**This post is sponsored by Reliant. All opinions are 100% our own!**
The holidays have a way of becoming a spending free-for-all, so we always welcome thrifty ideas to help offset the mayhem. Thanks to Reliant for suggesting some easy-to-implement energy (and money) saving tips!
- When it’s chilly outside, keep your thermostat at 68 degrees (or lower). For every degree above 68, that’s a 3-5% hike to your heating costs. And be advised, an electric heater uses three times the amount of electricity as an air conditioner.
- Be careful about overloading circuits during the holidays. Watch for flickering lights, warm switch plates or outlets, and dimming lights or TV screens.
- Possibly a total “doy,” but make sure your damper is closed when the fireplace is not in use!
- Recycle that pile of non-functioning string lights at your local home improvement store, and consider replacing them with LED lights, which use 90% less electricity than the incandescent kind. HOT TIP: Don’t use more than three sets of lights per extension cord/outlet, check manufacturer’s recommendation to be safe.
- Those inflatable lawn decorations use big lights and motors without using a lot of electricity. They only cost about a penny an hour to operate!
- Let leftovers cool a bit before you store them – it keeps your refrigerator from working harder to overcome the added heat. And avoid leaving the fridge door open as you leisurely gather ingredients (guilty with a capital G). Both of these tips will help keep your refrigerator surprisingly economical to operate, about $5 per month.
- Consider using your non-oven appliances to cook when possible. Microwaves use about 75% less energy than conventional ovens, and slow cookers can produce a meal for only about 20 cents in electricity costs.
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