Saving on Electricity

• Call your electric company to see if they offer any programs to help you save. Ours has an "on call" program that saves us about $5 a month. Your mileage may vary depending on how many appliances can be added to the program. Some companies offer programs to help you get your home better insulated, more efficient, etc.
• Turn down the temperature on your water heater. If you have young children you should do this anyway so your children can't accidently scald themselves. (see my post on Water Heaters for additional tips).
• Turn off lights when you're not in the room
• Turn off ceiling fans when you are not in the room
• Turn your computer off when not in use (this is a big one!)
• Unplug appliances not in use that use "phantom power" - such as your TV. Even though your TV is off, there is a little bit of current there that is waiting for you to use your remote
• Turn off printers, speakers, monitors, scanners, etc. You can purchase a electrical strip called a "Smart Strip" that will recognize when your computer shuts off and will automatically cut power to all peripheral equipment.