Owning a house costs money. Apart from the regular maintenance you need to account for, you also need to pay for utilities such as electricity and water bills. It’s no secret that electricity costs a lot of money. In fact, as of July 2022, the price of electricity is at PHP 9.7545 per kWh. The average monthly consumption of residential customers is at 200 kWh. This means the average household in the Philippines spends around PHP 1,950.90 on electricity per month.
With the ongoing war in Ukraine, chances are electricity prices will go up. Since the Philippines is heavily dependent on fuel-powered electricity, and Russia is one of the top exporters of fuel worldwide, it’s clear that the fuel shortage affects our electricity rates.
This is why it’s more important than ever to learn how to reduce your energy bill. We’ve gathered our top tips on how to save on your electric bill.
How to lower your electricity bill
Making small adjustments to your everyday life can help you establish good money habits to help you lower your electric consumption. Here’s how to save on electricity:
Learn about energy efficiency. Once you know where your home is losing electricity, you can make changes to improve your home’s energy efficiency. This may include adding insulation, sealing air leaks, or changing to energy-efficient lighting and appliances.
Change your habits. Small changes in your daily routine can make a big difference in your energy usage. Something as simple as not using the air conditioner when it’s not hot and reducing your screen time to do more activities that require less electricity can help lower your electricity bill.
Alternative sources of energy. Another tip on how to lower your electricity bill is to consider alternative energy sources. Solar panels are a great way to generate your own energy and save money on your electricity bill. These alternative energy sources can be costly upfront, but they save you money in the long run.
Use energy-efficient light bulbs. Compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) use 75% less energy than traditional incandescent bulbs, so they can help you save money on your electric bill.
Install timers. You can install timers on your lights so that they automatically turn off after a certain amount of time. This helps you to save electricity by not leaving lights on when they're not needed.
Turn the red light off. Notice that little red light that most appliances have? That light stays on even when the appliance is not in use, meaning it continuously uses energy. This is called “vampire energy.” Unplugging coffee makers, toasters, and other small appliances when you're not using them can help you save.
Use a power strip/extension cords for electronics. If you have multiple electronics plugged into one outlet through an octopus adapter, you can lower your electric bills by using a power strip instead. That way, you can easily turn off all the electronics with one switch. Just be mindful not to overload these extension cords.
Use a fan instead of air conditioning. Fans use less energy than air conditioners, so using a fan to cool your home can help you save money on your electric bill.
Check the energy consumption of your appliances - Some of the biggest energy users in your home are appliances that you may not use very often. If you're looking to save money on your electrical bills, it's important to be aware of which appliances are using the most energy. Next step is to replace them with much more efficient appliances. Switch to inverter appliances such as air conditioners, refrigerators, and washing machines. These appliances cost more at first, but if you want to spend money wisely, you must consider the energy savings they offer in the long run.
Take shorter showers. Since the water heater is one of the biggest energy consumers in the house, reducing the amount of time you spend in the shower will also reduce your household’s energy consumption.
Utilize your microwave. The microwave is one of the lowest energy-consuming appliances in your home and is a versatile cooking apparatus. You can use it to steam, heat, and even bake different food.
Turn off your computer. Your computer consumes more energy than you think, even when it is in sleep mode. If you have a habit of hitting sleep mode instead of shutting it down, change this immediately.
Lower temperature means higher energy. The Philippines is a hot and humid country, so it may be difficult to give up your air conditioner. Instead of completely letting it go, learn how to use it effectively. A tip on how to save electricity is to lower the temperature setting, the more energy your air conditioner uses. If you can, set your air conditioners from around 20 - 27 degrees Celsius.
Purchase an electric fan adaptor. This allows you to set your timer on for your air conditioner and once it goes off, your electric fan automatically kicks in. With this adapter, your air conditioner can run for the first few hours of the night and switch off as you sleep.
Pay your bill on time. Don’t forget to pay your bill on time to avoid costly penalties or, worse, disconnection. If your electricity gets disconnected, you’ll need to pay additional fees for reconnection. Set reminders or, better yet, maximize credit card use by setting up automatic bill payments.
Use less power. Finally, one of the best ways to save money on your electricity bill is to simply use less power. During the day, open blinds and curtains to let in natural light instead of turning on lamps and overhead lights. At night, try to avoid using electronics as much as possible.
How are you saving money on electricity next month?
There are many ways to save money on electricity. We hope that these tips can help you reduce your energy consumption and use the money you saved to fill up your savings account.
Make bills payment convenient and more manageable. Enroll your electric bills in Metrobank’s Bill2Pay facility. Apply for a Metrobank credit card today for smoother bill payments and many other benefits.
