You finally get home after a long days work, and, as most Americans do, go out to your mailbox to see what goodies have arrived miraculously during the day.  As you walk back inside and begin shuffling through the pile of mail, an overwhelming feeling of dread and despair takes hold.  This can only mean one thing:  the electric bill has arrived. Millions of people all around the U.S are stumped as to why their bills keep going up, but not a single one has tried to find out why- until now.  I, Steve the Intern, will now take you on a high thrills adventure to finally crack the mystery of the rising electric bill.

 

Todays Advanced Electronics

 

One thing that most people do not realize, is that many electronics today have what is known as "stand-by mode".  Stand-by mode allows things like TVs, computers, speakers, and even appliances like microwaves to power up faster when the on button is pressed.  While stand-by mode does not use as much power as the unit in it's full power state, it still consumes electricity.  And that electricity can add up very quickly.  To combat low power or stand-by modes, all one needs to do is simply turn the power strip off at the switch, or unplug the device.  An action as simple as this can save you almost 40 dollars per month.  Remember, electricity use adds up over time.

 

Maintenance Neglect

 

Buying filters and paying to have regular maintenance completed on things like your refrigerator or air conditioner seem like unimportant things that waste money.  Wrong.  Regular maintenance is the most important step to saving you money in the long run.  Making sure that you replace filters on refrigerators and cleaning its air vents will prevent your appliance from working twice as hard to keep your food cold.  Many companies offer maintenance packages for those with central air conditioning for fairly cheap (about $60), which in turn could save you over $400 in electric bills.  Bottom line, if you want to save money, you must keep appliances running at 100%.

 

Blame Mother Nature

 

It is no surprise that nature can have a direct effect on your electricity bills.  If you have central air conditioning in your home during the summer, you know about this already.  But what you might not know, is the fact that most air conditioning units are only rated to cool 20 degrees cooler than the outside temperature.  For example, say its a real hot summer day in Buffalo.  The outside temperature is 95 degrees, and you have your thermostat set to 73.  Your unit will struggle to reach that temperature, and will most likely run all day.  Raising the temperature just a few degrees can save you bundles.  Luckily, because we live in the North, we heat our homes with natural gas so high electricity bills aren't too bad.  Still, we do see an increase in electrical use based on the fact that playing xbox is WAY better than freezing your balls off shoveling your neighbors driveway.

 

To wrap things up

 

  1. Unplug or completely switch off electronics that are not in use
  2. Make sure you complete maintenance on all appliances as directed by the product manual
  3. Most AC units can only cool up to 20 degrees below outside temperature
  4. Steve the Intern is so smart

I hope you found my tips helpful.  Now if you'll excuse me, I have to return to my normally scheduled Jack FM intern duties that include picking up "A Pre- Cooked Chicken that tastes good" from Wegmans.  Wish me luck

 

 

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