When you think about your basic living expenses, your mortgage or rent may be top of mind, but utilities are a considerable component for most people. Doling out money for electricity, water, maybe natural gas, garbage/sewer/recycling, cable television, and internet access can really add up. The average American household can spend anywhere from $300 to $450 a month or more on utilities.
Here, you can learn smart ways to save money on your utility bills. Some are simple ways to cut costs by tweaking your daily habits, and others may require investment, such as buying an energy-efficient appliance that will cost less over the coming years.
Read on to see which money-saving tips work best for you.
5 Ways to Save Money on Your Electricity Bill
The average electric bill in the US is currently $142.73 per month, with an average cost of 16.11 cents per kilowatt hour (kWh). Here’s advice on saving money on electricity.
💡 Quick Tip: Tired of paying pointless bank fees? When you open a bank account online you often avoid excess charges.
1. Unplug!
It may be possible to save $100 or more each year by unplugging your appliances and devices when they’re not in use. Bonus: When you unplug, you’re also protecting them from damage that could occur during power surges.
What’s known as standby power can add up to 5% to 10% of your monthly electricity bill, according to the US Department of Energy. Electronics can draw power when not in use: Your laptop’s sleep mode, for instance, is different from being turned off, and it can still use energy.
Your home entertainment system can use electricity to keep some indicator lights on, including the ones, ironically enough, that tell you the system is off. And if you are the type who has one or two mobile phone chargers always plugged in, ready to revive your low-battery phone, know that those too are raising your bill.
Granted, it may be too much of a hassle to unplug your washer/dryer when not in use, but you work on not letting your phone charger, coffee maker, and computer eat up electricity when not in use.
2. Replace Old Appliances
Is your dishwasher, refrigerator, or clothes dryer reaching the end of its lifespan? Do yourself and your budget a favor and opt for an energy-efficient model.
Although this strategy means you need to spend money up front, ENERGY STAR®-certified appliances can save significant dollars in the long run. In general, a home appliance lasts for 10 to 20 years, on average, with ENERGY STAR-designated ones can save you up to $450 a year on your utility bills, according to the US EPA (Environmental Protection Agency).
Plus, you can sometimes get federal, state, or local rebates (like those made available by the Inflation Reduction Act) when you purchase energy-efficient appliances, so it might be wise to research this before you buy. You could wind up with even lower costs this way.
3. Wash Clothes in Cold Water
When you wash your clothes in cold water, you save significantly on energy usage, while also being kinder to your clothes. ColdWaterSaves.org shares that 90% of the energy used while washing clothes goes towards heating the water.
To put a dollar figure on this, the site calculates that the average household could save $200 per year by switching from washing laundry in warm or hot water to using cold instead. And guess what? Today’s detergent technology uses enzymes that actually work more effectively in cold water.
Also make sure your loads are full to save even more money; you’ll do your laundry less frequently that way.
Recommended: How to Save on Streaming Services
4. Dial Down Your Hot Water Heater
Here’s an especially easy hack—heck to see where your hot water heater’s thermostat is set. If it’s above 120 degrees Fahrenheit, consider lowering it! For every ten degrees that you dial it down , you could save 3% to 5% on your energy bills. Plus, you’ll make it less likely that someone in your family gets burned by hot water.
5. Dry Clothes More Efficiently
According to Energy.gov, in a standard household, the appliance that uses the most energy is the dryer. To calculate your costs, try the calculator they provide, and follow the following tips. They’re ideas for how to save on utilities.
• Right-size your loads. Too full, and it takes too long for your clothes to dry. Too small? You’ll be spending too much energy per item as you dry them.
• Air-dry on a rack when you can.
• Add wool or rubber dryer balls to cut down drying time.
• Regularly clean your dryer’s lint filter.
• Use the lower heat settings to use less energy.
• If your dryer has a cool-down cycle, use it.
• If your dryer has a moisture sensor option, use that as well.
💡 Quick Tip: Your money deserves a higher rate. You earned it! Consider opening a high-yield checking account online and earn 0.50% APY.
2 Ways to Save Money on Your Water Bill
The national median water bill is about $30 or $35 a month, though some people may pay two or three times that amount. Follow this advice to take your costs down a notch.
