Small ways to save on your electric bill

Are you suffering from enormous electric bills? We are. At least, we have been during the winter months. It seems every couple of months now, our electric company petitions for a rate increase. While our representatives fight it, sometimes we (the consumers) win, and sometimes the electric company does. With our average electric bill sometimes running in the several hundred dollar range (unless we use our fireplace), we have tried to cut costs where we can. Here are some tips to save on your electric bill that are easy to implement. You don't even have to suffer by foregoing comfortable air or heating temperatures.

• Unplug all your appliances when they're not in use. Even if the appliance is not being used (a plugged in toaster, for example), a small amount of current runs through it continually.
• Wait until after 9 p.m. to run energy-sucking appliances like the dishwasher, dryer and washing machine. Utility companies charge differently for energy during peak and non-peak hours.
• Avoid using heat-generating appliances during the day in the warmer months. The oven, dishwasher and dryer can all warm up the rooms they're in, making your air conditioner work even harder to keep those rooms cool.
• Turn off the lights. I used to scoff at this one because they're lights. How much energy could they possibly use? Well, if you leave a bunch of them on all day, every day (like I was bad to do), it can add up to several dollars over the course of the month.
• Close the blinds or curtains. If you don't mind your rooms being darker during the day, this is a great option because it keeps cool air in and heat out of your windows (and vice versa during the winter). Personally, I don't often follow this tip. I like lots of light (see my problem above with leaving lights on) and would rather enjoy the sunlight streaming in.

What are your energy saving tips? How much have you cut off your electrical bill each month?

Photo courtesy Tiffany Terry, via Flickr.