With the economy in the state of a recession, Americans are trying to make ends meet. No matter which way you look at it however, the one fundamental struggle that defines a poor economy is energy costs.
In 2008, the cost of gas alone was almost $4k for the average household – this is up from $3k from the previous year.
Last year, the cost of home energy on average was around $2.4k, which is $300 dollars higher than it was in 2007.
All things considered, it doesn’t look like energy is going to be getting cheaper anytime soon. While more efficient technologies are a very real possibility only years away, the fact of the matter is that we have to look at what we’re doing now in order to survive financially.
Towards that end, it is smart to try and reduce living costs – and debt – by cutting the use of energy. There are multiple ways in which we can proceed with this, and they all involve simple changes in behavior or cheap fixes we can implement in our lives to reduce the costs of living.
One of easiest things we can incorporate into our lives is energy-efficient bulbs for lighting. Although they cost more than normal bulbs, they save a significant amount of money due to the fact that they use roughly a third less energy than conventional bulbs and last up to 10 times longer. This calculates into savings of at least $50 dollars or greater for each bulb installed.
Another thing that can be done is to lower the temperature on the water heater – or the household temperature especially. You don’t want freezing showers or a cold home, but a reduction of a few degrees can go a long way towards cutting energy costs. Just make certain the water temperature is still hot enough to kill germs, as you’ll need that power for doing dishes and general cleaning.
Also, you shouldn’t underestimate generally efficient behavior. Wrapping the water heater, cleaning air filters, and sealing cracks can all contribute to energy savings by as much as 20% or greater depending on your household circumstances.
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