Easy Ways to Save Electricity and Pocket the Extra Money in New Jersey

We all want to save money where we can; luckily, you don't have to look much farther than your own home. There are numerous simple ways to save money on electricity in New Jersey. Let's take a look at some small changes you can make to save money on electricity. Go with Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs Though it's a minor improvement for your New Jersey home, using CFL light bulbs will reduce your utility bill by about five percent each month. CFL bulbs consume one-third of the power than incandescent bulbs. CFLs also outlast regular light bulbs many, many times over. By saving energy, the NJ homeowner will pay less for electricity and do their part to help the environment. It's true that CFL bulbs cost more than regular light bulbs, but since they last longer and use less electricity, it's worth the additional cost. If You're Not Using It, Unplug It Perhaps you're familiar with the notion that unplugging idle appliances or machines will save money on electricity. Believe it or not, it's true! Appliances drain power even when they're off. You won't see a drastic decrease in your monthly electric bill, but unplugging unused appliances might save you a few bucks each month. Rethink Your Hot Water Usage Does your New Jersey home have an electric hot water heater? Hot water use can account for up to 25 percent of your monthly electric bill. Luckily, there are four simple changes you can make that will lower your electricity bill. Not to worry - these changes don't involve taking a cold shower! * Washing your clothes in hot water wastes a lot of electricity and, ultimately, money. When washing clothes, use cold water whenever possible and you'll notice that next month's utility bill is a little bit less. * Clean dishes and clothes efficiently. Don't run half loads in your washer or dishwasher. * Touch your hot water heater tank. If it feels warm, your tank needs to be insulated. Putting a water heater insulation jacket around your hot water tank will only cost fifteen dollars, and it will increase your heater's overall effectiveness. * Buy low-flow shower heads and faucets to save money on electricity and reduce your overall hot water usage. Turn On a Ceiling Fan Heating and cooling make up about half of the total energy used in the average NJ household. To save money on electricity, ease up on your air conditioner. If you're going on vacation or even just going to work, turn off the AC. You may also want to program your thermostat to run the AC during certain times of the day. Another inexpensive way to cool off is to turn on a ceiling fan. Fans help a room feel a few degrees cooler. Just don't forget to turn off the fan when you leave the room!