If it’s gone unmanaged your electricity consumption can take up a lot of your cash. Racking up a huge electricity bill also isn’t great for the environment. So if you want to save on your electricity, here are some tips on how you can do it.
Manage your geyser
Your geyser can suck up a lot of electricity if you leave it on the whole time. Rather than letting all this electricity go to waste you can manage your geyser by switching it off when you aren’t using it. You can even install a timer on your geyser so that it can turn itself on and off during certain times of the day. If you invest in a solar geyser you can save up to 40% on your electricity bill.
Replace your bulbs with energy efficient ones
You wouldn’t think it, but in most homes lighting accounts for around 17%–20% of the electricity bill. So a great way to save on electricity is to swap out your old bulbs for Light Emitting Diode (LED) and Compact Fluorescent Light (CFL) bulbs. LED bulbs will use 90% less electricity and last up to 20 years. CFLs will cost you more, but they will also last you eight times longer than normal light bulbs.
Insulate your home properly
If your home is properly insulated then it will retain heat throughout the day so that it’s warmer at night. You can save up to 16% on your bill if you make sure that your home is properly insulated. This means that you won’t need to spend as much money on heaters, which can save you up to R300 on your monthly bill if you opt to not use a heater. So rather than haphazardly using a heater, rather dress warmly and use blankets to keep you warm in winter.
Keep an eye on appliances and tech
Older appliances generally tend to draw on more electricity. So it’s probably a good idea to replace them with newer ones after ten or fifteen years. Modern and more energy-efficient appliances will save you up to 60% on electricity. Another way to save on electricity is to switch off your technology and appliances at the wall when you aren’t using them, this can save you up to 6% on your electricity bill. If you aren’t going to be using your laptop or computer for the next two hours, you should also turn it off.
Use a microwave instead of an oven
Using a microwave to cook your meals isn’t only quicker and easier, but it also saves you on electricity. As an oven will use the same power as eighteen microwaves. If you need to replace your oven, then it may be a good idea to buy a convection microwave oven. It will not only reduce your cooking times but it will also use less electricity than a normal oven. It’s also much easier to operate than a stove.
These are just a few ways that you can save on your electricity bill. While it may cost you some cash at first, if you want to insulate your home or get energy-saving light bulbs, it will be worth it as it will save you some cash in the long run.