How to Reduce Your Electric Bill in Oklahoma City

Electricity is a necessary convenience in any apartment, but you can still control how much you use. If you’re looking for an easy way to save money this year, consider changing your routines a bit to trim down your electric bill. These simple strategies will help you save money in your Oklahoma City apartment.

Rethink Your Thermostat Settings

If your thermostat maintains the same temperature throughout the day and night, you’re probably using far more energy than you need to. Set your thermostat back while you’re asleep or out of the house. You’ll get the best energy savings if you maintain set points for at least eight hours at a time.

Schedule your household activities around your thermostat settings as often as you can. Cook or bake in the evenings when it’s coolest, and you may enjoy the added heat. Do your cleaning and other chores during the cool parts of the day as well. In winter, your chores will help you warm up without turning up the heat. In summer, they’ll keep you from cranking up the air conditioning more than necessary.

Wash on Cold

Heating your water uses a significant amount of electricity. Use cold water instead of hot whenever possible. For most clothing, cold water will work just as well as warm to keep things clean. The one exception where you may want to splurge on hot water is with your sheets. Dust mites tend to accumulate in the bed, and hot water will kill them.

Let Dishes Air Dry

The dry cycle on your dishwasher is convenient, but unnecessary. Let your dishes air dry instead and you can save electricity with each cycle. This will also keep your dryer from heating up the kitchen too much, which is particularly welcome in summer.

Unplug What You Don't Need

Many appliances drain energy slowly even while they’re not in use. To stop electricity from seeping away, unplug these items entirely when they're not needed. If you have several electronics in one area, such as a printer, computer, and other accessories at your desk, plug them into a power strip so you can turn off power to multiple items with one simple switch.

Not only will you save money with these tricks, you’ll help the environment as well. Have an energy-saving tip? Share it in the comments!