Does it feel like your electricity bill couldn’t get any higher? Looking for ways to lower your costs?

The Ohio Consumers’ Counsel and FirstEnergy offer tips and strategies to help you lower your electricity usage. 

These include: 

  • Cutting off “vampire power,” small amounts of electricity that are conducted through wires even when devices are powered off, is one place you can save as much as $100 a year by unplugging devices in your home. 
  • Finding ways to more efficiently light, heat and cool your home.
  • Saving on power usage of major appliances.
  • Lowering holiday utility bills, which may go up because of increased heating costs, appliance use and extra lighting around your home.
  • Signing up for FirstEnergy’s TVR program if you’re eligible. It can save you money depending on when you use electricity, since it costs less during lower demand periods. 

Here are some more detailed looks at a variety of ways, long- and short-term, that you can cut your electricity costs.

How can I save on vampire power (also called phantom load)?

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Targeting your coffee makers, televisions, computers and cell phones and unplugging them when you aren’t using them can help you avoid using and paying for what’s known as vampire power energy. This standby power is also sometimes referred to as a phantom load. 

The consumers’ counsel suggests unplugging wall chargers once your devices are charged. It’s especially smart to unplug devices if you plan to leave home for a few days at a time. 

Power strips with on-off switches and timers can be helpful in powering down or unplugging several devices at once. If a device you use has energy-saving modes or sleep modes, like a laptop, use them, and unplug electronics you rarely use. 

ENERGY STAR states the average household in the U.S. spends $100 a year on vampire power — each home has anywhere from 20 to 40 devices plugged in at once. All told, these devices account for 10% to 20% of your monthly power bill. 

Saving energy during the holidays

Lighting, heating, cooling and major appliances account for almost all the energy used in an average home. 

Because of that, holiday utility bills can rise because of increased heating costs, increased appliance use and extra lighting around your house.

How can I save on lighting-related costs?

  • Turn lights off when they’re not in use. A timer or a “smart” plug can automatically turn holiday lighting on and off and can save you both time and money. A Wi-Fi connected smart plug can control holiday lighting with a smart phone or other smart device.
  • Switch to LED bulbs instead of traditional incandescent (banned for sale in the U.S., but still legal to use) or fluorescent bulbs.
  • LED lights last longer and only use about 15% of the energy of traditional incandescent bulbs, so switching to LEDs can reduce the cost to power those lights by more than 80%. LEDs cost more up-front than incandescent or fluorescent but are cheaper in the long run because they use less energy and last longer (two to four times longer than a fluorescent bulb).

How can I save on heating costs?

  • Seal air leaks around doors and windows to reduce heat loss and make sure your home is well insulated. Heat is also lost through bathroom and kitchen exhaust fans, so minimize the amount of time you use them.
  • Replace the air filters in your furnace every one to three months to increase its efficiency, following the guidance in your owner’s manual, and tune up HVAC equipment yearly.
  • Save on heating costs by turning the thermostat back 7 to 10 degrees when you’re away from home. For maximum convenience, consider investing in a programmable or “smart thermostat.” (You may be eligible for a free one from FirstEnergy — check here.) Keep the thermostat set to 68 degrees during the day and lower at night to save more.
  • Rotate ceiling fans clockwise at a low speed to force warm air near the ceiling down. This can make your space feel warmer without turning up the thermostat.
  • Close the fireplace damper when it’s not in use to keep cold air out.
  • Use layered clothing, heavy blankets or an electric blanket to stay warm.
  • Close the drapes at night. During the day, only open those that receive direct sunlight.
  • Keep heat registers and cold air returns free of obstructions such as curtains or furniture.
  • Keep the overhead door of an attached garage closed to block cold air from infiltrating the connecting door between the house and the garage.
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How can I increase the efficiency of my appliances? 

Refrigerators

  • Clean the refrigerator coils every six months, so that the compressor does not have to work as hard.
  • Try to minimize opening the door to keep the cold air in. If you have two refrigerators, consider eliminating one or unplugging it when it’s not in use.
  • A refrigerator that meets new energy efficiency standards will cost around $200 less per year for electricity than those produced in the 1980s. Look for the ENERGY STAR logo when you’re shopping for any new appliances. These products have been rated for their energy-saving performance. 

Water heaters

  • Keeping the water heater temperature at 120 degrees can reduce excess heat loss from the tank. Higher temperatures can cause heat loss and scalding, while lower temperatures may lead to bacteria build-up. 
  • A tankless water heater may be a more energy-efficient choice if your household doesn’t consume much water.
  • Reduce hot water usage by repairing leaky faucets and installing energy-efficient showerheads and faucet aerators. Wait to run the dishwasher or washing machine until you have a full load. Consider using cold or warm water instead of hot when doing laundry.

Change up your cooking habits

Over the holidays, try to bake multiple dishes at once, keep the oven door closed as much as possible, keep oven burners clean and use the correct size burner for efficiency.

Instead of your oven, use the following alternatives, which use less power:

  • Microwave
  • Slow cooker
  • Air fryer
  • Toaster oven
  • Electric pressure cookers/multicookers

Are there electricity-saving programs that can help me?

  • If you’re eligible, FirstEnergy’s Community Connections program could provide you with an in-home energy use evaluation and energy-saving home improvements

    The specific improvements you are eligible to receive will be determined during your home energy evaluation. No payment is required for these installations/services.

    Homeowners and renters with incomes at or below 200% of the federal poverty level are eligible for the program.
  • FirstEnergy also has a free smart thermostat program – check here to see if you are eligible.
  • FirstEnergy residential customers with smart meters may be eligible for the voluntary Time-of-Day Option (Residential), which means the customer’s cost per kilowatt hour of electricity varies based on the time of the day and/or day of the week when the electricity is consumed.

    Enrolling in a time-varying rate (TVR) program can help you lower your energy costs if you shift energy usage away from peak times and/or you reduce your energy usage during peak times when electricity demand is highest.

To enroll or unenroll in the Time-of-Day Option (Residential), call 855-344-3400. You can also visit FirstEnergy’s  Contact Us  page, select the “Email Us” button and select “Billing and Rates” in the “Request Type” drop box.

Editor-in-Chief (she/her)
Zake has deep roots in Northeast Ohio journalism. She was the managing editor for multimedia and special projects at the Akron Beacon Journal, where she began work as a staff photographer in 1986. Over a 20-year career, Zake worked in a variety of roles across departments that all help inform her current role as Signal Akron's editor in chief. Most recently, she was a journalism professor and student media adviser at Kent State University, where she worked with the next generation of journalists to understand public policy, environmental reporting, data and solutions reporting. Among her accomplishments was the launch of the Kent State NewsLab, an experiential and collaborative news commons that connects student reporters with outside professional partners.

Kristine Gill is a freelance writer based in Willoughby with experience covering real estate, crime, higher education and health. She majored in newspaper journalism and creative writing at Kent State and runs a fiction workshop for local writers. She spent a decade living in Florida, working first as a reporter for the Naples Daily News. She later worked as a media relations specialist for the Collier County Sheriff's Office.