{"id":7804,"date":"2021-06-14T00:14:43","date_gmt":"2021-06-14T00:14:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/alternatech.net\/?p=7804"},"modified":"2021-06-14T00:14:43","modified_gmt":"2021-06-14T00:14:43","slug":"12-practical-tricks-to-save-on-summer-utility-bills","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/inovatestory.com\/12-practical-tricks-to-save-on-summer-utility-bills\/","title":{"rendered":"12 Practical Tricks To Save on Summer Utility Bills"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>Financial experts have divulged their favorite strategies to save on summer utility bills. Here\u2019s what they recommend.\n<p>Summertime and the living are easy\u2026 Until you open the bills, that is. Between blasting the AC and overdoing water consumption, those seemingly innocent warmer-month habits have a way of adding up. Before you open another bill, though, first shift your attitude about saving, advises Prudential\u2019s financial wellness advocate Tiffany Aliche, aka The Budgetnista. \u201cI don\u2019t believe in being overly restrictive when it comes to saving money, because your attitude toward money affects so many other areas of your life,\u201d she says. \u201cIt affects your stress level, physical health, state of mind, family dynamic, and even your work performance.\u201d When you treat money as a tool to help you achieve your goals, rather than something you need to go without or limit, you\u2019ll be more likely to stick with cost-saving measures, she says.\n</p><p>Check out practical tricks below:\n</p><h4>1. Put time on your side\n</h4><p><img fetchpriority='\"high\"' decoding='\"async\"' class='\"size-full' wp-image-7806 aligncenter src="%5C%22http:%5C/%5C/alternatech.net%5C/wp-content%5C/uploads%5C/2021%5C/06%5C/save-on-summer-utility-bills0.jpg%5C%22" alt='\"\"' width='\"1000\"' height='\"750\"' srcset='\"https:\/\/inovatestory.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/save-on-summer-utility-bills0.jpg' https: sizes='\"(max-width:'>\n</p><p>You know how it is. You step into the shower for just a \u201cquick rinse,\u201d and ten minutes later you\u2019re lost in thought. The average shower lasts eight minutes and uses 75 litres, but experts recommend a five-minute shower instead. The simplest shower-shortening method is to use a timer, suggests Aliche. \u201cYou might be surprised at how long your average shower lasts, and how easy it can be to save money on water, and the energy it takes to heat it, by simply shortening it a few minutes,\u201d she says.\n</p><h4>2. Give your AC some love\n</h4><p><img decoding='\"async\"' class='\"size-full' wp-image-7807 aligncenter src="%5C%22http:%5C/%5C/alternatech.net%5C/wp-content%5C/uploads%5C/2021%5C/06%5C/save-on-summer-utility-bills-1.jpg%5C%22" alt='\"\"' width='\"1000\"' height='\"750\"' srcset='\"https:\/\/inovatestory.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/save-on-summer-utility-bills-1.jpg' https: sizes='\"(max-width:'>\n</p><p>Have you changed your AC filter recently? (Don\u2019t worry, we haven\u2019t either.) But small swaps and maintenance checks can ensure your appliances are operating efficiently. \u201cI get my AC filter automatically shipped to me every 90 days during the warmer months, so that way I don\u2019t have to think about it, I just know that\u2019s the time to swap out my filter,\u201d shares Michael Foguth, founder of Foguth Financial Group in Brighton, Michigan.\n</p><p>It\u2019s also a good idea to get your air conditioner and furnace checked every spring and fall respectively, to ensure that your units are running well and not using too much energy.\n</p><h4>3. Channel your inner tech geek\n</h4><p><img decoding='\"async\"' class='\"size-full' wp-image-7808 aligncenter src="%5C%22http:%5C/%5C/alternatech.net%5C/wp-content%5C/uploads%5C/2021%5C/06%5C/save-on-summer-utility-bills-2.jpg%5C%22" alt='\"\"' width='\"1000\"' height='\"750\"' srcset='\"https:\/\/inovatestory.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/save-on-summer-utility-bills-2.jpg' https: sizes='\"(max-width:'>\n</p><p>\u201cThe easiest way to save on summer utility bills is to use digital technology to your advantage,\u201d Foguth says. This handily eliminates all of the \u201cdid I or didn\u2019t I?\u201d feeling when you\u2019re not at home, wondering if you left the AC on. Use it to be creative, too: Perhaps you can raise your programmable thermostat a few degrees overnight when you\u2019re in REM sleep and won\u2019t notice the difference. Same with your lights: Smart-home technological advances are making it easier these days to save energy by using timers and remote controls (often via an app on your smartphone).\n</p><h4>4. Keep your cool\n</h4><p><img loading='\"lazy\"' decoding='\"async\"' class='\"size-full' wp-image-7809 aligncenter src="%5C%22http:%5C/%5C/alternatech.net%5C/wp-content%5C/uploads%5C/2021%5C/06%5C/save-on-summer-utility-bills-3.jpg%5C%22" alt='\"\"' width='\"1000\"' height='\"750\"' srcset='\"https:\/\/inovatestory.