How to Cut Your Electricity Bills on Lighting

Cutting your electricity bill on the lighting used in the home is always a good idea.  The money saved can be used for other essentials, like food or paying down a debt or two.  There are several ways to trim lighting costs, including changing some long-time habits, upgrading lighting systems in the home and even considering the addition of an alternative energy source to the mix.

It’s no secret that a significant amount of the monthly electricity bill is due to the cost of lighting in the home.  While many people give no real thought to the lighting until it is suddenly not there, the truth is that making a few changes around the house can help to reduce the portion of the power bill that goes toward supplying artificial light in each room.  A combination of updating fixtures, choosing bulbs more effectively and making a few changes in how you light the space will help take some of the sting out of receiving that monthly power bill and free up income that can be used to better advantage elsewhere.

• Evaluate the lighting strategy in each room.  Arranging lamps so that there is sufficient lighting in areas that are used frequently is a better idea than attempting to keep the entire area illuminated at all times.  There’s really no reason to light an entire room when one person is curled up in a chair reading a book.  Instead, strategically place lamps so these can be used singly or as a group to provide the right level of lighting for the immediate use of the space.


• Update the fixtures.  Many of the lighting fixtures on the market today are more energy efficient than in times past.  From the amount of current needed to provide the light to the type of bulb used, it is possible to invest a little in upgrading both overhead lights and lamps so that you can do a lot more with less power.  While there is some up-front expense in making the changes, the savings will soon offset the cost and allow you to begin realizing benefits in the form of a lower power bill.


• Think about alternative energy sources.  A growing trend is to make use of solar panels and storage batteries to provide a portion of the power consumed by a household.  Hybrid systems that allow homes to remain connected with the power grid while also drawing on the stored solar power can go a long way toward reducing power bills in general and in cutting the cost of lighting the home in particular.


• Turn off what you don’t need.  Grandfather’s advice is all the more profound when considered in light of today’s green movement.  If a room is not in active use and is not likely to be used for an hour or so, don’t leave overhead lights or lamps on in the interim.  Getting into the habit of turning lights on when entering a room and turning those off when the last person leaves the space can save a lot of money over the course of a year.  You’ll also feel good about leaving less of a footprint on the environment, since you are lengthening the life of your lamps and bulbs, putting off the day when these items end up in landfills.