It’s not easy to live in the age of technological advancements and fast developments. I know that some of the readers would think - “What are you talking about? How can advancements increase living costs?”. Well, guess what, they do, if people are not well aware of how to use technology and smart equipment to get the most out of it.
One of the challenging things in our reality is utility consumption. We use a lot of water and electricity, and in some areas, winters can be cold and heating prices may surge, electricity is the source of every technology in our homes and offices, or even home offices. I want to draw your attention to this new reality, where people tend to work remotely, but from a different angle. We all have been talking about how great it is to work from home and work from the comfort of your personal space. In fact, only in the U.S. 14% of employed adults, which is up to 22 million people, work from home permanently.
Having the obsession with working from home after the Covid era is absolutely understandable, but why don’t we consider the fact that spending more time at home means spending more money on water, electricity, and heating at the end of the month? We prepared this ultimate guide to help everyone but mostly those who work from their home offices, to lower their utility costs and not get surprised every time they receive the infamous bills.
Install smart home devices
One of the smartest investments for reducing those expensive utility bills is outfitting your home with an array of intuitive smart devices designed to reduce energy and water consumption. Today's advanced ecosystem of intelligent gadgets empowers total control over managing your household resources, and thanks to new smart home devices, people today live in a more comfortable and intuitive environment.
Take smart thermostats and HVAC controls, for instance. They may simply let you automate heating and cooling schedules down to the hour - dialing back when you're away and restoring comfy temps just before arriving home. Proximity sensors linked to your phone can even trigger precise adjustments as you come and go. Over the year, optimizing home climate so thoughtfully can slice 10-15% off heating and cooling outlays.
The same logic applies to smart lighting systems too. Installing lamps and fixtures with wifi-enabled LED bulbs allows dimming, automated schedules, and remote on/off functionality from your mobile devices. Moreover, presence detection ensures illumination control in vacant rooms. So, typical households can cut electricity for lighting by 30+% just by avoiding to use of wasteful and unnecessary resources through smart lighting control.
Solar panels are just great solutions
While still typical to early adopter status in some regions, harnessing the sun's energy through residential solar installations is increasing in popularity around the globe. As climate concerns and energy independence become more universal priorities, those panels have emerged as an increasingly viable solution for cost-conscious homeowners everywhere.
Certain international solar trailblazers have unsurprisingly taken the lead in domestic adoption rates, especially in countries where the climate is kind and warm. As an example, the latest data reveals that solar panels are accountable for more than 11% of the electricity generation in Australia, which is an amazing advancement in using natural free resources.
Europe exhibits a similarly enthusiastic residential solar boom too. The Netherlands is the leading country in the adoption of solar panels, having the biggest segment in the residential rooftop market with a share of 46%.
On the commercial front, corporations are going big too in solarizing operations. Tech titans like Apple, Amazon, and Google currently rank among the world's most responsible corporate buyers of solar energy credits and wind power contracts. Their utility-scale solar farms and panel installations already offset carbon emissions equivalent to taking millions of passenger vehicles off roads annually.
Look for promotions
While adopting smart home tech or investing in renewable energy invest significantly, scoring long-term utility savings often comes down to simply being a savvy shopper for the best available rates in your area. Providers of electricity, natural gas, water, and telecom bundles - you name it - are perpetually cycling marketing promotions aimed at attracting new customers. Miss those limited-time offers, and you're leaving money on the table.
I'll never forget the money I started pocketing after inquiring about one of the suppliers’ promotions for new TV/internet package bundles in my area. My household was still locked into a cable contract long after the teaser pricing had expired - shelling out $170/month for a landline phone we didn't even use! After crunching numbers, jumping ship to a doubled internet speed plus full channel lineup cost less than $110 with my new subscriber deal.
The bottom line is - staying aware of the latest limited-time service provider come-ons ensures your household never pays more than necessary for life's basic utility needs. Why throw away your money out of laziness or complacency when all it takes is a little promotion vigilance?
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