High electric bills

Is the foil to keep out the sun? I may have to do that in my bedroom as it got really hot in here this weekend. The only thing is I like looking out my window. I suppose though we do have to give up somethings in order to save money. Let me know how it works for you!

I already only use what I have to use and my Bills are still high so I am contesting them now as I do not agree with them If a whole Family was living here and I was leaving everything on ok but I don't and I use energie saving Bulbs They are telling me most of my Electric is used during the night, well Hello I am asleep at Night so how can it be

well, all i can do is to cut down on the uses of electricity, water, etc... if we don't need it, then we switch them off to save money... my hubby has started to switch off all the electricity appliances from the contact switch to really cut down on the use of electricity... i agree that all the bills have increased recently and we just have to be wiser in using the resources... take care and have a nice day...

Hi Shelia! I have a blog that I put several tips on about this very thing. I don't know if you will find any of it useful or not, but if you'd like to take a peek, the link is on my profile here.

Well I don't know if you use the water heater alot? But my husband said the water heater uses alot of electricity and even if you forget to turn it off the switch itself uses up quite some electricity. We have a water heater in our home but we rarely use it ..I think you can say zero to using it cos we like cold water - the splashing bucket type of bath. And to save on electric bill, we also turn off whatever switch we turn on. If we are both in the room then all the other lights outside is turned off. We managed to save alot by doing this. Oh and although we have air cond in our house we seldom on it...and again I think its zero to switching it on. Then you might ask then why have air cond in our house? Well when we bought the apartment, it came with it.

OK,firstly I don't konw what are you talking about exactly, probably it's related to the different ways of live. In my country,people always in this way to solve the problem about the high electric bills: Don't use the air-condition frequently ! This is a useful method in my country. And aslo, we can arrange the food in the fridge-freezer in a good position, that can aslo save the cost of electric.

Thanks for the great ideas! I need to do the same thing here. We both work and I turn the thermostat up during the day but coming home to a hot house is not fun. Maybe that will help keep it a few degrees cooler!! We are going to be eating at home more often. We eat out fairly often and the cost of gas is going to cut that out.

our country also suffers from the rising utility bills and i really have a hard time with them. we have a lot of electricity saving tips at home and i will lend you some like these very simple tips such as using compact fluorescent lights instead of incandescent bulb, doing your ironing at one time and opening refrigerators only when needed will, in one way or the other, help a household save electricity - make sure that your household appliances are well maintained in order to cope with the expected increase in its usage. There are also good tips i got from the Department of Energy which i posted at the door of our refrigerator at home to constantly remind them on how to save energy. Here they are: 1. Lighting * Turn-off unnecessary light. * Use natural light where available if the solar heat is tolerable. * Use energy efficient or compact fluorescent lamps instead of incandescent bulbs. A 40-watt compact fluorescent lamp produces more light than a 100-watt incandescent bulb at half the cost. * Clean lamps and bulbs regularly. Dirt lessens illumination by as much as 50%. * Clean or replace when necessary diffusers that have yellowed or become hazy. * Clean ceilings, walls and floors frequently to improve reflective qualities. * Light color for walls, rugs, draperies, and upholstery reflect light and therefore reduce the amount of artificial light required. 2. Cooking * Have all the ingredients ready when cooking to avoid frequent switching on and off of the electric stove. * Avoid using a big burner for a small pan. * Use flat-bottom pans with light covers to lessen heat transfer loss. * Thaw frozen foods thoroughly before cooking. * Switch the electric stove to “low” when the food begins to boil. * Turn off the electric stove during the last minutes of cooking. The remaining heat will make the food simmer. 3. TV Viewing * Switch off the set when no one is watching. Unplug it when a transformer is used. * Running several sets at the same time multiplies your entertainment costs. Watch movies at the same time. This not only cuts down consumption but provides opportunities for quality family time. * Substitute computer games with educational board games and light sports. 4. Electric Fan * Turn off the fan when not in use. * If comfortable enough, set the fan to “low.” * Lock the oscillator when the fan is needed in one direction only. This way, air is blown directly to where it is needed. 5. Ironing Clothes * Do all the ironing at one time. * Iron when it is cooler and more comfortable. This lessens the demand for electricity during peak hours. * Dampen clothes moderately. Excessively moistened clothes take longer to iron. * Switch off the electric iron in the last few minutes of ironing. There will be enough heat to press lighter materials. 6. Refrigerator * Choose a refrigerator model and size suited to your family needs. * Defrost and clean the refrigerator regularly. * Replace loose refrigerator gaskets. * Place the refrigerator away from the stove and the sun. * Open the refrigerator door only when needed. * Keep the refrigerator fans and coils clean and dust-free. * Do not store hot food in the refrigerator. * Do not overstuff your refrigerator. It functions well when 2/3 filled. 7. Air Conditioning * Make sure that the thermostat is working. Keep the thermostat setting no lower than 25 degrees C. * Install the unit in the coolest part of the room. * Keep the unit’s filter, condenser and other parts clean. * Air-conditioned room should be well insulated from direct sunlight. Open doors of air-conditioned rooms only when necessary. * Install window-type air-conditioners at the highest accessible place. 8. Water Pumps * Limit the use of automatic electric pumps. * In hot weather, low water level makes water pumps work longer, thus more electricity is used. "I hope these tips can be of help to you in saving on your electricity consumption". Happy posting!

