Learn How to Beat Your High Summer Energy Bill

The dreaded July electric bill has arrived and it’s pretty high. Even higher than normal for the summertime. We here at Solar Me have heard a lot of people ask, “Why is my electric bill higher than usual this year?”

Due to the pandemic, everyone is staying indoors, and for much longer than normal. This means higher usage of electricity, internet, air conditioning, and more.

Along with higher usage, electricity rates are higher than ever before. Studies show that New Jersey electricity rates currently range between 0.16-0.19 cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh). The national average is between 0.10-0.15 cents per KWH. So how can New Jersey residents lower their electric bill moving forward?

Solar Me knows that it can be hard to adjust to inflated summer utility bills. So we’ve put together a list of recommendations to help you lower your electric bill throughout the year:

Track your energy usage throughout your home

Figure out where your home uses the most energy and try to cut down usage. This can be done by reviewing your smart meter, or an online tracker to see where your energy goes. However, most of the time the bulk of your energy goes towards climate control (i.e. air conditioning or heating) or keeping computers running. So even if you turn off lamps here or there, you’ll still want to look at your energy source to see if there’s a more affordable option.

Consider solar energy for your house

We mentioned that energy rates in New Jersey are fairly high. If you switch to solar, solar energy rates are typically between 0.03-0.04 cents per kWh. That’s five times less than traditional energy sources! So if you switch to solar energy, you’ll be pulling energy from a far less expensive resource. And summertime won’t be anywhere near as expensive since you’ll have access to the sunniest months for your energy. So you’ll likely see much lower bills during the summertime instead of a spike.

Be realistic about energy usage

Like we mentioned above, it’s all well and good to turn off lamps when you’re not using them. But setting up realistic expectations for the long run is the most important strategy for energy conservation. For example, if you’re staying home during the day in the summertime, it can be dangerous to turn off your air conditioner! Residents are subject to heatstroke, especially the elderly. And since so many people are working from home, you’ll probably need to keep your computer on most of the day. So be realistic about what sources of energy you need to use, and what can be adjusted.

Check out tax incentive for clean energy

While July may have already come and gone, you can always look to the future for ways to save money. And when you switch to solar energy, you’ll be able to take advantage of several tax incentives, rebates, and credits. So you can start saving money each month with a lower electric bill, plus you can save money at the end of the year with New Jersey solar tax incentives.

High electric bills can be an unpleasant surprise. But luckily, if you make changes now, you could start to see lower bills sooner than you might think. Solar Me can send you information about your current energy usage, how much money you could save, and details about tax incentives you qualify for.

Energy bills don’t need to give you summertime blues - switch to solar and start saving today!

Click here to learn more about Solar Me. We can provide you with a free customized quote within 48 hours.