19 Easy Ways to Lower Your Utility Bills

March 09, 2018

Looking for a way to save a few bucks on utility bills? Here are 19 quick, easy things you can do to reduce your utility bills right now—for water, electricity and heat.

Replace your shower head with a new low-flow version, which delivers the same water pressure at only 2.5 GPM (versus the old shower heads at 5-8 GPM, according to HomeTips.com), and retails for around $25.
Turn off video game consoles, computers, laptops and tablets at night (instead of leaving them on 24/7).
Walk through your house and unplug lamps, night lights, appliances or devices that you don’t use more than once per month. (They still draw energy—even when they’re off!)
Or buy new smart strip surge protectors that can automatically shut off electricity to plugs that aren’t being used.
Install a programmable thermostat that can be operated from your phone (you can even get help on the installation from our Home Warranty Plus partner, A.B. May).
Or try a Nest Learning Thermostat, potentially available free from Kansas City Power & Light (KCP&L).
Replace your traditional light bulbs and night lights with LED bulbs.
Better yet, buy your new KCP&L-approved LED bulbs from approved local retailers for an additional instant discount at the register.
Enroll in KCP&L’s Rush Hour Rewards Program, which rewards you for reducing energy usage during peak hours.
Lower the house temp in summer naturally by closing curtains and blinds on the sunnier, south side of your home.
Raise the house temp naturally in winter by opening all the curtains and blinds on the sunny side of the house.
Run ceiling fans counter-clockwise in summer.
Turn off the “heated dry” function on your dishwasher.
Do annual maintenance on your HVAC system in spring and fall to keep your system clean, and air flowing properly.
Replace HVAC filters every few months to keep air flowing smoothly.
Use cold water to wash your clothes.
Buy more blankets—and turn down the heat 1°-2°F in winter.
Clean out the refrigerator coils two times a year so it uses less energy.
Buy an insulating jacket for your hot water heater from a hardware store.