Do you know how much your appliances are really costing you? Chances are that if you are like most people, you have no idea! If you don’t make yourself aware of just how much your appliances are costing you, beyond their initial purchase price, you could very well be throwing good money after bad. Here are five ways that your appliances could be draining your wallet:
Old Appliances
If your appliances were made when Nixon was president, they’ve not only outlived their usefulness, they’re incredibly inefficient. The bulky parts, cumbersome components and outdated engineering are draining the energy from your walls. If you replace these outdated appliances with new, energy-efficient models, the money you save on your energy bills will pay for your new appliances in just a few short years.
Vampire Power
Have you ever heard of vampire power? It’s not the latest teenage movie saga! Vampire power is the power that your electronics and appliances suck through the wires even when they are turned off. Many people think that by turning lights off, turning the television off and leaving the coffee pot powered down until you want to use it saves energy. These people are right! Unfortunately, though they’re right, they aren’t seeing the whole picture.
Even if appliances and electronics are switched to the “off” position, they are still drawing power from the socket. The only way that an appliance will truly stop drawing power is if it is unplugged from the wall. For example, if you leave your television plugged in, you will pay about $10 a year for vampire power. While this isn’t a lot of money, stop to consider how many appliances and electronics you have plugged in around the house.
By simply plugging these appliances and electronic gadgets into smart power strips, and switching your smart power strips off every night, you can save close to a hundred dollars a year. There’s virtually no easier way to save money!
Cooling Your Air
If you have an air conditioner, you could be spending between $300 and $1000 a year on your energy bill depending on the size of your unit and how many months per year you run it. Comparatively, a ceiling fan will cost you about $50 a year to run. That’s quite a cost difference! Instead of running your air condition system continuously, consider installing a ceiling fan in each room and using them instead.
Washing and Drying Your Clothes
While washing your clothes will only cost you about $15 a year, drying them can cost you close to $100 a year. Instead of drying your clothes in your machine, install a clothes line in your yard and dry them outside! Not only will your clothes dry for free but they’ll have a fresh smell that no machine can deliver. Be sure to use fabric softener in your rinse cycle to ensure that your clothes are soft and fluffy when you take them off of the line.
Most people don’t know exactly how much their appliances cost them every year. If you want to cut the cost of your energy bills, follow these five tips! While it may take you a few weeks to develop new habits, once you get used to unplugging your electronics and hanging your clothes out to dry, you’ll be an old hand at saving money on your energy bills!
Marcia Read is a freelance blogger for Refrigerator Headquarters, a site that provides loads of helpful information about refrigerators to help you make a more informed purchase.