1. Invest in Efficient Appliances
Is it time for a new washer? If so, note that energy-efficient washers typically use 40% to 50% less energy and use 55% less water than conventional models. This switch can save you up to $60 a year on utility and water bills.
2. Shower Smarter
By going with a lower-flow showerhead, you can significantly reduce water usage, to the tune of $70 a year. Want to save even more? Become a fan of the five-minute shower, and quit sending money (quite literally) down the drain.
Recommended: 10 Personal Finance Basics
3 Ways to Save Money on Your Gas Bill
The average gas bill in the US is about $63 but could be even lower if you follow these tips.
1. Save on Heating and Cooling Costs
By resetting your thermostat, you may be able to save a significant amount.
You might be able to save about 1% of your energy costs for each degree that you adjust for an eight-hour period, and the Department of Energy recommends that you adjust your thermostat by seven to ten degrees (up in summer, down in winter) for an eight-hour period each day to annualize savings of as much as 10%.
If you have a smart thermostat, you could set it to be higher or lower when you’re out at work. You might also reset it overnight, when you’re sleeping.
For example, the Department of Energy recommends keeping your thermostat at 68 degrees when you’re up and about in winter, and at 58 when you’re away from home or sleeping. When the season is warm, their recommendation is to keep your thermostat at 78 degrees when you’re home, and at 85 when you’re not. If you do this, you can save an average of $83 or more annually.
Recommended: How to Automate Your Finances
2. Go Solar
If you really want to invest in your energy efficiency, you could also consider solar panels to create clean electricity and minimize your gas usage. You can potentially receive tax credits for going green this way. Living sustainably can really pay off in multiple ways!
Yes, installing solar panels requires a big investment; one that will take years to amortize. But by starting on the path to passive energy, you’ll be on your way to saving for decades to come.
3. Seal up Your Home
Ready for another idea for how to save on utilities? In cold weather, warm air can escape through drafty windows and doors; in hot weather, the cool air your air conditioning is pumping out can vanish the same way. By weather sealing your home, you can save up to 10% of your energy bill. That means weather stripping and adding insulation (important ways to help maintain your home’s value) can really pay off.
Saving with SoFi
No matter the strategy you choose, stashing your money in a bank with minimal fees and a solid interest rate is an important move.
Interested in opening an online bank account? When you sign up for a SoFi Checking and Savings account with direct deposit, you’ll get a competitive annual percentage yield (APY), pay zero account fees, and enjoy an array of rewards, such as access to the Allpoint Network of 55,000+ fee-free ATMs globally. Qualifying accounts can even access their paycheck up to two days early.
FAQ
What’s a good way to save on electricity costs?
One good way to save on electricity costs is to unplug electronics and other devices (your laptop, phone chargers, coffee maker) when not in use. Keeping them plugged in costs money.
What runs up your electrical bill the most?
Heating and cooling are the single biggest portion of your energy bill, accounting for up to 40% of your costs.
How can I save on my gas bill?
Calibrating your thermostat can be a big money saver, as can weather sealing your home.
SoFi® Checking and Savings is offered through SoFi Bank, N.A. ©2023 SoFi Bank, N.A. All rights reserved. Member FDIC. Equal Housing Lender.
The SoFi Bank Debit Mastercard® is issued by SoFi Bank, N.A., pursuant to license by Mastercard International Incorporated and can be used everywhere Mastercard is accepted. Mastercard is a registered trademark, and the circles design is a trademark of Mastercard International Incorporated.
SoFi members with direct deposit activity can earn 4.60% annual percentage yield (APY) on savings balances (including Vaults) and 0.50% APY on checking balances. Direct Deposit means a deposit to an account holder’s SoFi Checking or Savings account, including payroll, pension, or government payments (e.g., Social Security), made by the account holder’s employer, payroll or benefits provider or government agency (“Direct Deposit”) via the Automated Clearing House (“ACH”) Network during a 30-day Evaluation Period (as defined below). Deposits that are not from an employer or government agency, including but not limited to check deposits, peer-to-peer transfers (e.g., transfers from PayPal, Venmo, etc.), merchant transactions (e.g., transactions from PayPal, Stripe, Square, etc.), and bank ACH funds transfers and wire transfers from external accounts, do not constitute Direct Deposit activity. There is no minimum Direct Deposit amount required to qualify for the stated interest rate.
