Everyone likes to save money - and your electric bill is no exception. By making small adjustments to how you use energy in your home, you can begin to see lower electric bills. Follow these money-saving tips to reduce your energy use, and in turn, your monthly bill.

1. Set your thermostat at 78 degrees in the summer and 68 degrees in the winter. Cooling and heating is typically the single largest expense in a home, so being smart about how you use your heat pump can make a significant difference in your bill.

2. Use a programmable thermostat, which can save as much as 10% a year in energy costs.

3. Check air filters each month and replace them if they are dirty. Clean filters can save 5-15% on your electric bill.

4. Check for water leaks around your house. A leaking faucet isn’t just wasting water, it’s also wasting electricity for your water heater to warm the water.

5. Set your water heater thermostat to 120-130 degrees. As a safety precaution, shut off the electricity to your water heater before adjusting the temperature.

6. Add weather stripping to areas where air leaks occur in your home.

7. Keep the oven door closed while cooking. Each time you open the oven door while cooking, the oven temperature drops by as much as 25 degrees, which means the oven works harder to get the temperature back to the proper cooking temperature. Instead, check on food through the oven window.

8. Unplug devices not used frequently. When devices are plugged in, but not being used, the phantom power can account for up to 10% of electronics total energy use in your home.

9. Switch to LED light bulbs instead of using incandescent bulbs. LED bulbs use 25% less energy than incandescent bulbs and last 25 times longer.

10. Use a slow cooker or toaster oven more often, instead of the oven. Using these smaller appliances to cook food can mean energy savings.

11. Carefully pull your refrigerator out one inch, if it’s currently pressed against a wall. Your refrigerator’s condenser works harder when it’s pressed against a wall and can’t circulate air.

12. Run full loads in your washer, dryer and dishwasher to maximize its efficiency.

For more tips on lowering your energy bill, visit jacksonemc.com/waystosave, find energy-saving products at jacksonemcmarketplace.com.