The average electric bill is approximately $117.65 per month, which means the average household in the U.S. spends over $1,400 on electricity every year. Many people are fed up with spending hundreds of dollars on electricity, so they often ask themselves, “How can I reduce my power bill?” Fortunately, there are a number of ways to conserve energy so you can save money on your monthly bills.

How to Lower Electric Bill in the Summer

The temperature will start to rise in the summer—and so will your electric bill. Follow these tips to prevent your electric bills from climbing higher and higher in the warm summer months:

• Adjust the thermostat to 78 degrees Fahrenheit to save as much as 10% on your cooling bill.
• Turn on ceiling fans so you don’t have to rely solely on the air conditioner to keep you cool.
• Cook on an outdoor grill instead of using the oven, microwave, or stove. These appliances release a lot of heat into your home, so your air conditioner will have to work harder to bring the temperature down.
• Replace your air filters to ensure your air conditioner does not have to work harder to pump cold air through dirty filters.

These simple tips will help you save energy in the summer without sacrificing the cool comfort of your home.

How to Reduce Your Electricity Bill in the Winter

Your electric bill may also spike in the winter, especially if you live in a cold climate. Here’s how to lower your utility bills until spring:

• Adjust the thermostat to 68 degrees Fahrenheit while you’re asleep or away to reduce your heating bill by up to 10%.
• Reverse the ceiling fan blades so they rotate clockwise. This will force warm air near the ceiling down towards you, so you won’t need to rely on your heater to stay warm.
• Seal air leaks around the doors and windows in your home with caulking or weather-stripping. Sealing these air leaks will prevent heat from escaping, so your heater won’t have to work as hard to keep you comfortable.

Following these tips can help you keep your electric costs from skyrocketing during the cold winter months.

How to Lower Your Light Bill

Lighting your home accounts for about 12% of your monthly energy bill. Here’s how to save money on your power bill by making simple changes to your lighting:

• Switch to energy efficient bulbs, which last up to 25 times longer and use up to 80% less energy than traditional bulbs.
• Light a candle instead of turning on a lamp. The soft, warm light from a candle is perfect for romantic evenings, watching movies, or reading books.
• Use motion sensors on outside lights so they only turn on and consume energy when movement is detected.
• Install dimmer switches to reduce the amount of electricity that flows to your light bulbs.

You don’t have to live in the dark in order to save energy. These simple switches can help you light up your home at a lower cost.

Lower Your Energy Bill With These Upgrades

Making small upgrades around your home is another way to lower your power bill. Here’s what you should do:

• Install a programmable thermostat so you can set the thermostat to automatically turn off during the hours of the day you aren’t home. 
• Add window treatments to keep heat out of your home in the summer and trap heat inside your home in the winter.

These DIY projects will help you save hundreds of dollars every year.

Save Money on Energy Costs With These Inexpensive Products

There are a number of inexpensive products that can help you save energy around your home. Here’s what to purchase:

• Power strips will kill energy vampires in your home that consume energy even when they’re powered off. Plug devices into a power strip and turn the strip off to cut off the supply of electricity.
• Laundry racks allow you to skip the dryer and air dry your wet clothes without hanging a clothing line in the backyard. 
• Rugs can improve heat retention in rooms with tile or wood flooring. 

These everyday household items will help you save so much that they will pay for themselves in no time.

How to Decrease Your Electric Bill In An Old Home

Older homes tend to consume more energy than newer homes. Here’s how to lower utility bills in an older home:

• Change the front door. Older homes are typically designed with ill-fitting front doors that don’t provide a lot of insulation. Switch to a front door with a steel skin and polyurethane foam core to improve your home’s energy efficiency.
• Insulate your attic. Attics in older homes are usually not insulated, which means they allow heat to escape through your roof. Add insulation so you can keep heat in and reduce your heater’s workload.

There’s no need to pack up and move. As you can see, it is possible to make an old home more energy-efficient.

Implement These Simple Strategies to Save Money

Don’t dread the day your utility bill arrives in your mailbox every month. Make an effort to implement some of these simple strategies so you can reduce your energy usage and drastically lower your monthly utility bills.