As someone passionate about technology, you are not alone in feeling the cost of your hobbies. Our game consoles cost more than ever to run; our smartphones cost more to charge than previously. Daily usage apps like our TVs are more power-hungry than in the past. All these costs soon add up, meaning that more of us are paying record energy bills on a monthly and yearly basis. While you can switch to a new electricity company or review your electricity plans, most of us stand to gain the most simply by changing how we use our technology.
Energy bills continue to skyrocket, with the average person paying close to 10% of their annual income just for power alone. If you are someone who works from home or has mostly tech-based hobbies, you could be paying even more than that per year just for power. If you find that simply using your technology costs you more money than it is worth, we recommend considering a change. Here are some tips to help you reduce the cost of technology in your home and office.
Switch Off At The Wall
Many of us get into the habit of leaving tech plugged in overnight. While your PC might be off and your TVs on standby, they are still drawing a small amount of power when switched off. As such, this costs you a fair amount of money over the length of the year. It might be a tiny cost per day, but it soon adds up; the more devices you leave on like this, the more it costs you per day.
Start by simply getting into the habit of switching every non-essential appliance off at night. Yes, leave your refrigerator running and the power source for your home protection tools like your burglar alarms. Stop leaving your entertainment appliances on the wall, though; those small costs soon add up across the week, month, and year.
Get A Smart Meter
If you are still using an old-school power monitoring meter, get a smart meter. These meters allow you to see your daily, weekly, and monthly costs for running your power. They can also give you valuable feedback on what is drawing the most power, giving you a better idea of where you need to make some concessions. Smart meters often get fitted for free now, thanks to government schemes looking to boost uptake and get people on a more modern form of power management.
Many meters become outdated and thus start running quickly, meaning they start to overcharge you for your energy. Over time, that means paying more than you need to just to keep using the same equipment. By investing in a smart meter, you get something more modern and robust. Not only that, but most smart meters also automatically send readings to the power company you use, saving you some valuable time each month in calculating your figures and waiting for a bill to appear.
In some advanced setups with solar or other renewable energy sources, these smarter meters allow you to combine your grid setup with the renewable energy source, thereby reducing your energy cost significantly.
Create Charging Limits
If you have a habit of leaving items like video game pads, smartphones, and tablets charging overnight, now is the time to make a change. If something is set to charge up to 100%, it will continue to charge even once it reaches maximum power. Over the many hours of the year, how often do you leave something charging when it is finished?
Thankfully, most appliances today come with charging limits. You can, therefore, ensure that the charging process cuts off as soon as you get to around 80-90% battery. Not only is this regarded as better for our batteries in many cases, but it means you avoid that excessive charging cost. Not only will you get a longer lifespan out of your batteries, but it will also reduce wasted charging power.
Invest In Efficiency
Lastly, make sure that you invest in more efficient hardware. Buying a more efficient fridge might cost you today, but it will save you money in the future. The same goes for cooking appliances. Investing in a more efficient oven or tools like air fryers can mean spending less money on cooking times per year. Given that we spend around one-tenth of our power consumption per year on refrigeration and cooking alone, efficiency here can pay for those new appliances for years to come!
Efficiency costs you today, but the results speak for themselves in the years to come. The same goes for entertainment appliances, such as your televisions and computers. Paying a little extra for more energy-efficient hardware today means saving money each month for years to come on your power bills. Most of the time, the ROI we get simply from our monthly power savings makes the initial cost worthwhile.
Consider Peak Times
Most countries have peak times when power is more expensive. If you use most of your power during these peak hours, you will find it hard to make meaningful savings in the future. We recommend that you consider the cost of peak times.
For example, if your lifestyle allows for it, it might be better to do your washing up or your drying in the evenings when power is cheaper. Find out when the peak times are where you live, and you should be able to adapt to these times accordingly.
When it comes to extensive power use, peak times should be avoided. In some cases, the difference between energy costs during peak and off-peak times can be as much as 30% and above.
Pass The Message On To Others
It can be easy for you to do your bit in your household by turning things off, using lighter appliances at peak times and heavier ones off-peak, moderating light usage, managing power usage around off-peak times, etc. – but what about everyone else at home?
If you want to see genuine reductions in the cost of your power usage, think about how to bring this topic up with the whole household. Consider ways you can incentivise others in the house to do their part and reduce their power consumption. There are many benefits to everyone working together on this process, so help them understand the cheaper cost of living.
Show them, too, that conveniences like leaving plugs on and not turning devices off, even lights, add up to the monthly total more than they assume. A little bit of education and enforcement can go a long way to keeping energy costs down!
