6 Ways to Save Money on Utilities
When renting, it can be discouraging to see your money disappear into bills and living costs. Although you have a rental that is the perfect rate for you (thanks Rentfaster.ca!), in the blink of an eye your utility bills can add up. Thankfully, you can reduce those costs and save money on utilities through small changes! Lower those bills and have more money freedom in your future. Here are 6 ways to save money on utilities!
1. Laundry with Cold Water
If you do your laundry with cold water instead of warm, you will notice a drastic change in your utility bill. By making this small change, you are reducing the amount of energy needed to heat up the water tank. Worried about your clothes being affected by the cold water? Most clothes and delicate items actually require cold water to clean.
2. Use a Clothes Line
Another way to reduce the amount of energy spent on heating is to hang your clothes to dry instead of using the dryer! The dryer requires a high amount of energy to work the machine, as well as heat the air to dry the wet clothes. If you think about the average time you spend drying your clothes, you probably will find that your dryer is on for up to an hour for each load! Instead air-dry your clothes when possible (Canada has it’s outdoor limitations) and reduce the time spent with the dryer on.
3. Apply Weather Stripping
One of the best ways to save money on utilities is to apply weather stripping to your doors and windows. This will ensure that the warmed air inside your house stays in, and the cold air from outside stays out! Applying weather stripping is as simple as going to your local hardware store and purchasing a weather stripping seal or tape (priced as low as $10). Stick this on to the inside frame of your windows and doors and spend less on heating your home!
4. Fill Up the Dishwasher
We live in a society where we will often run the dishwasher even when it is half-full. We don’t like to see dirty dishes! If you are looking for ways to save money on utilities, be sure that your dishwasher is completely full before running it. This will save the number of runs needed and reduce the amount of water and heating required to run a load! Also take one step further and turn off the ‘hot air dry’ function – your dishes will still dry, but use less energy.
5. Turn Off (and Unplug) Lights
If you can teach yourself to turn lights off when not in use, you will start to see a decrease in your utilities bill. It is often a tough habit but will save money in the long term. In addition to switching off lights, unplug any lights that are rarely used. Even though the lights are turned off when they are plugged in, small amounts of electricity are still used (called vampire electricity). Unplug those lamps and appliances in rooms that you use less often to save money!
6. Use Less Water
Of course, the most obvious way to save money on utilities is to take shorter showers and avoid baths. But in addition to these water-saving methods, there are a number of other things you can keep in mind.
- As mentioned, make sure your laundry and dishwasher loads are full before running them!
- Fix any leaking or dripping taps or pipes.
- Turn off the taps while you not in use (ex. putting away a washed dish, or while you are brushing your teeth).
- Replace shower heads with low-flow options.
Apply these small changes to your daily life at home and you will begin to see a decrease in your utilities. Happy saving!
