If you've noticed a spike in your energy bill recently, you're not alone. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, electric bills are set to rise, with the U.S. residential price of electricity averaging 14.9 cents per kilowatt hour in 2022— up 8% from 2021.1 With the rest of your bills likely also affected by inflation, you're probably wondering how to save on your electric bill. We've got you covered with these 15 room-by-room tips.
1. Use the right appliance for the right task. For example, a microwave or air fryer will use less energy than an oven.2
2. Make your oven do double duty. If you do use your oven, try to bake more than one dish at a time—there's no reason your chicken breasts and potatoes can't cook simultaneously and use the same heat. And don't open the door to peek as it can lower the temp, forcing your oven to use more energy to heat back up.
3. Enjoy the energy savings of a dishwasher. Yep, your energy that is. Turns out an energy-efficient dishwasher is generally more efficient than hand-washing dishes. 3 So load up that machine (full loads are best) and know you're saving your energy and your home's energy at the same time.
4. Maintain your machines to keep them in good working order. For example, vacuum your refrigerator and oven coils and clean out the trap in your dishwasher so your appliances will operate at maximum efficiency.4 It also can preserve their lifespans.
5. Wash your laundry at the right temperature. Sure, it might be easier to toss your clothing together, but sorting it and washing it according to the proper temperature will save on energy bills, considering that 90% of the energy used by your washing machine goes to heating the water.5 Use the hot cycle only for items that need to be sterilized—like socks, underwear, towels and sheets—and wash other items in warm or even cold water. In fact, you can do your rinse cycle on cold, no matter what temperature you used for regular washing.
6. Dry right. If your load is too small or too full, it can take longer for clothes to dry. Air dry what you can to save energy and don't forget to clean the lint trap before every load for peak performance.
7. Stick to off-hours. Find out if your utility offers different rates for various dayparts. Some will charge you less if you use electricity during off-peak hours, which makes it a better time to run your laundry appliances.
8. Don't let your devices charge all night. Anything that's plugged in, like a charger, draws “vampire energy."6 Consider plugging all your chargers into a single power strip that you can unplug or flip off when you leave the house or head to bed.
9. Arrange your space for maximum efficiency. Make sure your furniture is not blocking the radiator or the vents on the floor, or your heater will have to work harder.
9. Close off heat sources you don't need. If your heat comes through heat registers, you can conserve energy by just closing the levers on the ones in rooms you're not actively using. And if you love to cuddle under a pile of covers, keep your bedroom cool and save energy by closing that register, too.
10. Check for air leaks. The best way to save on your electric bill is not to let your expensive heat escape. Weatherstripping is an easy fix that can save big bucks.7 Wondering if you have a leak that needs to be addressed? A professional energy audit will provide the most comprehensive results, but you can DIY it, too. The U.S. Department of Energy recommends shutting a door or window on a dollar bill and giving it a tug; if you can pull it out easily, you're probably leaking energy.8
11. Schedule an HVAC check-up. Have your HVAC system serviced annually to keep it working most efficiently. At the least, check your air filter and replace it if it's dirty to keep your system operating efficiently (and boost indoor air quality to boot).9
12. Lower the temperature on your water heater. A hot shower feels good, but your water heater probably only needs to be set at 120 degrees, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. You'll save energy and also reduce the risk of scalding.1
13. Set it and forget it. Install a smart thermometer and keep it at a lower temperature than you think you need (that's what sweaters are for). The U.S. Department of Energy advises you can save as much as 10% a year on your electric bill by dialing your thermostat back 7 to 10 degrees eight hours a day…68 degrees is the sweet spot it recommends.11 You also should set your thermostat to automatically decrease when you go to sleep or leave for work each day and then kick on right before you wake up or get home.
14. Make smarter lighting choices. While incandescent bulbs will be phased out in 2023, don't wait to upgrade your lighting. The U.S. Department of Energy recommends switching to energy-efficient lighting as one of the best ways to save on your electric bill. 13,14
15. Pay with a cash back credit card. Finally, this isn't a hack for how to lower your electric bill per se, but it will save you money. Call your utilities to see if you can have your payment charged to a credit card. If so, you can earn cash back on these everyday bills just by paying with your RVC Premier World Mastercard®.
Save Green and Go Green
A fantastic by-product of figuring out how to lower your energy bill is that you'll be helping reduce your carbon footprint, too. As you track your electric bills against your budget, track your savings and then make sure to put that extra cash to work for you and your future by stashing it in a high-interest savings account. Of course, if you need to use some of it for a new sweater or blanket to help you ward off the chill, feel free, knowing that even more savings will be on the way.
Cathie Ericson is an Oregon-based freelance writer who covers personal finance, real estate and education, among other topics. Her work has appeared in a wide range of publications and websites, including U.S. News & World Report, MSN, Business Insider, Yahoo Finance, Market Watch, Fast Company, Realtor.com and more.
LEARN MORE: How to Save Money on Gas
Sources
1. “Short-Term Energy Outlook." EIA.gov. Dec. 6, 2022. https://www.eia.gov/outlooks/steo/report/electricity.php
2. “Is an Air Fryer Cheaper to Run Than a Big Oven? We Do the Math." CNET.com. Oct. 18, 2022. https://www.cnet.com/home/kitchen-and-household/is-it-cheaper-to-use-an-air-fryer-is-than-the-oven/
3. “Dishwasher vs. Hand Washing: Which is Better for the Planet?" Brightly.co. Nov. 9, 2022. https://brightly.eco/blog/dishwasher-vs-hand-washing and
"Built-In Dishwashers Versus Hand-Washing: Which Is Greener?" TreeHugger. March 1, 2022. https://www.treehugger.com/built-in-dishwashers-vs-hand-washing-which-is-greener-4858791
4. “How to Clean Refrigerator Coils and Why You Need to Do It Today." Oct. 9, 2022. Realtor.com. https://www.realtor.com/advice/home-improvement/how-to-clean-refrigerator-coils/
5. “Cold Water Saves." The American Cleaning Institute. https://www.cleaninginstitute.org/industry-priorities/outreach/cold-water-saves
6. “These 'Energy Vampires' Are Secretly Draining Your Wallet. Here's What to Unplug." CNET.com. Oct. 15, 2022. https://www.cnet.com/home/energy-and-utilities/these-energy-vampires-are-secretly-draining-your-wallet-heres-what-to-unplug/
7. “Weatherstripping." The U.S. Department of Energy. https://www.energy.gov/energysaver/weatherstripping
8. “Detecting Air Leaks." The U.S. Department of Energy. https://www.energy.gov/energysaver/detecting-air-leaks
9. “When Should I Clean and Service My Furnace?" Angi.com. July 26, 2022. https://www.angi.com/articles/how-often-should-you-have-furnace-inspection.htm
10. "Do-It-Yourself Savings Project: Lower Water Heating Temperature." The U.S. Department of Energy. https://www.energy.gov/energysaver/do-it-yourself-savings-project-lower-water-heating-temperature
11. "Programmable Thermostats." The U.S. Department of Energy. https://www.energy.gov/energysaver/programmable-thermostats
12. “The Human Perils of Scaling Smart Technologies: Evidence from Field Experiments." Sept. 12, 2022. https://s3.amazonaws.com/fieldexperiments-papers2/papers/00762.pdf
13. “Incandescent light bulbs to get switched off in 2023 under new Biden rules." CBSNews.com. April 27, 2022. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/incandescent-light-bulb-phase-out-2023-biden-rule/
14. “Lighting Choices to Save you Money." The U.S. Department of Energy. https://www.energy.gov/energysaver/lighting-choices-save-you-money