When you are in the midst of searching for house rentals in Stone Mountain, you may be willing to splurge on the perfect rental housing in Stone Mountain, GA, but also want to save money where you can. One area of the budget to make some easy cutbacks is your utilities.
Here are 10 tips to help you slash your utility bills:
1. Adjust the Temperature
During winter, you should turn down the heat and during summer, raise the air conditioner temperature. Keeping your home at 80 degrees in the winter and 65 in the summer is not a good idea if you want to save money on utilities.
2. Flip the Switches
When you were growing up, did your parents always tell you to turn off the light when you left a room? There is good reason for that; leaving one ceiling fan running constantly will add more than $5 to your electric bill. Multiply that by the many fans and light switches in your home, and you will see the dollars saved by turning everything off when it's not in use.
3. Let the Dishwasher Do Its Job
Are you one of those folks who pre-rinse your dishes before you put them in the dishwasher? Stop that! The latest dishwashers are designed to eliminate leftover food particles and leave dishes shiny and clean.
4. Skip the Dryer
Between the blow dryer for your hair and the heat cycle for your dishwasher and clothing dryer, there is a lot of electricity being circulated. Though it may take more time, consider cutting these as much as possible. For clothing and linens that absolutely need heat, set your dryer to the auto sensor so you don’t dry any longer than necessary.
5. Use Less Water
Taking a military shower (under two minutes) is probably too ambitious for most households. Still, there are other ways to use less water. You can replace your existing shower heads with low-flow ones. Also, you should turn off the water when brushing your teeth.
6. Do a Leak Check
If your water bill becomes unusually high, you may have a leak. One way to check is to look at your water meter at night and compare it to the numbers first thing in the morning. If the numbers don’t match, this is a potential indicator of a leak.
7. Fix Drafts
When the weather is cold, drafty windows can contribute to heat loss. Many stores sell winterization kits or you can go the DIY method and use sheets or blankets to cover up those windows. Close your fireplace’s damper when you’re not using it. This will stop drafts coming in from the chimney.
8. Invest in Insulation
Though it may cost more up front, adding insulation can save you hundreds of dollars on your utility bills over the long term. If your home is lacking insulation, it will be cold in the winter and hot in summer, causing you to run the heat and air more frequently.
9. Earn Credit Card Rewards
Are you careful to pay your credit card on time and in full every month? If so, consider charging your utility bills on a credit card that gives rewards or cash back.
10. Eliminate Unneeded Services
If you have a cell phone, you may not have much use for a land line phone. Another service you may be able to cut back on or get rid of is cable. Take a look at how much TV you watch to see if this would be a feasible option. With inexpensive services like Amazon Prime and Netflix, you can still watch many of your favorite movies and TV shows.
The small steps you take can lead to big savings on your utilities!
If you would like to learn more about Stone Mountain, East Point, College Park or Decatur house rentals, contact us. Our experienced property management company provides safe and well maintained homes.