SoFi members with Qualifying Deposits can earn 4.60% APY on savings balances (including Vaults) and 0.50% APY on checking balances. Qualifying Deposits means one or more deposits that, in the aggregate, are equal to or greater than $5,000 to an account holder’s SoFi Checking and Savings account (“Qualifying Deposits”) during a 30-day Evaluation Period (as defined below). Qualifying Deposits only include those deposits from the following eligible sources: (i) ACH transfers, (ii) inbound wire transfers, (iii) peer-to-peer transfers (i.e., external transfers from PayPal, Venmo, etc. and internal peer-to-peer transfers from a SoFi account belonging to another account holder), (iv) check deposits, (v) instant funding to your SoFi Bank Debit Card, (vi) push payments to your SoFi Bank Debit Card, and (vii) cash deposits. Qualifying Deposits do not include: (i) transfers between an account holder’s Checking account, Savings account, and/or Vaults; (ii) interest payments; (iii) bonuses issued by SoFi Bank or its affiliates; or (iv) credits, reversals, and refunds from SoFi Bank, N.A. (“SoFi Bank”) or from a merchant.
SoFi Bank shall, in its sole discretion, assess each account holder’s Direct Deposit activity and Qualifying Deposits throughout each 30-Day Evaluation Period to determine the applicability of rates and may request additional documentation for verification of eligibility. The 30-Day Evaluation Period refers to the “Start Date” and “End Date” set forth on the APY Details page of your account, which comprises a period of 30 calendar days (the “30-Day Evaluation Period”). You can access the APY Details page at any time by logging into your SoFi account on the SoFi mobile app or SoFi website and selecting either (i) Banking > Savings > Current APY or (ii) Banking > Checking > Current APY. Upon receiving a Direct Deposit or $5,000 in Qualifying Deposits to your account, you will begin earning 4.60% APY on savings balances (including Vaults) and 0.50% on checking balances on or before the following calendar day. You will continue to earn these APYs for (i) the remainder of the current 30-Day Evaluation Period and through the end of the subsequent 30-Day Evaluation Period and (ii) any following 30-day Evaluation Periods during which SoFi Bank determines you to have Direct Deposit activity or $5,000 in Qualifying Deposits without interruption.
SoFi Bank reserves the right to grant a grace period to account holders following a change in Direct Deposit activity or Qualifying Deposits activity before adjusting rates. If SoFi Bank grants you a grace period, the dates for such grace period will be reflected on the APY Details page of your account. If SoFi Bank determines that you did not have Direct Deposit activity or $5,000 in Qualifying Deposits during the current 30-day Evaluation Period and, if applicable, the grace period, then you will begin earning the rates earned by account holders without either Direct Deposit or Qualifying Deposits until you have Direct Deposit activity or $5,000 in Qualifying Deposits in a subsequent 30-Day Evaluation Period. For the avoidance of doubt, an account holder with both Direct Deposit activity and Qualifying Deposits will earn the rates earned by account holders with Direct Deposit.
Members without either Direct Deposit activity or Qualifying Deposits, as determined by SoFi Bank, during a 30-Day Evaluation Period and, if applicable, the grace period, will earn 1.20% APY on savings balances (including Vaults) and 0.50% APY on checking balances.
Interest rates are variable and subject to change at any time. These rates are current as of 10/24/2023. There is no minimum balance requirement. Additional information can be found at https://www.sofi.com/legal/banking-rate-sheet.
Financial Tips & Strategies: The tips provided on this website are of a general nature and do not take into account your specific objectives, financial situation, and needs. You should always consider their appropriateness given your own circumstances.
Third-Party Brand Mentions: No brands, products, or companies mentioned are affiliated with SoFi, nor do they endorse or sponsor this article. Third-party trademarks referenced herein are property of their respective owners.
Tax Information: This article provides general background information only and is not intended to serve as legal or tax advice or as a substitute for legal counsel. You should consult your own attorney and/or tax advisor if you have a question requiring legal or tax advice.
External Websites: The information and analysis provided through hyperlinks to third-party websites, while believed to be accurate, cannot be guaranteed by SoFi. Links are provided for informational purposes and should not be viewed as an endorsement.
SOBK1023024