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/save-on-summer-utility-bills-3.jpg' https: sizes='\"(max-width:'>\n</p><p>It\u2019s perhaps the most simple\u2014yet often, in the morning rush, overlooked\u2014way of keeping a house cooler during the day: taking a minute to close the drapes and blinds. \u201cYou know-how, in an airplane, they want you to lower the shades on the windows to keep it cool when you\u2019re landing in a warm destination? Well, the same principle goes for your home, and it makes such a difference,\u201d says New York-based debt-resolution lawyer Leslie Tayne, author of Life &amp; Debt.\n</p><h4>5. Watch out for \u201cvampire energy\u201d\n</h4><p><img loading='\"lazy\"' decoding='\"async\"' class='\"size-full' wp-image-7810 aligncenter src="%5C%22http:%5C/%5C/alternatech.net%5C/wp-content%5C/uploads%5C/2021%5C/06%5C/save-on-summer-utility-bills-4.jpg%5C%22" alt='\"\"' width='\"1000\"' height='\"750\"' srcset='\"https:\/\/inovatestory.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/save-on-summer-utility-bills-4.jpg' https: sizes='\"(max-width:'>\n</p><p>Did you realize that your appliances are using energy simply by being plugged in? It\u2019s called vampire\u2014or standby\u2014energy, whereby an appliance still uses energy when turned off. \u201cAnything that you have plugged into an outlet could silently be seeping off energy without you realizing it,\u201d says Aliche. To combat the vampires, she advises plugging electronics (except, obviously, appliances like your fridge) into an outlet strip, then unplugging the strip every night (turning it off isn\u2019t enough). \u201cOne of my clients used this piece of advice and ended up saving $30 a month,\u201d she says.\n</p><h4>6. Use water during peak times\n</h4><p><img loading='\"lazy\"' decoding='\"async\"' class='\"size-full' wp-image-7811 aligncenter src="%5C%22http:%5C/%5C/alternatech.net%5C/wp-content%5C/uploads%5C/2021%5C/06%5C/save-on-summer-utility-bills-5.jpg%5C%22" alt='\"\"' width='\"1000\"' height='\"750\"' srcset='\"https:\/\/inovatestory.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/save-on-summer-utility-bills-5.jpg' https: sizes='\"(max-width:'>\n</p><p>Peak soaking-in times, that is. \u201cYou waste water when you use it during the heat of the day because you lose a lot to evaporation,\u201d says Foguth. Watering your grass and garden during early morning or evening ensures the water soaks in where you need it: into the soil as opposed to the air.\n</p><h4>7. Ditch the dryer\n</h4><p><img loading='\"lazy\"' decoding='\"async\"' class='\"size-full' wp-image-7812 aligncenter src="%5C%22http:%5C/%5C/alternatech.net%5C/wp-content%5C/uploads%5C/2021%5C/06%5C/save-on-summer-utility-bills-6.jpg%5C%22" alt='\"\"' width='\"1000\"' height='\"750\"' srcset='\"https:\/\/inovatestory.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/save-on-summer-utility-bills-6.jpg' https: sizes='\"(max-width:'>\n</p><p>When\u2019s the last time you\u2019ve actually air-dried, say, a towel? Exactly, says Tayne, who recommends the old-fashioned clothes-line technique. \u201cTake advantage of the warmer months to take a break from the dryer now and again,\u201d she says. Just thinking of that fresh smell should be incentive enough to keep it up all summer. According to the Saving Electricity website, line-drying can save you nearly $200 a year (cost depends on dryer and energy rate; use this chart to calculate your savings).\n</p><h4>8. Eliminate the surprise factor\n</h4><p><img loading='\"lazy\"' decoding='\"async\"' class='\"size-full' wp-image-7813 aligncenter src="%5C%22http:%5C/%5C/alternatech.net%5C/wp-content%5C/uploads%5C/2021%5C/06%5C/save-on-summer-utility-bills-7.jpg%5C%22" alt='\"\"' width='\"1000\"' height='\"750\"' srcset='\"https:\/\/inovatestory.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/save-on-summer-utility-bills-7.jpg' https: sizes='\"(max-width:'>\n</p><p>Avoid the sticker shock that comes with warm-weather bills: Did you know that many utility companies offer an Equal Pay program? \u201cThis way, you\u2019re paying the same amount every month, based on your estimated annual expenses split in 12, so you can better plan ahead,\u201d says Foguth.\n</p><h4>9. Make it a group effort\n</h4><p><img loading='\"lazy\"' decoding='\"async\"' class='\"size-full' wp-image-7814 aligncenter src="%5C%22http:%5C/%5C/alternatech.net%5C/wp-content%5C/uploads%5C/2021%5C/06%5C/save-on-summer-utility-bills-8.jpg%5C%22" alt='\"\"' width='\"1000\"' height='\"750\"' srcset='\"https:\/\/inovatestory.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/save-on-summer-utility-bills-8.jpg' https: sizes='\"(max-width:'>\n</p><p>\u201cWhen I was a kid, my dad would leave the electric bill out so we could see the charges from last month and the current month,\u201d says Aliche. \u201cThen if we saved money month-to-month, he\u2019d contribute to our family vacation pot. It was a way for him to engage the whole family with decisions we made throughout the house, like turning off the lights or taking shorter showers. And let me tell you: It worked!