How to Save on Your Electric Bill: 17 Simple Renter Tricks
You can learn how to save on your electric bill in your apartment by using specific techniques. For instance, just by using electricity in off-peak times or changing your fridge temperature, you can slash your bills’ burden tenfold. To get you started, we’ve laid out 17 simple tricks to cut your electric bill.
How to Save on Your Electric Bill: Main Takeaways
Some simple tricks to cut your electric bill costs include:
- Lighting usage tricks, like changing your bulbs and using natural light.
- Air conditioning usage tricks, like making sure your HVAC isn’t blocked, switching filters every month, relying on fans for cool air, and lowering the thermostat a few hours a day.
- Cooking and food storage tricks, like using smaller appliances, not opening the oven when it’s in use, and changing your fridge and freezer temp
- Washing and drying tricks, like using less hot water, spinning clothes twice on the washing machine, using a hanging rack for drying, using the dryer “air tumble” setting, not drying clothes longer than needed, and air-drying the dishes
- Tricks you can apply in all activities, like unplugging electronics when not in use, as well as using electricity during off-peak-times
Table of Contents
- How to Save on Your Electric Bill with Lighting Changes
- Reducing Your Air Conditioning’s Energy Impact
- Simple Tricks to Cut Your Electric Bill When Cooking and Storing Food
- Making Your Washing and Drying More Efficient
- Ways to Save on an Electric Bill in An Apartment Across the Board
- Answering The Two Most Common Questions Renters Have About Electricity Bills
How to Save on Your Electric Bill with Lighting Changes
As you learn how to save on your electric bill, you can begin by changing your lighting. Rental property management companies in Northern Virginia like us recommend that you:
1. Change Your Bulbs
One of the easiest ways to save on the electric bill in an apartment is switching to energy-efficient LED bulbs. They may be small, but their powers are mighty: they last up to 10 times longer than regular bulbs do, and they use 75% less energy than traditional ones.
Most people constantly need lighting in their homes. So, it can take up a huge chunk of your electricity bill. By using LED bulbs, you can drastically reduce the impact this has on your overall bill.
2. Use Natural Light
Sometimes, there’s no point in relying on electric lights when there’s so much simply pouring out of your window. So, take advantage of the day’s natural light and reduce your electric bill at the same time.
Reducing Your Air Conditioning’s Energy Impact
Some ways to save on an electric bill in an apartment hinge on minimizing your HVAC’s power use. Here’s how to do it:
3. Ease your HVAC’s Workload
HVACs that aren’t centralized may cost more. This is because they need to pump out more air, so it spreads to all the areas of your home.
So, to reduce your HVAC’s overload, make sure nothing is blocking your air vents. There shouldn’t be any items obstructing their airflow. To accomplish this, make sure no furniture or personal items are blocking air vents.
4. Switch Your HVAC Filters Every Month
On a similar note, change your HVAC filters monthly to ensure they’re running effectively. This is a detail many people overlook. However, the more debris your HVAC system must actively push through to get the air out, the more energy it will take.
5. Use Fans Instead of Air Conditioning
Fans take up less electricity than air conditioning does. So, when you need some cool air, turn to fans instead of your thermostat. Your wallet will thank you, especially when you’re trying to have a low-budget staycation.
6. Lower Your Thermostat For a Few Hours
This one is a key lesson in how to save on your electric bill. According to the Department of Energy, you can save up to 10% on heating and cooling costs by turning down the temperature. More specifically, if you turn it back 7 to 10 degrees for just 8 hours a day, you can save big.
Simple Tricks to Cut Your Electric Bill When Cooking and Storing Food
Here’s how to save on your electric bill when you’re preparing food:
7. Use Smaller Cooking Appliances When Possible
Many people use the oven to cook casseroles, baked goods, and other staples. However, ovens can eat up a lot of electricity. Instead, stick to smaller cooking appliances, like toaster ovens and microwaves, where you can.
As a tip, many toaster ovens can be heated by degrees, not just generic 1-5 toasting level settings. So, you can get the same functions as a traditional oven on a smaller scale.
8. Don’t Open Your Oven When It’s in Use
If you do have to use your oven, you shouldn’t open it when it’s cooking. This may be one of the easiest, simple tricks to cut your electric bill.
It can be tempting to open your oven and see how your culinary creations are doing. Unfortunately, though, every time you do, you air out the oven and lower its temperature.
Then, the oven must work to bring the temperature back to normal. Plus, you may have to cook your food an extra few minutes to make up for the temporary temperature drop. All this can take up electricity.
Rather than doing this, opt to turn the oven lights on and look through the window.
9. Change Your Fridge and Freezer Temperature
Surprisingly, you may be straining your fridge and freezer’s electrical usage more than you need to. You simply need to keep your temperature at 37 degrees and your freezer at 0 degrees. Having it be any cooler temperature will just take up unneeded electricity.
Note that appliance settings can be inaccurate. To make sure they don’t go above the recommended temperatures, you might want to buy a fridge and freezer thermometer.
