Our electric bills are a huge fluctuating expense which can be very hard to budget because our heating, cooling and electric needs seem to change from month to month. Obviously there will be some fluctuations between the seasons, but some common mistakes can make power bills soar unnecessarily.

Check Your HVAC

There are a lot of HVAC issues that can drastically affect your electric bill.

One thing you can keep a check on is whether all of your vents are opened properly. This is a small detail that many people rarely think about. If your system vents are closed your system will struggle to keep your home comfortable. The more your system struggles the higher your power bill will be.

Filters are another small chore that can cost you money when you do not pay it close attention. Dirty or dusty filters can greatly hinder the air flow in your system. Filters should be changed out about once a month.

Reconsider Laundry

You can also rack up savings by paying close attention to the way you do your laundry.

Washing your clothes with cold water only saves up to 90% of the energy that your washer puts out. Cold water only detergent will ensure that using only cold water settings will not cause any damage to your clothing. This is also a time saver as you will not need to separate lights from darks if you use cold water only.

Also keep in mind that overstuffing your washer uses more energy because it will cause the washer to struggle with the larger load. You should only fill your machine about three fourths of the way full.

Understand Your Power Company

Take the time to research your particular power company so that you can better understand how exactly they charge and at what rate.

Many people are unaware that several power companies actually begin charging their customers a discounted rate for electricity after eight at night because this is a non-peak time of electrical use. Finding out if your company operates this way could save you money if you choose to shift large energy sucking tasks such as running the clothes drier to later in the evening.

Turn Off The Lights!

The most basic of energy saving techniques also happens to be the one most people have the least faith in. Do you really believe that one closest light burning all day affects your electrical bill?

It absolutely does.

When you are attempting to reverse your financial situation through Christian debt management you must remember that every little bit counts. Just like pennies in a coin jar add up over time, every time you switch off an unused light you are really, honestly saving money.

As a bonus, the next time you have an old incandescent light bulb burn out, replace it with a compact florescent bulb. They not only reduce energy use but because they last several years, you will save on new bulbs over time too.

Set a Goal

A great way to commit to reducing your electric bill is to set a savings goal each month. If you have a set budgeted amount each month for your power bill, you can set a goal to try and go under that amount. When you receive your next bill and you accomplished your goal, take the amount of the difference, even if it is just five dollars, and apply those five dollars to another financial goal such as your emergency fund, or Christmas fund. When you know that the saved money is designated for something worthwhile, you will try harder to conserve power and save money.