It doesn’t matter how much money you have, whether you are rich, poor, or somewhere between, no one likes paying more than they have to for anything, especially utility bills. While you can’t make your utility bills disappear, with necessities like heat and lighting, you can manage them, reducing the amount you pay each month.

Use These Tips To Manage Utility Bills

• Tune-ups and inspections. To make sure your utilities aren’t working more than they have to, raising your monthly utility bills, it’s important to get them tuned and inspected regularly. Heating and Cooling systems, especially, can benefit from regular check-ups.

• Change Furnace Filters. Speaking of heating systems, during heating seasons, it can be very beneficial to change your furnace filter often. Allowing your furnace to breathe by changing out those old, dirty filters regularly will cause it to use less energy, lowering the amount you pay.

• Clean surrounding areas. For central air conditioners, checking the surrounding area for excess debris, leaves, and grass that might block airflow will guarantee you are getting the most from your system at a cheaper rate. Inside the home, check for clothes, toys, and other household items that may block vents.

• Turn it down a notch. Simply cutting back on your heat and air-conditioner use by turning it up or down a notch can save you, without you ever noticing. Just a small change of a degree or two will make a big difference for your bill.

• Choose where your air goes. By opening and closing certain vents and doors in your home, you can decide where your hot or cool air goes. Consider closing the vents in rooms or parts of the house you aren’t using frequently.

•  Bath vs. shower. It may sound silly, but simply choosing to take a bath instead of a shower, where water is constantly running down the drain, can save you money. When possible, opt for a bath.

• Cook smart. For cooking using an oven, saving money can be as easy as fully thawing your frozen meats and other meals before placing them into the oven to cook. The less frozen, the less time it will need to cook, lowering your utility bills. Also, chopping your meat or vegetables into smaller pieces can allow them to cook more quickly.

• Leave tumble room. To save money, you may be guilty of over stuffing your washer and dryer. Sadly, this tactic has a reverse effect. Instead, fill your dryer with the appropriate amount of clothes without overstuffing it. Leaving room for your clothes to tumble as they dry will cause them to be finished more quickly, using less energy.

• Close the door. Everyone has stood blindly staring into the refrigerator or freezer searching for something to eat while allowing all that cold air to escape. As basic as it may sound, avoiding leaving the refrigerator and freezer doors open for extended amounts of time can save energy and save you money

• Invest in drapes. Particularly beneficial for homes with older windows, investing in long window drapes with an insulating liner can help minimize the heat creeping out. Heavier material, like quilted or vinyl, can give you the best results, saving you the most.

Just because you can’t rid yourself of all utility bills does not mean you are stuck paying too high of prices forever. With a little effort and putting tips, like changing your furnace filters, opting for a bath, fully thawing frozen foods, and simply keeping the refrigerator door closed, you and your family can enjoy the necessities without driving up your budget.

The CESI Team is committed to helping you reach your financial goals. If debt keeps you from living the life you dream of, contact us for a free debt analysis today and get started on the road to a brighter future!

This article was syndicated and originally appeared on the CESI Debt Solutions website.