| One way to save money on your electric bill is by | | | | these are items that are used with some degree of |
| not using any electricity at all. However, as you may | | | | frequency. However, coffee makers, blenders and |
| have already gathered, this is nearly impossible. After | | | | other smaller items like these should be unplugged |
| all, if it were really as simple as that, electric | | | | when not in use. If not, you run the risk of having a |
| companies would probably be out of business, and | | | | higher electrical bill because even thought these items |
| we would all be living in the dark. | | | | may not be in use, if they are plugged into the wall, |
| In my own apartment, using electricity is impossible | | | | they are still using electrical energy. |
| not to do. For starters, our stove is electrical versus | | | | Other items that are somewhat sneaky when you |
| the gas stove top that I grew up with when I lived | | | | are trying to save a little cash are ice makers and |
| with my parents. This is both a good and a bad thing | | | | computers. Recently, when I saw that our water bill |
| because while we do not have to pay for a gas bill, | | | | was extremely high due to a running toilet that we |
| any time that we use the stove to cook, it | | | | didn't know about, I took the time to speak to the |
| contributes towards our electrical bill going up. Last | | | | maintenance person about other things in an |
| month, we hardly cooked at home, and our electrical | | | | apartment or home that can cause utility bills to flare |
| bill was significantly lower. However, this is certainly | | | | up. This is when he surprised me by saying that ice |
| something to keep in mind when you are a | | | | makers are a huge culprit in the winter time because |
| homeowner or an apartment dweller. Think about all | | | | of how much energy they use. He advised me to |
| of the utensils and items that you use when you are | | | | make sure I remember to pull the arm up in the ice |
| in the kitchen. From blenders to dishwashers to stove | | | | maker to stop it from producing too much ice, |
| tops to microwaves, food processors and juicers- it | | | | otherwise, I would be faced with a high bill. |
| all adds up! | | | | Computers should always be plugged into a surge |
| When you are not using an electrical appliance, you | | | | protector and turned off whenever they are not in |
| should always take care to unplug it from the outlet. | | | | use. If you are planning to continue your work in a |
| There are exceptions to this of course. For instance, | | | | few hours, it is still better to turn your computer to |
| you wouldn't want to keep plugging and unplugging a | | | | 'sleep' mode versus leaving it on to use up a lot of |
| microwave or a stove or a refrigerator because | | | | electricity. |