Using a programmable thermostat that sets temperatures according to your schedule.
3. Adjusting settings on appliances.
4. Turning off the TV and computer when not in use.
5. Attaching timers to lights.
6. Using cold water for laundry instead of hot water. This will help keep clothes looking newer, sustain longer as well as using less energy than hot water would take up.
7. Unplugging appliances when not in use.
8. Turning off the air conditioner or heater every day before leaving home.
9. Opening blinds and curtains during daytime hours to let sunlight in.
10. Fixing leaky faucets and pipes on your own as soon as possible, rather than waiting until they break.
11. Shutting down electronics completely at night instead of putting them on sleep mode (set a timer).
12. Turning off exhaust fans if it’s too cold outside.
13. Running dishwasher only when full to avoid excess energy usage from heating water each cycle.
14. Setting thermostat lower in summer and higher in winter.
15. Taking cold showers in summer.
16. Declining any new services from power companies until rates decrease again.
17. Purchasing energy efficient appliances that qualify for country rebates.
18. Keeping outdoor lights on motion sensor mode so they turn off after about 30 seconds of no movement detected near them.
19. Washing dishes by hand and carrying them to the sink rather than using a dishwasher.
20. Turning off lights in unoccupied rooms or turning on light only when entering an area needing more illumination.
21. Taking showers instead of baths because they use less water.
22. Recycling water by using a rain barrel to collect water from your roof.
23. Turning the temperature on your hot water heater down by five degrees and using it only for showers or dish washing.
24. Adjusting thermostats up or down one degree during winter months to save money without sacrificing comfort.
25. Checking insulation levels around pipes, windows, doors, and attics annually to maintain efficiency throughout the house.
26. Using window screens all year round because they reduce home cooling costs while still allowing natural ventilation through open windows/doors.
27. Taking shorter showers.
28. Using ceiling fans instead of turning on the air conditioner or heating system to circulate hot/cold air throughout the house.
29. Keep curtains from touching windows – they can make heat transfer through walls increase by up to 20%.
30. Keeping refrigerator coils in a clean and dry environment to prevent a buildup of dirt that can cause ice build-up.
31. Sealing leaky windows with weather stripping tape.
32. Keeping window blinds closed during the day to keep out heat, but open them at night for air circulation.
33. Running appliances on power strips instead of individual outlets – this saves energy by cutting down on appliance startup times.
34. Keeping the room door closed when using the heater – – this prevents heat from escaping.
35. Keeping curtains and blinds closed during the day to keep out light, but open them at night for natural/sunshine lighting.
36. Using a humidifier in winter months instead of turning on central heating system or air conditioner to regulate temperature balance inside home.
37. Turning off lights when not needed, or installing motion detection switches that turn them on only when necessary.
38. Turning down the thermostat 30 minutes before you go to bed so there’s less heat while sleeping.
39. Turning off home wifi at night to reduce power consumption.
40. Opening windows for ventilation instead of running an electric fan.
41. Chopping vegetables with hand-held knife instead of running a food processor.
42. Replacing incandescent bulbs with LED lights, which use less energy than both CFLs and Incandescents.
43. Putting on an extra sweater instead of turning up the thermostat when it’s cold outside or wearing shorts instead of air conditioning in summer months to regulate your temperature balance inside home.
44. Closing dishwasher door after each load to save water and electricity by not running a full cycle that doesn’t need washing again right away.
45. Keeping refrigerator at 36 degrees Fahrenheit because this is enough cooling without using ice cubes.
46. Switching off the stove earlier so that the remaining heat keeps cooking the food even after you’ve turned off the stove.
47. Turning off the oven earlier while keeping the oven door still closed. The remaining heat can keep cooking the food.
48. Using clothesline or drying rack instead of running the dryer for just one load.
49. Using a smart meter to monitor your electric and gas usage.
50. Cleaning the lint filter on a dryer to keep it running efficiently.
51. Running appliances at night (like dishwashers) during off-peak hours to avoid higher rates.
52. Heating only the rooms that are being in use rather than heating the entire house during winter.
53. Applying for government programs like LEAP which can help pay for your utility bills if you meet their eligibility criteria.
54. Taking advantage of unexpected freebies. For example, for paperless billing: If you subscribe or sign up to receive your bills electronically, many utility companies will offer a small credit on the service charge for doing so.
55. Making sure to take full advantage of any incentives offered by your utility company such as rebates for purchasing new efficient water heaters or installing LED lighting bulbs which could result in big savings down the road.
56. Checking for drafts before turning on your heaters – if there are draft coming from the cracks around a door or window, consider caulking them shut (or repairing), as this could result in significant savings on heating bills.
57. Looking after the condition of your home before winter sets in – for example, if you have a leaky roof or are experiencing any water seeping into the house (caused by ice dams), this could result in significant additional heating bills.
