Good Nesting

Lower Your Electric Bill By Making These Purchases For Your Home

Spend money on certain parts of your home now, and you should see savings in the future, especially when it comes to your electric bill.

As they say, you have to spend money to make money. While that may mostly be true in business, it’s also true when it comes to your home-related expenses.

There are several investments you can make right now that can lower your electric bill. Here are some of the best monthly money-savers that can make your home more energy-efficient:

1. Snag some fans

Yes, an air conditioner can make your home completely comfortable as it cools it down. But that comfort can come at quite the cost. To reduce that cost while keeping your home cool, invest in some fans.

Ceiling fans are particularly useful since they work well in both the summer and winter. In the summer, set the fan’s switch to a counterclockwise rotation. This will bring the cold air down. In the winter, set it to a clockwise rotation. This will pull the cold air up while pushing warm air down for maximum comfort.

If ceiling fans are too messy or expensive to install, pedestal fans, box fans, or any other type of fan. The point is to stay comfortable while cutting those electricity costs, which is what fans are great at doing.

2. Buy blackout curtains

If you live in a top-floor apartment that gets pounded by sunlight, investing in some blackout curtains can save the day. Not only will they keep glaring sunlight from making it hard to see, but they’ll also keep your place cooler, so your fans and AC don’t have to work so hard.

Since blackout curtains can be costly, you probably won’t want them for every single window in your home. Instead, place them where you know sunlight hits the hardest. Even a few blackout curtains could make a big difference in your monthly bill.

3. Look for new light bulbs

Are there certain lights that you always use? You’ll want to make them as energy-efficient as possible, so check which type of bulbs they are using.

You can save energy and get a longer life out of LED bulbs, but they are one of the more costly options. As long as you can buy some, however, replacing a few highly-used bulbs with these more efficient options can lead to monthly savings.

4. Buy dryer balls

You can reduce how long your dryer runs by tossing some dryer balls into the mix. Just how effective are they? Effective enough that you can lower drying time by 25%.

Sure, they will make your dryer a bit louder as they bounce around and do their job. But the savings are well worth it, and you’ll find that they’re quite an inexpensive addition to your monthly money-saving efforts.

5. Keep it coming with those filters

Depending on where you live, air conditioning can be a colossal necessity. With that necessity comes cost, however, and you want to do everything you can to protect your investment.

What’s one of the easiest ways to ensure your AC runs as it should and lasts long? Change your filters regularly, which is about every month or so.

The more clogged your filter gets, the harder your AC has to work to keep your home comfortable. If it has to work too hard for a prolonged period, it could call it quits and require a replacement worth thousands of dollars.

Luckily, AC filters are affordable and easy to replace, so don’t forget this preventative maintenance move. It can keep more money in your pocket in both the short and long term.