There are many things you and your family can do to shrink your monthly electric bill. They are simple, and the savings might surprise you. Not only will you be paying less, but you will be doing your part to help conserve the planet’s precious resources.

Laundry

When you do your laundry, make sure you are only washing and drying full loads of clothes. If you can, wash your clothes in cold water. You can save between 2 to 4 percent on your bill by doing this. In the summer season, hang your clothes out to dry instead of using your dryer. Your clothes will be soft and fresh, and you will appreciate the savings.

Light Bulbs

Replace each one of your incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent ones. Compact fluorescent bulbs cost a little bit more, but they last nearly 10 times longer and can save you hundreds of dollars each year on your electric bill. You will be living “greener” because they only use one third of the power that incandescent bulbs use.

Program Your Thermostat

Another great way to save money is to program your thermostat so that it isn’t heating and cooling your home when there isn’t anybody there. Have it programmed to turn on when you arrive home from work, and if possible, shut it off at night if you don’t need it. You can save up to 5 percent on your electric bill by lowering your heat only one degree! In the winter months, dress warmer. In the summertime, use ceiling fans to cool off. Ceiling fans use only a fraction of the energy that your air conditioner uses.

Washing Dishes

Only run your dishwasher when it’s full. If you only have a couple of dishes to wash, just do them by hand. Turn off the drying function on your dishwasher. It isn’t necessary- let your dishes dry naturally or dry them off with a towel.

Refrigerator

It’s alright to keep your fridge stocked, but don’t over-fill it. Clean your refrigerator regularly and throw out old food if it is no longer edible. The more items that you have inside, the harder the fridge needs to work to keep your food cold. If you need to defrost something for dinner, take it out of the freezer early and defrost it in the fridge. Always remember to let any hot items cool before storing them in the refrigerator. It will have to work a lot harder if there is something piping hot in there.

Let Your Hair Dry Naturally

Have your family shower at night before going to bed instead of in the morning. That way everyone can let their hair air-dry instead of using a hair dryer. You will conserve energy and have one less thing to do in the morning before school or work.

Change the Air Conditioning Filter

Be sure to change the filter for your air conditioner regularly. The cheaper the air filter you buy, the more often you need to change it. By routinely changing the air filter, you can save up to 5 percent annually on electricity. As an added bonus, the air in your house will be much cleaner and free of dust!

Doors and Vents

If you are not using certain rooms in your home, shut the doors and vents in those rooms. You don’t want to be heating or cooling rooms that nobody is utilizing.

Weather-Proof Your Home

In the winter months, put plastic on your windows to keep the cold air out and the warm air in. You can also weather-strip around doors and windows to keep your home warmer. Your thermostat will not have to work so hard to heat your house when the temperatures outside are frigid, and you can save anywhere from 1 to 4 percent on your bill.

Turn Things Off!

One of the easiest ways to save money is to turn things off when you aren’t using them. Only turn on the lights that you need and remember to switch them off when you leave. That simple action can save you a lot of money each year. Don’t leave TVs on if nobody is watching them, and if you aren’t using your computer, turn that off, too. Also, don’t keep any of your electronics on “standby” mode. When electronic devices go into standby mode, they use almost as much energy as they would if you were using them. Make it a habit to walk through each room before leaving your house to make sure everything has been turned off.

Saving money on your electric bill is easy. By making these suggestions part of your daily routine, you will spend less and planet Earth will thank you for it.

Guest post from Bailey Harris. Bailey writes about insurance and other topics for the Homeowners Insurance Blog.