Financial Resource

Energy efficiency has become a catchphrase for many appliances and equipment. The more energy efficient an appliance is, the more highly touted it becomes. This is especially true for newer models which have higher efficiency rates. Older models tend to have lower efficiency compared to the newer ones. So, if you have a lot of older appliances, turn it down, turn it off save a little on your energy bill.

Every dollar you save can mean a lot in these depressed economic times. If you cut back on a lot of little things, you would be surprised at how fast you would be able to accumulate more dollars.

One very easy way to save money is to cut back on your energy bill. You may be surprised at the amount of money you save by taking a few steps to consciously save energy.

One of the things to remember is to turn off all appliances and lights that are not in use. We often move from one room to another and forget to turn off the lights. The energy consumed by these lights may not seem a lot. Spread it over time and the energy consumption builds up. As you needlessly consume more energy, you needlessly pay more on your utility bills.

It’s not just the lights that consume a lot of energy that goes to waste. Many an energy vampire hides in plain sight. Your television may be an energy vampire. The toaster on your kitchen table is another energy vampire. As a genera rule, appliances that have timers and remote controls are energy vampires. Other examples of energy vampires are digital video recorders and set top cable boxes.

Why do these appliances consume so much power? All of these appliances consume standby power. Remote controlled devices need standby power so they can detect when the remote control is pressed. They may have an adapter that continues to draw on power even when switched off. Alternately, they may have a device like a clock that will continue to suck power from the outlet.

If put together, experts estimate that standby power put together can consume up to 10% of your residence’s power consumption. If you take away the ten percent that standby power makes up, your energy bill may become significantly lower. You can save a lot of money in the end.

How do you stop energy vampires then? Stopping energy vampires require very little effort. You just have to be a little more vigilant than usual about your habits. One way to stop your appliances from becoming energy vampires is to unplug them. This simple act can help you save ten percent on your home’s energy consumption. If you don’t need a particular appliance to run, unplug them straight away. This may take time to get used to as the convenience of leaving hem plugged in and ready for use has become a deeply ingrained habit.

Another way you can stop energy vampires in their tracks is to use a smart power strip. Plug in your appliances into the appropriate smart power strip. If you’re not using any of them, cut the power from the power strip. This is also convenient if the appliances are plugged in to hard to reach areas.

If you really want to save big on a long term basis, go for renewable energy sources like solar energy. The initial expense will be a bit steep but the panels will soon pay for their selves after a while by the savings you make. Plus, you may even get tax breaks for using renewable energy.

Saving energy and money may be as simple as unplugging your appliances and installing a smart power strip. Even if you can’t have solar panels, these two will save you money.