Energy bills can end up costing thousands of dollars every year. However, while it is a costly expense, it isn’t one that any household can avoid! Maybe you remember growing up when your mother or father would ask you to make sure that you turn off the lights when you leave a room. Or maybe you remember them opening up the windows to save on air conditioning on cooler days. Now that you’re older, you’ve realized that these were ways your parents saved a little bit on energy costs! There are many ways that you can save on your monthly energy bill resulting in significant yearly savings.
Tips to Save on Your Energy Bill
In order to see your energy costs go down, you need to take action! You can either seek help from government cost assistance programs or make adjustments in your day-to-day life. While the exact ways you can save your energy will depend on your personal situation, in this article, we will cover the following in detail:
- Applying for Federal Cost Assistance Programs
- DIY Adjustments that you Can Make at Home
Applying for Federal Cost Assistance Programs
There are government programs designed to specifically help families with their energy bills. Making changes at home can be time-consuming and expensive. If you don’t have the extra money or time, this could be a good option to consider! Some of the assistance options available are:
Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP)
By making relevant home improvements, recipients of WAP can save an average of $372 or more per year on their energy bills! While keeping health and safety as their top priority, this program helps recipients make necessary home improvements to better conserve energy. Low-income households can benefit from this well-known assistance program.
In addition to those yearly savings, some other ways recipients may benefit from WAP are:
- Reducing the amount of workdays that an individual would miss from work
- Community Revitalization
- Helping individuals save in other areas, like medical expenses
- Supporting job opportunities
Your state’s weatherization office is the best place to ask any questions you have about what kind of improvements your home could use. You also need to contact this office if you would like to benefit from this program and complete an application.
Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)
LIHEAP is provided by the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). While this federal agency is responsible for managing the program, state and local offices directly handle the needs of recipients. This cost assistance program helps households get much-needed assistance with their utility bills. However, they do not typically offer recipients support with water or sewer bills with certain exceptions. Moreover, here is a list of additional ways that LIHEAP can provide support:
- Minor home repairs that are energy-related
- Energy crisis support
- Heating and cooling costs
- Help with energy bill costs
As mentioned before, states are responsible for operating this program. This means that the exact application process will depend on the state that you currently live in. In addition to that, your local LIHEAP office is the best resource for up-to-date information.
DIY Adjustments That You Can Make at Home
When it comes to lowering energy costs, one of the first solutions you think of is making changes at home! Although these changes may seem small, they can result in a good amount of savings each year. Some adjustments to consider are:
- Change light bulbs to more energy-efficient ones
- Get new energy-efficient windows
- Change your day-to-day habits
- Make the most out of newly bought energy-efficient appliances
- Utilize a thermostat that can be programmed
Change Light Bulbs to More Energy-Efficient Ones
Replacing all of your home’s lighting with LED bulbs won’t take a ton of time or money! Keep in mind that your exact savings from this method will vary depending on the light bulbs you’re using now. With that said, by making this switch, you can save an average of $225 per year on your energy bill!
Get New Energy Efficient Windows
Next on the list is replacing your windows with more energy-efficient ones. This method has the potential to save you up to $583 per year! The exact amount will depend on several factors. One big one being the type of window you replace. That is why when considering window options it’s important to keep in mind that it may not be as straightforward as you think.
Change Your Day-to-Day Habits
This method is broad and simply just involves increasing your awareness about the energy you’re using. While it sounds simple, it has the potential to save you hundreds of dollars per year on your energy bill! You want to keep track of your energy usage at the end of each month. This will help you understand how much money you’re saving based on the changes you’re making. Some examples of these changes include:
- Air drying your clothes
- Turning off ceiling fans when you leave the room
- Unused appliances are unplugged
Make the Most Out of Newly Bought Energy-Efficient Appliances
With this method, you can replace your current appliances with ones that are updated and more energy-efficient. Your savings from this method depends on the type of appliance that you purchase and the one that you replaced. However, you can expect to save between 10%-50% off your energy bill by doing this!
Utilize a Thermostat That Can Be Programmed
Programmable thermostats are useful for regulating the heating and cooling of the home. What this means is that the system doesn’t have to work harder to bring the temperature of the home up or down, thus saving energy! Households with a programmable thermostat can expect to see savings of around $180 per year on their energy bill!
Overall
The results we shared in this article may have surprised you! There is potential for significant savings when it comes to simply lowering the energy usage in your home. It is understandable if you aren’t able to make some of the more costly adjustments, like replacing your appliances. Additionally, seeking help from a government assistance program might be a great option for you. There are programs like Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) and Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) that help households save on their energy bills. You can apply for either of these programs by contacting your local state agencies.
