Tips on How to Cut Your Utility Bills

In the recent years, utility bills are giving most of us a headache. The costs of electricity, water, telephone and other indispensable utilities are rising sky high. However, there are many ways to cut those astronomically high utility bills. How? Here are only a few suggestions:

Check your doors and windows. Doors and windows are the biggest energy consumers if they not sealing properly. If you can feel the breeze of air when you put your hand next to your doors or windows, you should seriously consider replacing them. In the long term, doors and windows that seal tightly will save you a great deal of money.

Buy energy efficient appliances. If it is time to replace an appliance, be sure to pay attention to its energy efficiency. Typically, the more the energy efficient the appliance the higher the price but it is a worthy investment, especially if you need a new refrigerator or freezer both of which need energy to run 24/7.

Lower your thermostat for a few degrees. By lowering your thermostat from 25 to 23 degrees Celsius during the winter and keeping it on 24 instead of 18 degrees Celsius during the summer for instance, you will not feel any colder/hotter. You will, however, dramatically cut your heating and cooling bills.

Fix water problems. Water bills are high enough without a leaky pipe or tap. If you can see your tap or toilet tank dripping, do not postpone the repair any longer. But if your taps and toilet tank are not the problem, an outrageously high water bill probably indicates a leaky pipe. Check your home for water stains on the walls and moisture accumulation. If you cannot find any signs of a leaking pipe, there is a chance that you have a leak outside. But before you start tearing up the floor, contact your water provider on the issue.

Follow water/energy saving tips. Let’s be honest. Most of us are not as responsible water and energy users as we would like to think we are. But all those seemingly tiny saving measures such as closing the tap while brushing the teeth, shutting down the appliances completely rather than leaving them on stand-by mode, turning off the lights when not needed, collecting rainwater for watering the garden and house plants, etc. can make those utility bills a lot less stressful.

Contact your utility provider. If you cannot find any reasonable explanation for the unusually high utility bills, contact your utility provider on the issue. They are much more understanding than you may think they are and will help you find a solution for your problem. But if they are not showing any interest in your concerns, you should seriously consider to start searching for a new utility provider.