Holiday Savings Tip #2

Hello readers! Today is tip #2, it's really not seasonal, but it helps during the holiday/winter season.

Have you ever been yelled at for leaving the lights on in a room you weren't in? Yeah, I've been yelled at by mom lots of times for that. Now that I am "all grown up" and on my own I realize the importance of saving electricity. Not only is it the "green" thing to do, but it saves on your utility bill! So, turn off those lights you aren't using.

Also, turn down your heat during the winter. A good number to set it on when away from the house is about 65-68 degrees. I wouldn't set it any lower than 65, because it takes a lot of energy to warm the house/apartment back up from a really low number. If you are home during the day, open up those doors and windows and let the outside air cool your home! Don't forget to turn your air off or down so your heat won't kick on. That would be a waste of what we are trying to do here. Another good idea is to set the temperature at 65-70 at night while you sleep. Colder temperatures mean better sleep according to The Better Sleep Council. A few weeks ago it was beautiful enough to sleep with the windows open and turn the air off. Now that it's getting colder, I wouldn't recommend that!

You can also do things like only wash clothes when you have a full load, and only wash dishes in the dishwasher if you have a full load. Take shorter showers, let your hair air dry some if you can. If you are baking something that could fit in a toaster oven (with the option to bake) instead of a regular oven put it in the toaster oven! This definitely helps conserve energy. You don't have to heat a larger amount of space you aren't using. Put a rug or towel down at the bottom of the door to keep outside air from coming in. Buy energy saving window treatments. I can honestly vouch for that. I have energy saving curtains at my big sliding glass door and it has cut our electricity bill down a few dollars every month, especially during the hottest and coldest months.




Well that's it for me today! I have to go to school now. I hope you found these tips helpful. I am looking forward to posting my tips for tomorrow already! Until then, ciao!


-Kayla



The Better Sleep Council:
http://bettersleep.fhdbeta.com/OnBetterSleep/sleep-tips.asp