Quick tips for saving money on utility bills

By Tara McAlister
Posted: Sunday, Feb. 14, 2010

You know you're in trouble when your utility bill is more than your 401(k). Here are a few tips that should help:

Tighten your belt by tightening your home. Caulk around windows, apply weatherstrips to door frames and close your fireplace flues.

Add more insulation to your attic and consider sealing the edges of your attic to keep cold air from seeping into your home.

Make sure your dishwasher is full to make the most of the energy and water. Skip the dry cycle and open the dishwasher door so the dishes can air dry. Don't use your garbage disposal, start a composting bin for vegetable and fruit scraps.

Set your water heater at about 120 degrees and wrap it with insulation. Consider getting a rain barrel, which not only provides a great resource for free water but can also help protect our waterways. According to Charlotte-Mecklenburg Utilities, a one-inch rainfall over a 1,000-square-foot roof provides more than 620 gallons of water. You can buy one from the county; prices range from $95 for a 60-gallon barrel and $110 for an 80-gallon barrel. On its site, charmeck.org/ Departments/ Utilities/ , check out the utility department's Water Star program, a cash incentive program for saving water.

Wash your clothes in cold water when possible. Use the suggested amount of detergent by using the cap provided, instead of just pouring in what you think you might need.

Keep your equipment up to date and well maintained. Many companies will offer a low-cost annual fee for two visits and give discounts on repairs. Not only is a dripping faucet annoying, but that is money going down the drain. According to consumers energy.com , a single dripping hot water faucet can waste 212 gallons of water a month. That will affect not only your water bill but also your energy bill.

Duke Power offers several opportunities to save money. On its Web site, duke- energy. com, there's a dashboard for your house that compares the energy use in your house from the prior year to another similar home. Duke also offers home energy audits.