Summer is upon us, and that means far more than having to keep an ever-closer eye on your neighborhood now that kids are out of school and have more free time to cause mischief, be it making too much noise or their overall lack of respect for mailboxes. No, summer means the very real threat of high utility payments. All across the country stories are popping up of Americans, who average $200 per month for water payments, suddenly receiving a bill informing them that their water usage jumped to $1,800 with little explanation. To avoid becoming a victim of such a scenario, there are steps you can take – beyond wearing a tin foil hat or attempting to construct your own wind turbine with tragic results – to protect yourself.
Learn How to Read Your Electric Meter
Sun Tzu once said in his Art of War that “If you know the enemy and know yourself you need not fear the results of a hundred battles.” I think we all know the only proper context for that quote is when dealing with your electric meter, and that was undoubtedly his intent. If you possess a proper understanding of how your electric meter works, you can study how much energy you’ve used during a current billing cycle and either catch an anomaly before it becomes a problem or adjust your energy usage accordingly.
The idea of trying to interpret the seemingly never-ending dials on a meter can be an intimidating thought, but never fear: there are numerous websites that would do Sun Tzu proud by providing the ultimate service – information. Here is one such website that explains how to read your meter so well that even I was able to follow along.
Limit Your Energy Usage During the Day
Odds are, if you’re fortunate enough to have a job in this economy, you’re not working from home. One way to cut back on energy is to dial your air conditioner way back while you’re gone. Yes, you’ll likely return to a stuffy apartment or home, but turning the air conditioning back up when you return will allow your place to cool off by the time you head to bed (and, for me at least, trying to sleep in the heat is the most difficult part of the summer).
You can really save money by turning off your air conditioner completely while you’re at work, a message I have passed on to my girlfriend. She objected, not wanting to leave her dog in too much discomfort. My counterargument that he’s a freeloader who doesn’t pay his share of the rent fell on deaf ears, though maybe you’d have better luck making this argument with your significant other.
Unplug Your Gadgets!
It wasn’t until recently that I learned gadgets plugged into an outlet, even if off, can drain power. Such an instance is called “Vampire Power”, which should immediately force you to take it seriously. Though my first reaction was to wave garlic around at all my appliances and make the sign of the cross, Sun Tzu’s urging of more information pushed me to study how to defeat “Vampire Power.” It turns out its kryptonite isn’t pasta seasoning – it’s just unplugging devices not being used.
When you’re not using your computer, fans or cell phone chargers, simply unplug them. To protect yourself from items more difficult to access, such as a television set or DVD Player, use a power strip that can be switched on and off whenever you please.
Think Outside the Box to Stay Cool
While the items listed above are great ways to save on electric bills, they’re only scratching the surface. Many more creative ways to stay cool during the summer are just waiting to be discovered. One tried-and-true method was discovered by my dad when I was just a kid, a method which I call the “Sarcastic Father.” Growing up, whenever it was too hot and I urged him to turn up the air conditioner, he’d pick me up and toss me in the backyard and lock me out for an extended period of time.
“When you come back in a long time from now, it’ll feel nice and cool inside,” he’d shout from inside the house over the roar of the air conditioner. While some would consider this child abuse (I certainly did), others would view it as wise and practical.
Though I have yet to test this theory, I think I may be on the cusp of a discovery myself. One way to save on electric bills is to pool your resources as a neighborhood with a method I call “Take the Hint.” If it’s too hot outside and you don’t wish to increase your own utility bill, sit outside in your front yard with a hose down your shirt moaning about the heat until one of your neighbors offers you a free night at their air conditioned place.
The sky is the limit when it comes to conserving energy, and each person should attempt to come up with their own creative solutions to cut expense. What’s yours?
This post was written by Scott Janssen.
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We just bought one of those energy consumption readers and it is awesome. We are making so many changes now that we know for sure what things are using.