Simple Tips to Keep That Jingle in Your Wallet This Holiday

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It’s holiday shopping season and all too easy to go overboard and over budget when it comes to spending. But it doesn’t have to be that way! A few easy steps and a couple small energy adjustments are all it takes to keep that jingle in your wallet- where it belongs! {Well, at least until you’re ready to spend it on something more fun!}

Save Money While Heating Your Home This Holiday

Keep it Low. When it’s chilly outside, it’s best to keep your thermostat at 68 degrees or lower. For every degree 68 °, you can expect to see an approximate three-to- five percent increase in your heating costs.

Switch Up the Fan. Set ceiling fans to rotate clockwise during winter to push warmer air down.

Be Mindful of the Fireplace. If you have a fireplace and plan to use it, make sure your damper closes properly when not in use. If you’re not using the fireplace this winter, insulate the flue so air can’t get into your home.

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Cozy- Reliant Energy- Corpus Christi Moms Blog

Keep Holiday Lighting and Décor Energy Efficient

Go LED. Save electricity with energy efficient LED holiday lights, which use about 90 percent less electricity than incandescent lights and last 10 to 25 times longer. Because LEDs are widely available now, they’re more affordable and will also save you money on your electricity bill. Replace and recycle old lights at your local home improvement stores.

Time for a Timer! Limit indoor and outdoor light displays to evening hours by using a timer to turn them off and on automatically.

Keep the Inflatables Inflated. Inflatable lawn decorations use big lights and motors without using a lot of electricity. So feel free to get festive and go big! They only cost about a penny an hour to operate.

Stay Safe this Holiday

Don’t Overload Electric Sockets and Extension Cords. Thoroughly inspect light strands and discard damaged cords. Ensure that lighting used outside is rated for outdoor use.

Follow the Manufacturer’s Recommendation Regarding the Number of Light Sets Attached to a Single Electrical Outlet or Extension Cord. Generally, do not use more than three sets of lights per extension cord.

Don’t Overload the Circuits. Be careful not to overload your circuits during the holidays. Watch for flickering lights, sparks from appliances or wall outlets, warm switch plates, plugs or outlets, and dimming lights or television screens.

Remedy those Holiday Cooking Costs

Use Your Oven for Holiday Baking, Not Home Heating. The energy used to bake a turkey for three to four hours will cost $4 to $7, but using your oven or stove to heat your home is dangerous and costly. As tempting as it is, don’t open the oven door to take a peak of (or sniff) the turkey! Opening the oven door can also cause the temperature in the oven to drop as much as 25 degrees.

Christmas Cookies- Reliant Energy- Corpus Christi Moms Blog

Let Leftovers Cool First. Allow leftover food to cool slightly before refrigerating to keep your refrigerator from working too hard to overcome added heat. Otherwise, at about $5 per month, refrigerators are economical to operate.

Size Matters. When cooking on top of your range, match the size of the pan to the burner. Doing so will minimize the heat lost around the edges to the surrounding air. A 6-inch pan on an 8-inch burner wastes more than 25 percent of the energy used.

Once all that is done, kick back and enjoy the holidays knowing all is merry and bright!