Turn Down Your Energy Costs With These Simple Steps

With the seasons changing, our minds turn to the cost of our energy bills. It’s no wonder. Shorter days mean we have the lights on for longer. Cold weather means turning the heating on. Whatever way you look at it, winter can be expensive. What better time of year to turn our attention to long-term ways to cut down on our energy costs? With a little time and effort, it’s possible to cut down a significant chunk of the amount we spend on energy. Here’s how!

Turn Things Off

I know you hear this all the time, but it works! Turning lights off when you’re not in rooms makes a significant difference. Switching appliances off at the plugs is worth the effort too. It’s shocking how much of the energy in our homes gets used unnecessarily. It’s also worth practicing leniency when turning things on in the first place. Do you need the main light on, or can you settle for a lamp beside you? Do you need the heating, or can you put a jumper on? Taking the time to consider the energy you’re using will open your eyes to how much less you could get away with.

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Compare Energy Prices

It’s possible you won’t have to cut down on anything to save yourself a little money. Comparison sites show how much cheaper your energy could be elsewhere. Energy prices change all the time. It’s worth checking comparison sites often to see that you’re getting the best deal. You could always use this as a haggling tool with another energy company, too. Find out who they are and what deal they offer, then give them a ring with details of your current provider. Quite often, companies will match or beat your current bills. Don’t be afraid of putting yourself out there!

Look at Different Types of Energy

If you’ve had enough of dealing with the energy giants, why not take matters into your own hands? Producing your energy is excellent for the environment, and for your bank balance. The main choices you have here are solar or wind power. Both have their benefits. If your garden is south facing, solar energy may be the way to go. If not, why not consider a small wind turbine for your home? You could even go for a hybrid model that provides both solar and wind energy to fuel your home. There are installation costs involved with these. They will soon start paying for themselves. Solar panel experts can install the system into your home for you, so you don’t need to worry.

Following all these steps together would save you an enormous amount of money. If you can’t stretch to all of them, just following one or two will make a significant difference to your energy bill. If the saving itself isn’t enough incentive to change, think of the environment. Fossil fuels are bad for the environment in many ways. Cutting down, or finding alternate energy, will make such a difference!

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Choose the Energy Plan that Suits Your Needs Best

Energy is essential to all homeowners these days, and homeowners everywhere have noticed the cost has been steadily increasing over the past several years. Part of the reason for this increase is the recent uptick in regulations imposed on energy companies by the EPA and the government. While these regulations are thought to be necessary in order to reduce pollution and reduce the effects of global warming, the resulting costs passed on to homeowners can be hard on their budget.

In an effort to lessen the burden on residents, Corpus Christi Energy has created several options to give area homeowners the ability to more easily manage their energy costs. These plans are simple, and they allow homeowners to choose the plan that fits best into their budget and needs.

Fixed Supply-rate Plans

This concept has been available from utility companies for some time, and is often referred to as “level billing.” After the customer has lived in the same home long enough to build a usage history, the electric company is able to anticipate how much energy will be consumed over a span of 12 months. This amount is divided into 12 equal payments which the customer pays on a monthly basis. A year-end adjustment will be made if there is any variation from the expected energy cost.

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Traditional Billing

Some people are more mobile than others, so they may not live in their home every month of the year. This means their energy usage may fluctuate considerably between their periods of being home or away. The traditional method of billing works best for these residents since they will be charged for the actual energy usage each month.

Take Advantage of Green Energy

Many Texas utility companies use green energy sources to help supply energy to their customers. While energy from these alternate sources that include sun and wind may not be less expensive than traditional sources, most customers appreciate their ability to choose energy sources that are renewable and environmentally friendly.

Homeowners in Corpus Christi are fortunate to live in a state that proactively pursues alternate energy sources. This means they will never run out of electricity even after the traditional sources of coal and natural gas have been depleted. Using green energy sources also means the air in Texas will be cleaner and less polluted.

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