When it comes to usage, any appliances that make heat from electricity should be the first change to consider. Many electric hot water heaters will consume 350-500 kWh per month, often far more where there are large families, leaking taps or hot water laundry usage. It is also important to make sure that your hot water heater is working properly. If you own your own electric water heater, call an electrician.

Another common source of high bills are electric space heaters placed in rooms that are rarely used. The space heaters can unknowingly be left on, leading to high usage. Also, the thermostat switches on these heaters can be unreliable and the heater may actually be on when the switch is in the “off” position. To ensure that heaters are off, it is a good idea to unplug space heaters or turn the breaker off at the main breaker panel.

Old refrigerators are also notorious for high electricity usage. If you have an old one in the garage or basement and can live without it, you will likely save a lot of kWh usage by disposing of it. If you can afford to replace an old one that is needed with a newer more efficient model, this will pay off in the long run with lower electric bills.