These tips don’t require fancy gadgets, just old-fashioned know-how, consistency, and a little common sense handed down through the years. If you’re looking for ways to lower your power bill, Pepaw’s methods work in any season.
Whether it’s scorching hot or cold enough to see your breath indoors, your home can be made more efficient with just a few simple habits.
How Pepaw Keeps Heating Costs Down in the Winter
When the cold settles in, Pepaw doesn’t reach for the thermostat right away. His first trick is blocking drafts. A rolled towel at the bottom of a door or a cheap draft stopper can help keep warm air from escaping. Closing curtains at night traps heat inside, and opening them in the morning lets the sun warm up your rooms for free.
Layering clothes and using cozy blankets means you can keep the thermostat a few degrees lower without feeling chilly. Pepaw likes to say, “Heat the people, not the whole house.” He also recommends using space heaters safely, of course, and in short bursts for the rooms you occupy most often. This avoids warming the entire house when you only need one area to be comfortable.
Before winter hits, Pepaw checks filters, vents, and furnaces. A clean system runs better and cheaper every single month.
Explore Pepaw’s Tricks for Keeping Your Car Cheap to Maintain to stop seasonal expenses from stacking up.
Pepaw’s Summer Tricks for Lowering Cooling Bills
In the summer, Pepaw flips the strategy. The goal is to keep heat out and cool air in. He closes blinds and curtains during the hottest parts of the day—one of the cheapest and most effective cooling tricks you’ll ever try. When evening temperatures drop, he opens up windows to let fresh air move through the house.
Fans become your best friends. Ceiling fans should rotate counterclockwise in summer to push cool air downward. A simple box fan placed in the window can pull heat out of a room in minutes. Pepaw uses fans to make the air feel cooler so he can bump the thermostat up a few degrees without sacrificing comfort.
He also avoids using heat-producing appliances, such as ovens, dryers, and dishwashers, during the heat of the day. Running them at night reduces strain on your AC and lowers your bill.
See Pepaw’s Simple Tricks to Cut Your Grocery Bill in Half to stretch savings beyond utilities.
Year-Round Habits That Keep Bills Predictable
No matter the season, Pepaw follows a set of habits that consistently keep his bill low. He turns off the lights when leaving a room and unplugs chargers, toasters, and small appliances when they are not in use. These tiny energy leaks add up over time.
LED bulbs are a must in Pepaw’s house. They use far less power and last years longer. He also washes clothes in cold water. It cleans just as well without wasting money heating up gallons of water. When it’s time to dry laundry, Pepaw hangs what he can, cutting dryer time in half.
Maintenance matters too. Replacing air filters every couple of months helps keep heating and cooling systems from working harder than necessary. Pepaw checks windows and doors for worn-out seals, ensuring they stay tight and energy-efficient.
Simple habits can save money every month without requiring a major lifestyle overhaul.
To keep monthly bills predictable, check out Pepaw’s Way of Planning a Budget You’ll Actually Stick To.
Low-Cost Upgrades That Pay Off Fast
Pepaw isn’t big on spending money, but he’ll tell you there are a few cheap upgrades that pay for themselves quickly. Weatherstripping around doors and windows is one of the easiest improvements you can make. A programmable thermostat helps maintain steady temperatures and reduces unnecessary cycling of your HVAC system.
He also loves inexpensive thermal curtains. They help block heat in the summer and keep warmth inside during winter. Outlet and switch-plate insulators add another small layer of efficiency to older homes. None of these upgrades costs much, but together they make a meaningful dent in your monthly bill.
Pepaw says, “Little improvements, big savings.”
