As you know, electricity and gas bills have been rising around the world in recent months. But there is a way around this inconvenience and hope to save some money. To do so, you don’t necessarily have to give up cooking or suffocate at home without air conditioning. Sometimes it’s enough to make the right gestures and follow a few tips to reduce energy consumption to cut costs. Especially in the kitchen, a lot can be saved by changing certain habits. A simple example? Learn to use the oven differently: If you turn it off about fifteen minutes before the end of the planned cooking time, you will already feel a difference. It will still be hot, and you can leave the dish inside to finish cooking at your leisure. In this way, you will save a significant amount of energy every time you use the oven.

Tips to get the most out of your oven and save money

Regarding the oven, there are several very profitable tips. You can test them now:

It is important that the dish is ready when the oven reaches the desired temperature, or even a few minutes earlier, so that the oven does not remain empty for too long. If the electric oven is turned on at 390 °F and remains empty unnecessarily, it wastes a lot of energy. Use the “ventilate” function, which shortens cooking times and saves about a third of the energy compared to using the static oven. Avoid cleaning the oven with self-cleaning systems at high temperatures: it is best to disinfect it regularly with a damp sponge or with a mixture of water and baking soda to effectively remove dirt residues and any incrustations.

Other tips for saving money on your electricity and water bills include the following

  • Turn off unnecessary lights

You may not know this, but two 100-watt light bulbs turned off for an extra two hours a day could save you some money on your bills at the end of the month. The best thing to do is switch to LED right away!

  • Use natural light

So, get in the habit of not turning on the lights during the day and use natural light instead! A single south-facing window can light its area 20 to 100 times, and turn off a 60-watt light bulb four hours a day.

  • Fix your leaky faucets at home immediately

Leaky faucets are a real disaster and a huge waste of water. Don’t neglect the problem: fixing a hot water leak in your faucet can save you energy costs in the medium term.

  • Disconnect unused electronics

This is a very bad habit that many people have: Leaving devices plugged into outlets all the time, whether they’re using them or not. However, standby power can account for 10% of the average household’s annual electricity consumption. If you want to reduce your bills, it’s time to make good resolutions and have the reflex to systematically unplug all unused electronic devices, especially the TV or computer.

  • Turn off the air conditioner when you are not at home

During a heat wave, it is normal to turn on the air conditioners. But there is no point in cooling the house when you are not there! On the contrary, it is the best way to increase the amount on your electricity bill. Turning off the air conditioner for five hours a day while you are away will change the situation. Try to apply it for 60 days and you will be surprised how the cost of your bills will change.

  • Wash clothes cold

Do you use your washing machine almost every day? No wonder the bill is high. Did you know you can save money by simply switching wash cycles? If you switch from hot to cold water an average of three washes a week, you will see significant savings on your bills

  •  Clean your refrigerator effectively

If you have overloaded and poorly cleaned your refrigerator, it must increase its power to cool the environment to properly preserve your food. Therefore, keep refrigerator door seals clean and tight to keep cold air in and warm air out.