I guess you finally want to end that skyrocketing electricity bill.
Because you’re thinking of ways you can save energy…
And you’re wondering if using smart plugs is an efficient way to do that.
Well, it’s your lucky day.
Because I’ll answer that question and give you some tips along the way.
Now just…
Continue reading to learn:
- 3 ways to save money while tracking electricity.
- 7 different ways you can save money with this device.
- How smart plugs can tell you which of your appliances are using the most electricity.
- And a lot more.
Do smart plugs save energy?
Smart plugs save energy. They reduce the electricity your appliances consume when they’re in standby mode. On top of that, smart plugs also let you schedule when you want to turn OFF your devices. With that, you can limit their energy consumption.
How to save money with smart plugs? 7 ways
#1: Kill phantom load of your devices
Did you know that your appliances still use power, even when you’ve turned them OFF?
See, there’s such a thing called phantom load.
And it refers to the electricity your devices use up in standby mode.
Now, without a smart plug, you can’t really avoid this phantom load or energy.
Because to do that, you’d need to unplug all your devices when they’re not in use.
And think about all the appliances you have in your home, such as:
- TVs.
- Laptops.
- Microwaves.
- Gaming consoles.
Can you imagine unplugging all these every night or whenever you leave the house?
Now, that’s a practice that takes too much time to do for most people.
However, with smart plugs, it’s effortless to kill or cut down this phantom energy.
Because with a smart plug, you can:
- Schedule specific times for outlets to turn ON or OFF.
- Cut down the outlet’s electricity when you don’t want to use your appliances.
And all of these can be done just by tapping your phone’s screen.
So you’ll reduce your electricity bill without doing anything too inconvenient.
#2: Schedule devices to turn ON
Some electricity providers charge their customers less…
When they consume energy during off-peak hours.
“What’s that?”
It’s the time of the day when the least amount of people is using their electricity.
Take New York, for example, the off-peak energy hours are from 11 PM to 7 AM.
And as mentioned earlier…
Electricity rates are much lower than you’d typically pay during this time.
So if you want to save money…
Then I highly recommend that you charge gadgets during these off-peak hours.
And no, you don’t have to get up at night and do this yourself.
Because, as mentioned previously…
Smart plugs can schedule your outlets to turn ON or OFF.
So 1st, check if your utility provider implements this time-of-use billing rule.
Then schedule your devices to charge during the off-peak hours in your location.
Now, if you want to go the extra mile, you can also integrate your smart plug with Alexa routines.
Wanna know how? Just watch this video:
#3: Never forget to turn the lights OFF again
Have you ever settled in bed, then realized you haven’t turned OFF the lights yet?
But because you’re too tired to get up, you just leave it ON all night.
Honestly, I can relate to that.
But ever since I’ve implemented smart plugs into our house…
I’ve never reencountered this type of problem.
See, with a smart plug, you can turn your lights OFF just by using your phone.
So you don’t need to get up from bed just to hit that wall switch.
And likewise…
You won’t have to worry about accidentally leaving them ON before leaving the house again.
Because even when you’re somewhere else…
You can still use your smart plug’s app to turn OFF the lights inside your house.
Trust me.
Doing this will save you tens and hundreds of dollars in the long run.
Because you’ll never forget to turn your lights OFF again, and waste electricity.
#4: Make holidays cheaper
Year-end Holidays are usually the most exciting season of the year.
But unfortunately, they’re also the most expensive time for electricity bills.
See, many people set up Christmas lights or Halloween displays during the holidays.
And it’s not a secret that these decorations can consume a lot of energy.
Now, generally, you won’t end up spending too much on your bills…
As long as you turn these lights OFF before going to sleep.
But unfortunately, that’s where the problem usually lies.
See, when it’s time to turn these lights OFF, many people just don’t.
Because they’re too tired to get up or simply forget to do it.
So these Holiday decorations end up staying ON until morning comes.
And so, people pay a lot more on their utility bills.
Now, on that note…
Bear in mind that you won’t have this type of problem if you’re using smart plugs.
See, you can just schedule your Holiday lights to turn OFF at a specific time.
Without needing to do it manually.
On top of that, you’ll also save yourself the extra trouble of turning them ON.
Because the apps of smart plugs can also take care of that routine for you.
So if you want to make Holidays cheap and more convenient…
Just grab your smart plug and use it to control your Holiday decorations.
And you can say goodbye to the skyrocketing electricity bills…
With that, it’s time to enjoy the long-awaited Holiday season with reduced expenses.
Read also: Do Smart Plugs Work In Cold Weather? (Updated Guide)
#5: Limit children’s screen time
If you have little ones around, you know how hard it is to keep them off the TV or phone.
But here comes smart plugs to the rescue…
With them, it’s easier to implement limited screen time for your children.
See, even if you’re away from home…
You can still limit how often they use the TV with smart plugs.
For example, when your kids arrive home from school…
You can schedule the TV to be OFF for 30 minutes or longer.
So they can do other activities or their homework during this time.
Then, you can automatically turn ON the TV after this specific duration.
With that, they can still enjoy watching their favorite shows, but with a healthy limitation.
On top of that, with smart plugs, you’ll also ensure that…
No one’s staying up too late playing video games when they’re not supposed to.
And not only will this allow you to save electricity.
It’ll also let you easily take care of your family’s health.
#6: Control your AC/heater from anywhere with ease
Is this scenario familiar?
You woke up in the middle of the night because it was too cold.
But instead of turning your AC OFF…
You just covered yourself with a thick blanket instead because you’re too tired to get up.
Actually, this pretty much happens to everyone.
But although this is a common occurrence…
You’ll obviously save more money if you turn the AC OFF when it’s too cold, right?
Now, with a smart plug, that’s very easy to do.
Because you don’t need to get up and turn the AC OFF yourself.
And you just need to open an app while you’re still in the comfort of your bed.
Moreover, if you have Alexa, this is even easier to do.
Because all you need to do is give her a voice command to turn your AC OFF.
And it’ll automatically do so.
#7: Save money while tracking electricity
See, smart plugs can track the energy consumption of the appliances plugged into them.
With this, you can determine which devices use the most electricity.
And once you have this information…
There are different ways you can approach these appliances to save money.
Do you want to know how?
Then here are…
3 ways to save money while tracking electricity
#1: Limit the time you’re using appliances that consume a lot of energy
Once you know which devices use up a lot of your power…
You can simply set a schedule to limit their hours of usage a day.
For example, ACs use a lot of electricity (at least 3kWh).
So, to prevent your utility bill from going through the roof…
You can set a schedule on your smart plug app.
So you don’t accidentally use your AC for too long.
#2: Use high-power consuming devices during off-peak hours
I’ve already talked about the importance of off-peak hours earlier.
But see, once you know which of your devices use a lot of energy.
You can get the most out of the cheaper rates during off-peak times.
By using these high-energy consuming appliances during that time of the day.
For example, you can schedule your dryer or washer to operate during these times.
And this way, although they’re still using a lot of energy…
You’ll pay less to your utility provider.
#3: Replace old appliances
Now, some of your devices may use way more energy than they’re supposed to.
And if that’s the case, you should consider replacing them.
See, older appliances are less efficient at electricity than modern ones.
So if you find that a device older than 5 years is using too much energy…
You should consider replacing them.
And with that, here’s a little advice when buying new appliances…
Pro tip: Look out for the energy label of the appliances you want to buy. This shows how much electricity that unit uses. And how efficient it is at using energy compared to other common household devices.