Every year, once we hit December, the holiday season rolls around. It is a time of merriment and family. Nevertheless, your utility bill could be a source of stress. If you’d like to focus on enjoying the holidays, keeping your utility bill low is essential. That way, you aren’t distracted by financial obligations.
1. What Costs the Most on Your Winter Utility Bill
Why does your utility bill skyrocket during the winter? There are several factors that contribute to rising utility bills during the holidays. Primarily, we use more electricity.
Climate Control:
When it’s cold outside, you want your home to feel cozy. To that end, most people tend to crank up the heat. One side effect of this is a large utility bill at the end of the month.
Lighting:
Most American families like to decorate for the holidays. Many holiday decorations use electricity. The most common would be Christmas lights. While each light only uses a small amount of electricity, it does not take much for the bills to quickly add up.
Appliances:
Traditionally, the holidays are the time of year where people cook the most. Each time you turn on your appliances, they are using energy. That energy adds to your utility bill at the end of the month.
2. Tips on Keeping Your Utility Bill Down During the Holidays
What can you do about your utility bill? Luckily, there are several techniques you can use to help keep your bills affordable. As long as you follow this advice, you should be pleasantly surprised. The holidays no longer mean forking over a ton of money to keep the lights on.
Holiday Lighting Timers:
If you want to decorate using lights, go ahead. Just remember, leaving them on all day is a waste of money. You can easily avoid this by installing a lighting timer. These ensure your lights turn off once the sun comes up. Consequently, you can substantially reduce your electric bill. To compound your savings further, set the timer to turn off the lights at bedtime. If nobody is awake, there’s no reason the lights should be on. Forgetting to turn them off is simply a waste of money.
Energy-Efficient Decorations:
Not all holiday decorations are made equal. You could just spend a little more money upfront to purchase energy-efficient decorations. Even if you do not turn these off, they use much less electricity. Thus, your utility bill stays low. In our opinion, the upfront cost is more than worth it. That way, you can enjoy the holidays without any stress. Plus, your place will look phenomenal.
Create Low-Tech Decorations by Hand:
When you really want to keep your Centerpoint Energy bill low, consider making your holiday decorations by hand. There are several benefits to this. One, handmade holiday decorations don’t use any electricity at all. Thus, they will not have any impact on your utility bill. Secondly, making holiday decorations can be a lot of fun for the whole family. When was the last time you made arts and crafts night together? You might be surprised at the memories you make. Gather everyone and turn it into a group activity. Could you think of a better way to enjoy the holidays?
Staying Under Budget Over the Holidays
By keeping your utility bill low, you can put your money towards more productive uses. For example, a lower utility bill might make it possible to afford a holiday vacation. You know, the one you’ve always dreamed of. Additionally, gift shopping will be much less burdensome. Every single dollar you save on your utility bill is another dollar you can put towards presents.