58. Keeping an eye on your thermostat while at home to make sure it’s not accidentally left on when no one is there. If you routinely leave the vacation mode enabled and someone walks into your cold house they may be tempted to turn up the heat so that everything feels warmer without realising what they’re doing.
59. Making sure all windows are closed before leaving for work – this will prevent cold air coming into your house through open windows during winter days while also preventing hot air escaping from inside (resulting in lower cooling costs).
60. Insulating curtains and draperies properly can help keep out drafts without requiring extra vents shut tight 24/365, ultimately saving on utility expenses.
61. Keeping window shades drawn during winter. This will help keep heating costs down.
62. Heating water during off-peak hours for baths, showers and laundry is a great way to save on bills without having to take cold or short hot showers.
63. Cleaning out your fireplace annually to allow for better airflow through. It is a great way to keep heat from escaping up the chimney while also preventing soot build-up inside of porches/living room ceilings.
64. Going out exercising more rather than turning up the thermostat. This will keep your body naturally warmer and healthy during the winter.
65. Keeping your pool pump filter clean to help prevent expensive heating costs from escaping while maintaining healthy levels of chlorine in your swimming pool all year round.
66. Keeping appliances like coffee makers, hair dryers or space heaters turned off when not being used to avoid wasting energy and money. They should be unplugged if they are plugged into an outlet that is always on (such as one near a television).
67. Turning off all the lights in the house when going to bed.
68. Turning off and unplugging your TV, computer or other electronics before you go to sleep. They can continue using energy while they are on standby mode (known as “phantom power”).
69. Using white shades at night instead of lights for nighttime reading so less electricity is used up.
70. Only running full loads for dishes, laundry and dishwasher.
71. Turning down thermostat below 68 degrees Fahrenheit/20°C – this will save energy but still allow enough heat to go upstairs into bedrooms where it might be colder than downstairs.
72. Turning off the water heater, unplugging the refrigerator, or switching off the main electrical power panel when you go on vacation.
73. If you have an electric dryer, set your dryer to air-dry cycles or use a drying rack instead of running it on “normal” setting with heated tumble cycle (this will save energy).
74. Saving gas consumption by combining errands, carpooling, and taking public transportation.
75. Looking for promotional package deals from utility companies that save you money.
76. Insulating your home to prevent heat and cool air from escaping out of the house and into the atmosphere.
77. Cooking with a crock pot, stove-top or a thermos cook instead of an electric range. This saves energy by preventing a heating element from running continuously.
78. Cooking with the lid on the pots and pans to prevent heat leak. Always covering pot while it’s simmering.
79. If possible, investing in solar panels for your home can save over 50% off your electricity cost each month!
80. Using baking sheets instead of frying food.
81. Turning down the range hood or vent if you are finished with cooking.
82. Keeping appliances clean as grease buildup not only causes fires but it affects how much energy is used by the appliance.
83. Boiling the exact amount of water you need, so you don’t overfill the pot.
84. Adding a layer of insulation in your attic or between walls can help keep heated air from escaping through ducts/walls.
85. Sweeping floors with a broom instead of vacuuming.
86. There’s no need for lighting up an entire kitchen when you’re only making oatmeal!
87. Making sure there is no air coming from vents or fans that are turned off.
88. Turning off the tab on the water heater if you’re not using hot water.
89. Putting an insulating blanket under the heating coil for efficiency purposes.
90. Reducing time spent cooking with microwave whenever possible (or at least reducing total oven usage).
91. Shopping for electricity plans that suit how much energy is needed most of the time – be mindful of peak hours!
92. Check if your fridge needs to be defrosted and free of ice (defrost with a hair dryer). This will help prevent food from spoiling too quickly, but also keep the coils in the freezer cooler so that it can run more efficiently on electricity.
93. Baking with aluminium foil or parchment paper to prevent oven from heating up too much.
94. Using ice packs when possible instead of running the cooling fan or air conditioner all day – it will be noticeably cooler for less electricity usage!
95. Using a salad spinner to wash flowers, herbs, and other produce – it will be clean much faster with less water usage than if you were to use the sink or hand-washing!
96. Checking out local parks for free activities that are fun on hot days that do not require electricity: children’s playgrounds, swimming pools, skating rinks. Or visit an indoor library which is usually very cool inside.
97. Placing an ice cooler or box of frozen items (such as bottles of water) near the air vents so that it cools the home down much faster.
98. Using fans instead of air conditioners when possible: Ceiling fan pulls air downward (especially if there are plants), oscillating tower fan moves air around nicely- both make people feel cooler than having central AC blasting all day long!
99. When you are at home and need some downtime, use your old laptop or tablet instead of turning on the TV- they require much less electricity!
100. Going to bed earlier and reading a book – it’s not very exciting, but an easy way to save money on utility bills!

Do you have any other ideas to save money on utility bills? Share them with us! You can post your idea in a comment below.