\u201d\n</p><h4>10. Try to keep up with the Joneses\n</h4><p><img loading='\"lazy\"' decoding='\"async\"' class='\"size-full' wp-image-7815 aligncenter src="%5C%22http:%5C/%5C/alternatech.net%5C/wp-content%5C/uploads%5C/2021%5C/06%5C/save-on-summer-utility-bills-9.jpg%5C%22" alt='\"\"' width='\"1000\"' height='\"750\"' srcset='\"https:\/\/inovatestory.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/save-on-summer-utility-bills-9.jpg' https: sizes='\"(max-width:'>\n</p><p>Tayne laughs as she offers a unique yet always-effective motivator for saving money: competition. \u201cMy utility companies show me a comparison to my neighbors in terms of how I\u2019m doing with energy, and I\u2019m always like, \u2018why are they more efficient than I am?\u2019 and then it becomes this competition,\u201d she says. \u201cI\u2019m sure I\u2019ve saved money just from seeing how I rank with others!\u201d\n</p><h4>11. Get comfy with your credit score\n</h4><p><img loading='\"lazy\"' decoding='\"async\"' class='\"size-full' wp-image-7816 aligncenter src="%5C%22http:%5C/%5C/alternatech.net%5C/wp-content%5C/uploads%5C/2021%5C/06%5C/save-on-summer-utility-bills-10.jpg%5C%22" alt='\"\"' width='\"1000\"' height='\"750\"' srcset='\"https:\/\/inovatestory.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/save-on-summer-utility-bills-10.jpg' https: sizes='\"(max-width:'>\n</p><p>\u201cLet\u2019s face it: Having a low credit score leads to an expensive life,\u201d says Aliche. \u201cEven if you\u2019re not borrowing money, even if you\u2019re just turning on your lights, getting new cell phone service, or getting new car insurance\u2014any situation where you\u2019re going to be making regular payments\u2014credit does matter.\u201d Depending on your score, utility companies can charge you a down payment, or even charge you more for their service.\n</p><h4>12. Think long-term\n</h4><p>When Aliche bought a draughty older home, a contractor suggested that she install insulation\u2014for $2,500. \u201cI thought, \u2018Wow, that\u2019s a lot of money,\u2019 but he said, \u2018It\u2019s going to be worth its weight in gold,\u2019 and he was right,\u201d she recalls. \u201cBefore we even moved in, our heating bill was up to $500 a month. As soon as we insulated, our bill went down to $102 the next month. Now it\u2019s under $120 monthly. Think about the lifetime savings of that simple step. That\u2019s why I tell people not to be afraid of a big up-front cost because it will usually pay off\u2014sometimes surprisingly so!\u201d\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"</p><p>Financial experts have divulged their favorite strategies to save on summer utility bills. Here\u2019s what they recommend. Summertime and the living are easy\u2026 Until you open the bills, that is. Between blasting the AC and overdoing water consumption, those seemingly innocent warmer-month habits have a way of adding up. Before you open another bill, though,\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":7805,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"12 Practical Tricks To Save on Summer Utility Bills","_seopress_robots_index":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[21],"tags":[30,46,103,102,119],"class_list":{"0":"post-7804","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-tie-life-style","8":"tag-household-hacks","9":"tag-life-hacks","10":"tag-money-hacks","11":"tag-money-saving","12":"tag-saving-tips"},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/inovatestory.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/save-on-summer-utility-bills.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/inovatestory.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7804","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/inovatestory.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/inovatestory.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/inovatestory.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/inovatestory.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7804"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/inovatestory.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7804\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/inovatestory.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7805"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/inovatestory.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7804"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/inovatestory.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7804"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/inovatestory.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7804"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}</p></strong></p>