How I Cut My Electric Bill 56%

2. Save on Electricity

There are many ways to trim those electric bills. Wash your laundry in cold water instead of hot, line dry your linens, and use a toaster oven for small heating needs instead of a bigger electric stove. Open windows to let the light in, turn off unneeded lights and appliances, and unplug unused electronics to counter the 'energy vampire' effect.

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Photo: Steve Goodwin/Istock/Istock

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Phil Ridge is just a guy who lives in Toronto with his family. In an op-ed in the Toronto Star he described how that ordinary family cut its electricity demand by 56% in one year.

These are some of the key steps Ridge took:

1. Purchase a energy monitor to measure and report electricity usage in real time.

2. Identify appliances that use energy even when switched "off," like stereos. Ridge eliminated nearly 1 kw of power by attacking his phantom load, and now plugs these electronics in only when they are actually in use.

3. Replace incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs. (They now come in every needed shape and size.)

4. Change habits, by turning off lights when leaving the room.

5. Turn off the computer, printer and Internet connection when not in use.

6. Turn off extra refrigerators and freezers when not in use. (The Ridge family only uses basement appliances during family gatherings and parties.)

7. Replace old appliances and windows with products that have the best Energy Star ratings. (Also look for new Energy Star ratings on TVs this November.)

For more tips, see The Daily Green's 5 Perfectly Painless Home Eco-Fixes or the DIY Home Energy Audit.

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