7 Energy Saving Tips (To Help You Save $154 a Month)

Everyone wants to pay less for energy and just about every supplier has the same regurgitated tips. It’s easy to overlook the standard suggestions such as “keep your AC at 78” or “close the blinds” because we’ve all heard them before and to be honest, do these tips actually work? 

The short answer is yes, they work. We’ve calculated how these seemingly simple things can add up and save you about $154 on your monthly energy costs. 

Tip #1: Unplug any unused devices- estimated savings of $8/mo. 

Take a walk around your home, is there something plugged in that’s not used every day? Unplug it and save about $8 off your monthly bill.

Tip #2: Wash your laundry in cold water- estimated savings of $6/mo. 

Using cold water to do your laundry instead of hot water can reduce the amount of energy needed to heat the water and save you about $6 a month. Plus it’s better for your clothes- it’s a win-win. 

Tip #3: Connect your AC system to Intelligent Octopus- estimated savings of $30/mo. 

A lot of energy saving tips echo the same sentiment: set your thermostat to at least 78º but that’s not feasible for every home. You want to save money, but is constantly tinkering with your thermostat the answer? 

Intelligent Octopus is our ground-breaking technology that personalizes your HVAC settings to minimize usage during peak grid demand. We just pause your current setting for what’s called a “hold event” and when it’s over, your AC will resume its normal schedule. Intelligent Octopus lowers our cost to serve you and in turn we pass those savings directly back to you via a lower rate. 

You don’t need to do anything either, just set your thermostat to your desired setting and we’ll do all the work. With Intelligent Octopus, you won’t use any more (or less) energy than you usually would and you get the added bonus of one of the lowest rates in Texas with average savings of $30 a month. 

Tip #4: Seal the gaps- estimated savings of $8/mo. 

You can let all the good work of your HVAC system go to waste if you don’t properly seal all your windows and doors. Identifying any drafts and sealing those up will help trap in the cold or warmth you want and keep the opposite out. This half-day project can save you about $8 a month. 

Tip #5: Keep the sun out (close the blinds or curtains!)- estimated savings of $20-$50/mo. 

Depending on how much sunlight your home gets, you could save as much as $50 a month by adding or updating window treatments and keeping those closed during the brighter parts of the day. The more solar heat that comes into your home via those windows, the harder your AC system has to work to keep your home cool. 

FYI, this doesn’t mean your house needs to be a dark dungeon, just be mindful of those extra sunny hours

Tip #6: Lower your water heater temperature- average savings of $33/mo. 

Something small that can save you big is turning down the temperature setting of your water heater. The savings come from reducing your standby costs and overall temperature consumption across the water demand in your home (i.e. dishwasher, showers, etc.). Oftentimes, water heaters are set to factory setting temperatures of about 140º but most households can run efficiently and safely at 120º. 

Something to consider is if someone in the home is immunocompromised or has chronic respiratory conditions, you may want to keep the water heater temperature setting no lower than 130º to make sure any bacteria is killed. 

Tip #7: A bright idea: swap to LED lightbulbs- average savings of $19/mo. 

There are a ton of studies that conclude that LED lightbulbs are a massive money-saver and can last a lot longer than traditional incandescent light bulbs. Lighting makes up about 15% of your home’s energy use so this small switch can help you save about $19 a month! 

Total: $154 a month or $1,848 a year in potential savings