Kuryentipid Tips: Lower your electric bill with these practical tips
Many have been complaining about how their electric bill has skyrocketed during the quarantine period.
And while you may not have any control over additional charges, what you can do on your end is to lessen your energy consumption.
Below are practical energy-saving tips you can try to cut down on your electric bill.
Energy-saving tips to help you lower your electric bill
1. Turn off the lights and other appliances when not in use.
You probably know this already, but it's still worth mentioning since many are guilty of leaving some lights and appliances on unnecessarily.
Admit it. You sometimes leave the TV on while you're cooking in the kitchen or working on your laptop. While this habit may be entertaining you, it can also needlessly contribute to your electric bill.
Also, during the day, you may simply draw your curtains and open windows so that natural light may come in, and you won't need to turn on the lights in dark spaces in your house.
2. Do household tasks and other activities manually.
Most people have the abundance of time now that many parts of the country are still under quarantine.
So, it may be time-consuming to do some things yourself, but you'll be able to save a lot on electricity.
You can try hand-washing your clothes and hanging them to dry instead of using the washing machine and dryer.
And, if you have ample space in your front yard or backyard, go there for a walk or jog, instead of using your motorized treadmill.
3. Switch to LED bulbs.
LED bulbs are known to be way more energy-efficient than incandescent or fluorescent lights.
According to Meralco, you can save 13 pesos per month per light bulb when you replace them with LED bulbs.
4. Put your computer or laptop on sleep mode.
Another energy-saving tip is putting your laptop on sleep mode instead of using screensavers. Meralco says this can help you save 240 pesos on your electric bill per month.
5. Keep the refrigerator door closed.
Aside from making sure that the door of the fridge is closed when not in use, you must also check for cracks or leaks, as this can add up 84 pesos on your monthly bill.
6. Iron clothes in large batches.
Flat irons are notorious for its high-energy consumption. So, to lessen its use, you must iron your clothes in batches, and not one or two garments at a time.
7. Ditch your CRT TV.
If you can afford to replace your CRT TV with an LED TV, do so. But be wary though, because the bigger the LED TV, the bigger the power consumption, of course.
So, if you have a 24-inch CRT TV, replace it with a 24-inch LED TV. According to Meralco, this will help you save up to 109 pesos on your electric bill.
8.Unplug the rice cooker after it finishes cooking.
You might be tempted to leave the rice cooker on for longer so the rice won't go cold fast, but this is unnecessarily adding up around 41 pesos to your bill every month.
9. Set the air-con temperature to medium setting.
Putting the air conditioner on 'high' mode will force the unit to use much more energy to cool down a hot room, compared to when you set it to medium.
According to Meralco, you can lower your monthly electric bill to around 280 pesos by doing this.
Or, you can just use the electric fan when the temperature is bearable and save up to 455 pesos on your electric bill monthly.
10. Choose appliances that use inverter technology.
The next time you buy appliances, you should consider getting ones that use inverter technology.
Meralco says that an using an inverter type air-con will help you save up to 3,000 pesos monthly compared to a regular 1 HP split-type.
And, you can save around 238 pesos monthly if you use a fridge with inverter technology instead of the regular type.
Keep in mind though that saving up on electricity doesn't necessarily mean purchasing energy-efficient appliances.
Sometimes a simple change in habit can save you a lot of money.
Hope these tips will help you significantly lower your next electric bill, mga Kapuso.
For more lifestyle content, head out to GMA's Lifestyle page.
And for updates on the Coronavirus Disease pandemic and the enhanced community quarantine, visit GMA's COVID-19 page and ECQ page.
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