Making Your Washing and Drying More Efficient
For simple tricks to cut your electric bill when washing and drying items, you should refer to the following techniques:
10. Use Less Hot Water
Hot water takes far more electricity to generate than unheated, cold water. In fact, when you do the laundry, heating the water makes up 90% of your load’s electricity costs. As such, you should try to use lower temperatures when using your washing machine, dishwasher, and other times when possible. Doing this is one of the biggest ways to save on an electric bill in an apartment.
11. Spin Your Clothes in the Washing Machine Twice
When you put your clothes through an extra spin and drain cycle, it will help squeeze more water out of your clothes. As a result, you won’t have to use the dryer as long as before.
12. Use a Hanging Rack to Dry Your Laundry
If you leave your clothes out for a day or two, they naturally will dry. This may be one of the best simple tricks to cut your electric bill, because dryers are notoriously electricity powerhouses.
If you do prefer to use your dryer, you can make it drastically more energy-efficient, as the below tricks will show.
13. Use Your Dryer’s Air Tumble Setting
Dry heat production takes up a huge portion of a dryer’s electricity usage. So, cut your dryer’s electricity costs by putting it on the “air tumble” setting.
Using the dryer will still use some power. However, this can be a great compromise, so that you can have the convenience of a dryer without its worst electricity effects.
14. Don’t Your Clothes Longer Than Needed
As much as you can, try not to over-dry your clothes in the dryer.
Many times, your clothes will be dry before the dryer timer stops. When this happens, you’re using excess energy needlessly. This can fuel your electricity bill.
To prevent this, check your clothes at 15-minute intervals to see if they’re done before the timer’s over. Also, clean your dryer vent before cycles so that the vent’s air flows better.
15. Air-Dry the Dishes
The heat-dry cycle on your dishwasher can rack up electricity costs. Instead, you could air-dry your dishes, whether it’s by drying them on racks or simply airing out them in the dishwasher. This may take a little more time, but the electricity conservation is worth it.
Ways to Save on an Electric Bill in An Apartment Across the Board
Other simple tricks to cut your electric bill, no matter what you’re doing, are these ones:
16. Unplug Your Electronics
Simply having your electrics plugged in takes up electricity, no matter whether you’re actively using them or not. It may take up small amounts on the surface. Still, considering how many devices most of us use, it all adds up quickly. When it comes to how to save on your electric bill, every penny counts.
To offset this, you should unplug your devices whenever you’re not using them. For example, you should shut off your laptop, lamps, TV, kitchen appliances, and other common devices. A little of this can go a long way.
17. Reduce Your Electricity Usage at Peak Times
Many electric companies have “peak hours” when people use their services the most. Since they’re overloaded with demand in these hours, they must charge significantly extra to meet it. This is especially important if you work at home and need to balance your WFH personal and work life.
That said, you should contact your local electricity provider about their peak hours. Once you find out what they are, you should aim to do high-electricity activities in off-peak hours. In particular, large appliance usage and air conditioning usage are some of the highest-power activities out there, so you might want to think about those.
Answering The Two Most Common Questions Renters Have About Electricity Bills
Here, let’s get into the two biggest questions tenants usually have when it comes to paying their electricity bills:
What Utilities Are Tenants Responsible For?
Tenant responsibilities vs. landlord responsibilities differ depending on your landlord’s lease agreement. Generally, there are three common ways landlords handle utilities. Either:
- The landlord bundles utilities in the rent, so you pay everything in one bill.
- The landlord gives you two separate bills for the rent and
- Or, they may ask the tenants to manage the utility bills themselves.
In general, rental utilities include basics like water, electricity, heat, internet, and trash collection. No matter whether a landlord covers utilities or not, or whether they state, “all utilities are included,” they don’t usually pay for non-essentials like cable and internet.
To know what you are and aren’t responsible for, you should go to your landlord directly for answers.
How Much Do Utilities Cost in a Rental?
On a national level, the average apartment electricity bill costs $150.93. Otherwise, electricity bills tend to range from $103 to $191.
Your electricity bill can vary based on:
- Your location
- How big your unit is (for example, 1 bedroom vs. 2 bedroom)
- The appliances you use
- Number of people in the apartment who use up electricity
- Local costs of living
- The property’s energy efficiency
- How much, and in which way, you use your property
Get Better Apartments for Your Budget with BMG
You can save on your electricity bill by cutting costs in your lighting, air conditioning, food cooking and storage methods, washing and drying practices, and more. With these tiny tweaks, you can save countless dollars on your electricity expenses.
If you find that on top of the usual electricity costs, your rent is getting to be too much, we can help. We have a comprehensive rental listing database for price-savvy tenants. You can narrow it down by your desired price range.
On the other hand, if you’re a landlord, we can support you, too. We have comprehensive property management services that handle legal compliance, repairs and maintenance, marketing, general tenant customer service, and more. Contact us today to simplify your rental experience!