If working from home is running up your bills, try this
Need to save some money on your energy bill? Turns out there are three categories you need to consider.
Here are a few tips from NerdWallet.
Heating and cooling:
Thermostat: Adjust your thermostat for the times when you're asleep. Doing so for eight hours can lower your annual heating and cooling costs by around 10%.
Adjust your fridge and freezer temperature: Set your fridge to 38 degrees and your freezer to five degrees. This will keep your food fresh, but your fridge and freezer won't need to work as hard to maintain the temperature.
Hot water:
It's the second-largest expense in powering most homes, according to the Energy Department.
Try taking shorter showers: Trimming two minutes off your shower time can cut your water usage by 10 gallons. Don't be afraid to set a timer.
Replace your shower head: An efficient shower head can reduce your water usage by nearly 3,000 gallons per year. Look for one with the WaterSense label.
Don't wash clothes in hot water: Cut your per-load energy usage in half by choosing warm or cold water when you do laundry.
Power and lighting:
Lights and electronics account for roughly 12% of a home's energy usage.
Swap out your light bulbs: Save $75 per year by changing bulbs in your most-used light fixtures with compact fluorescent or LED bulbs that bear the Energy Star label.
Once this is all over, save money by doing an energy audit: Utility providers will often conduct a home energy audit, usually for free, and can identify specific ways to reduce your own family's personal energy usage.
