Turn off the television when not being watched. Newer TV's do not use much power as older models did, but it does add up as the hours roll on. A 25 inch to a 30 inch tube type television today will use about 100 watts of electricity. For each ten hours of use it will consume 1 kWh.

Turn off stereos and associated equipment when not being listen to. Do not leave the amplifier on when the CD player has been turned off or vise versa.

Computers are another appliance which often gets left on. The typical monitor uses from 50 to 100 watts of power and the computer CPU will pull 60 to 100 watts. So for every hour the computer system is left on and not used, it will consume as much as 175 to 200 watts. In five hours this can add up to the use of 1 kilowatt-hour (1 kWh) of electricity. If a 200 watt computer system is left on all month for 30 days, it will use about 144 kWh.

A waterbed which has a water heater is an application that tends to be forgotten about. Too minimize the operating cost adjust the temperature to the lowest setting it is comfortable. Adjust the temperature for each season. A king size waterbed averages using at least 50 kWh per month. During a cold winter month, a king size waterbed will consume about 100 kWh.

Spa / Hot tubs usually have a heater in them which can use a large amount of energy. Do not leave them on when not in use. Some units have a setting in which the air jet and/or main water pump turns off, but the heater and a small pump or the main pump on a slow speed still operate. This type of operation can consume a large amount of electricity.

Pool filter pumps in swimming pools, hot tubs, or small pools can use a lot of energy. Put them on time clocks so they only operate the minimum time necessary to keep the water conditioned. We recommend you consult with a pool or spa dealer to determine the time clock settings.

If your property has a water well pump, make sure there are no leaking faucets, commodes, or uncontrolled water use. This will greatly affect the energy used by the water well pump.