Checked your electric bill lately? If you’re only looking at the amount you owe, you’re missing a lot. Scroll your eyes down the page to the ‘usage’ section. See anything alarming? If you said something along the lines of—‘what da what?!’—you’re seeing exactly what you need to see. It’s all that extra electricity you and your family have been inhaling that’s slowly draining your bank account of all its contents. Didn’t know you were using so much electricity, did you? Well, you are—but it might not be all your fault. There are so many things you and your family have been doing—with electrical appliances, the air conditioner, even your window blinds—that have been practically stealing the money right out of your wallet. But it ends now. Here are some tips from the top electricians that will teach you how to save money on the electric bill before it bleeds your bank account dry.

Keep blinds closed

Sun Tzu said, “Keep your friends close and your enemies closer.” But that’s not the kind of ‘sun’ we’re talking about here. If you’re like most folks, you work outside your home during the day and spend your nights inside your house. If that’s true, then ask yourself this question: Why am I leaving my curtains open during the day heating up my home with all those sun’s rays? Seriously, does it make sense to pull in all that heat during the day when you’re not home, only to have to work your air conditioners that much harder at night? Of course not. So, close your curtains, blinds, and draperies during the day, and keep yourself cool at night.

Air conditioner maintenance

Air conditioner maintenance and repairs are among the most important things you can do to keep your energy bills low this summer. Always be sure to maintain proper care of all air conditioners in your home. This one thing can save you a bundle of money on your electrical bill. Start by checking the filters in all of your air conditioning units to make sure they’re free of debris and dust. Dirty air conditioner filters can clog. When that happens, they won’t work the way they’re supposed to, and that will not only cost you money on your electrical bill because your unit has to work harder; it will also decrease the life of your air conditioning unit.

Vampires suck more than blood

How to Save Money
Blah blah blah—your house is being sucked of its electricity by vampires! No, not vampire bats … vampire energy.  Vampire energy is the energy drain that occurs—likely right now as you read this—when all those electrical appliances and gadgets you’ve got in your home aren’t being used—and yet they’re plugged in anyway. There’s no reason to pay for energy that no one is using. And Dracula isn’t just draining your home of its energy; he’s sucking the life’s blood out of your bank account, don’t you know. Toasters, hair dryers, hot rollers, microwaves, and more—these are all likely plugged in right now, and they’re robbing your wallet blind at this very second. Go around your house right now, check each and every appliance, and if it’s not being used unplug it, and start listening to the sound of the cash register ring.

When you were a kid, did you ever use that old excuse in school—‘the dog ate my homework’? Well, now you can use another excuse—the vampires ate my electricity. But excuses won’t put any of that wasted cash back into your wallet, will they? And neither will the blinds you’ve left open all day that have been overheating your home, nor the dirty air filters in your air conditioners. In fact, nothing will get back the money you’ve already wasted on your electric bill. But the good news is—the buck suck stops here. If it seems your electric bill has had a one-way siphon from your wallet to the electric company, it’s time to stop the madness. Put these tips to use in order to decrease your electric usage and increase the cash flow back into your pocketbook. For more information on how you can save money on your electric bill, contact an electrician near you.