As many of you have noticed, the cost of utilities has increased substantially over the past few months. This can be alarming to those on a fixed budget, such as the single parents in our program. Homeowners can use building maintenance to save on utility costs, but what if you rent?

Here are a few easy tips and tricks that anyone can do to save money on utility bills.

Treat your windows.

You can find window kits to wrap your windows for less than $10, here is a link for one sold at Walmart. In five easy steps your windows will be treated for the winter, keeping out the cold and holding the heat in.

Another tip to keep utilities down is using energy efficient curtains. These curtains are made to insulate your house. All you have to do is keep them open while the sun is out and close them when it gets dark.

Other ways cold air can get in…

Believe it or not cold air can get into your home in many ways, including electrical outlets. This is an easy fix though, as you can purchase outlet covers at the hardware store for about a dollar.

Have you ever noticed how much colder it is around your front door? Another easy fix is a door draft stopper, which you can get for less than $10, like this one on Amazon. If you are feeling crafty, you can make one yourself with 1/2 yard of fabric, a few pounds of rice, a needle, and thread. You can find the tutorial here.

Another way to save…

Did you know that your devices can use electricity even when they’re off? As much as 10% of your bill can come from devices that aren’t even on. Try investing in smart power strips to reduce the amount of electricity being wasted by devices that aren’t even on. Here is a great one that we found on Amazon.  

OTHER WAYS TO CONNECT

We hope you found these ideas for lowering your utility bill. Do you have any tips for us? Please connect with us on Facebook and Instagram and let us know!

If you would like to learn more about upcoming events, sign up to receive our quarterly newsletter here.

Check out some of our other blog posts here. We share tips and tricks, budget hacks, inspiration and more information about what we do here at SPARC Hope.