I remember my grandmother using foil on the windows, and it did work, that was in Texas. I keep off lights in rooms that no one is using, and I do my laundry on Friday in the evening, since normally I only have a couple of loads of clothes to do a week, there is only two of us. We also do a lot of grilling during the summer months, which helps in not only the electricity but doesn't heat up the kitchen. We have two window ac units, but we put off using those until it really starts getting warm, and then we normally just run the one in our bedroom which cools our bedroom and my scrapbooking room. I may end up having to foil that window, in my scrapbooking room, it's really the only one that gets full sun in the afternoon. I too like looking outside though so I may go to drapes so that I can have them open at other times of the day. We really haven't had any hot days yet, here in the northeast it seems as if summer is never going to get here lol.

For the last several winters I have used electric space heaters instead of using my gas furnace. My most expensive electric bill for the winter was about $150. I know if I had used my furnace it would have easily been doubled. That's the only one I can think of for the moment.

In our country, the Philippines, we also experience hot summers especially this month. Our electricity bill increased because we sometimes extend the use of our air condition especially from 1-3 in the afternoon. We try to just take a bath 2 times a day so that we'll not fell hot nor sticky.

In my daily life,I am a frigal girl.I use the used water to wash the closestool,which save some water every month.hehe,I could do only this.So,you should deal it by your real circs.Don't too waste.The air condition use the electric very serious.So,you could save much electric ,I think ,if you use little.

plant some sapling around this gives you a good breeze and switch off the lights and fans when not in use

Personally I use lightbulbs that are energy savers. I rarely use my cell phone and that means I do not have to keep recharging it. I make sure that my tv and radio are not on standby because that uses almost the same amount as just having them on. An electric oven will not be used for only 1 roll. The Refridgerator is kept full so that it doesn't have to run to keep little or nothing cool. Yumay want to check to see how much those fans are going to be using and if it's going to be that much of a difference because they can use a lot too. Turn off your pc and printer and any other paraphanalia if you aren't using it and don't let it go on standby or use a screensaver because those still need energy. And although it may seem obvious remember to turn off the lights when you leave a room and nobody else is using it and close the door too while you are at it.

Newer energy efficient windows would be better. But they have window tint that can be used as well. It reflects the suns heat outward and yet you can still see outside the windows. Using the new CFL bulbs in sockets saves a lot of money on electricity over a years time as well. Not leaving lights on that you are not using. Keep the AC set at a higher temp than normal like 70 degrees. I do that and the house is cool and saves a lot of money. Just a few here. HAPPY POSTINGS FROM GRANDPA BOB !!~

My family and I are trying to find ways to save money on our bills also. Everything is so expensive these days. My utility bills eat us alive. I have high gas bills in the winter and high electric bills in the summer. We are putting a roof over our back deck to keep the sun from boiling through the kitchen window. We are also going to buy a couple of window awnings so the sun will not burn through a couple more of my windows too. I bought new, dark blunds last year also to keep the sunlight out of the house. We use oscillating fans and ceiling fans also to help keep it cool in the house. We keep the doors and the blinds closed so the heat or air does not escape.

Hey, Shelia! When I am here by myself thru the day I don't turn the a/c on or the heater. I have them turned way down/up whichever the case. I try to keep all lights turned off that no one is using. We use a floor fan at night in front of the open window in the bedroom so we don't have to turn the a/c on. We all are going to have to cut back however we can.

turning off all the lights before going to bed will save electricity & unplugging the connection of TV is also one of the saving tips in making your bill a bit lighter. hope this will help.,see you around!