How To Lower Electric Bill In An Apartment

Tom Gaffey
by Tom Gaffey

With apartment and rental prices at record highs, people are looking closer at their expenses than ever before. In addition to the hefty rent or mortgage payment, there are also often an array of utilities to consider. There is sewage and water, internet, cable, subscription services and others.

But for most people, the electric bill is the largest utility bill each month. But for those looking to lower their apartment electric bill each month, the good news is, there are all sorts of ways to achieve this goal.

One of the best ways to lower your apartment’s electric bill is to decrease your energy consumption. Ways to do this include using your washer less frequently, air drying clothes, taking shorter hot showers and monitoring your energy use diligently.

You can also work to better insulate your home, program your thermostat wisely, unplug appliances when you aren’t using them and even maintain your air filters.

If you are struggling to stay afloat financially with all the rising costs in life, then you likely need to start living a bit differently. While making cuts and changing our daily routine is not always the most appealing solution, it does not always have to completely change the way we live our lives.

In fact, most of the 12 ways we suggest to help lower your electric bill require very little changes to the way you live. Best of all, many of these methods are also great for the environment.

12 Ways To Lower Your Apartment’s Electrical Bill

1. Use Energy-Saving Appliances

One popular way to reduce your electric bill is by always purchasing energy-efficient appliances. You might notice that some of these appliances cost a bit more initially, but the overall savings can be significant.

This is particularly true when it comes to appliances that use a lot of energy such as washing machines, dishwashers and refrigerators. But any regularly used electrical appliances should be energy efficient.

2. Unplug Appliances When Not In Use

A great money saving habit you should work on is unplugging appliances when they are not in use. You might think that an appliance doesn’t cost you money when you aren’t using it, but this is actually frequently untrue.

Any device that stays in standby, or has a motor running, will use power at all times. Some devices you should consider unplugging include coffee makers, mini fridges and powerful blenders.

3. Use Washer Less Frequently

It is not a secret that washing machines use a lot of water and energy. Laundry is an inevitable chore, but there are often ways to cut down on this expense.

Two ways to lower the energy costs of laundry are using less hot water, and doing faster, less frequent laundry.

Doing laundry on a faster clean cycle is one way to cut down on energy costs. Another great way is to only do your laundry when you have a full load.

Sure, sometimes laundry needs to fit into our busy schedule, but if you decrease the loads you do each month, you will notice a drop in your electric bill.

4. Improve Home Insulation

If you own your apartment, you should see what ways you can improve your home insulation. Some of the more popular ways to do this include re-sealing windows and entry points, adding heavy drapes to windows, and even purchasing insulating windows.

If you rent, you can ask your landlord to see if he or she can assist with better insulation.

5. Use Dishwasher Only When Necessary

Whenever possible, you should hand wash your dishes, using water only when necessary. Running a dishwasher uses significantly more energy than hand washing. This is particularly true when you run a dishwasher when it is only partially full. Try to only use the dishwasher after a dinner party or a day of meal prep.

6. Use Air Conditioning Conservatively

Air conditioning is one of the most expensive modern luxuries to hit your electric bill. You probably notice that your electrical bill shoots up in the hottest months of the year.

So, it is crucial you only use air conditioning when necessary. It is a good idea to check the weather, and use open windows and fans when the weather is pleasant, as this is much cheaper than running the AC.

7. Swap Out Light Bulbs

Light bulbs have come a long way since Edison. Now, if you use the most energy-efficient light bulbs throughout your home, you will notice some substantial electric bill savings over time.

is particularly true if you live in a dark apartment and require lights on for most of the day and night.

8. Air Dry Your Clothes

Washers are not the only expensive appliance. Running a dryer is incredibly pricey, especially if you are constantly doing laundry.

Drying your clothes, or at least some of them, on an outdoor line can really cut down on your electric bill over time. You might want to try starting by air drying towels and sheets, as this alone will result in a bit of savings each month. Also, it’s better for the environment.

9. Be Mindful Of Hot Water Usage

Hot water usage might be run by gas, but it is often an electrical expense. Either way, decreasing your hot water use is a fantastic way to decrease your overall expenses.

The best ways to decrease hot water usage include taking mindful and shorter showers, using less hot water, and turning off your water heater when you won’t use it.

You can also consider only using hot water in the washer when absolutely necessary. Using cold or lukewarm water in the washer is a great way to save.

10. Program Your Thermostat Wisely

Most modern thermostats have built-in features that can help you decrease your electric bill significantly. For example, you can program your thermostat to turn off, or close to off, when you are gone at work.

This is great, as you essentially are only using your heat and air conditioning when you are in the home.

You can also program your thermostat to change throughout the night, and put it in weekend mode. Using smart thermostat programming is a great way to decrease your electric bill and only pay for the energy you use.

If you have an old thermostat, you might want to look into upgrading to a modern one, as it will save you a lot over time.

11. Maintain Air Filters Regularly

One of the lesser known but very effective ways to lower your electric bill is by regularly maintaining your air filters. Your HVAC system gets dirty over time as it constantly filters the air in your apartment.

This causes air filters to fill up and get quite dirty. It is usually recommended to check and clean or change air filters every three months or so.

When you don’t regularly maintain your air filters, the HVAC system has to work harder. It’s like when you try to breathe through a thick face mask, it takes more energy. This extra energy results in a higher electric bill. So, maintaining clean air filters is great for your health and your electric bill.

12. Closely Monitor Your Energy Usage

Perhaps the best way to save significant money on your electric bill over time is to carefully monitor and track your daily usage. Any way you can track your hot water, appliance and AC usage will help you see why your electric bill is the price it is.

Once you are able to quantify how much everything costs, you can better adjust your daily lifestyle.

You might notice that swapping out your lightbulbs has saved a few dollars, but turning off hot water and turning off an extra refrigerator saves 20 or 30 dollars per month.

Once you are able to see these savings over time, you can work to maintain and continue to trim your lower electric bill. In fact, these cost-saving measures can actually be fun, especially when you notice the extra money in your bank account.

Concluding How To Lower Your Apartment’s Electric Bill

If you are noticing your electric bill is high and almost unmanageable, don’t panic. There are all sorts of ways you can lower your electric bill.

The most effective way to lower your apartment’s electric bill is to decrease your electricity usage. Some of the best ways to do this include swapping out old appliances for energy-efficient ones, air-drying clothes, and using the washer and dishwasher less frequently.

You can also program your thermostat smartly to decrease how hard your HVAC has to work. You should regularly check your air vents, and also monitor car electric bills diligently to see what works and what doesn’t.

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Tom Gaffey
Tom Gaffey

Tom Gaffey is an expert writer who currently resides in Washington D.C. Tom has a passion for real estate and home improvement writing, as well as travel and lifestyle writing. He lived the last twelve years in Hawaii where he worked closely with luxury resorts and event planners, mastering his knowledge of aesthetics and luxury products. This is where he found his passion for home improvement and a keen interest in DIY projects. Currently, Tom resides in Washington D.C, and also working on his debut fiction novel.

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