Six Energy-Saving Practices Even Kids Can Do To Save Money

Starting a family certainly gives you great bundles of joy, but it also means that parents have a greater financial burden. This includes increased household expenses, such as the dreaded power bill. After all, raising kids can easily rack up the power bill. From charging toys to washing all their messy dishes and clothes, so much power is needed to make sure the children have a happy and healthy time at home. 

That said, there are definitely ways to help you and your family save energy together, and with these six tips, it can even be a fun experience for your young ones. And while you’re at it, be sure to find out more about sp group payment as well!

1. Limit The Kids’ Screen Time 

More people are becoming aware of the downsides of granting kids too much screen time, but did you know there are other benefits too? One of the benefits is that you get to save lots of power. Simply put, the fewer kids use their consoles and tablets, the less energy they consume as a whole. Video game consoles, for instance, use a lot of power even when they aren’t in use. By unplugging them more frequently or even discarding them, there’s no question that this will help cut your costs. 

With the removal of screen time, however, it’s also important that you replace it with something else. Letting your kids play outside or buying more family board games are great ways to keep them preoccupied without consuming too much power. Alternatively, you can also introduce more kid-friendly activities in your house, such as craft and storytime which not only helps you to save on energy costs but also creates special bonding moments with your kids. 

2. Make Rechargeable Batteries The Norm 

Toys for children, especially those made for younger kids, tend to require batteries. With the battery power, they light up, play music, and even move on their own, easily capturing the attention of children and keeping them entertained for hours on end. This all sounds really good — until you realize how much you’re paying for single-use batteries for years on end. 

One easy way to solve this is to use rechargeable batteries instead. While upfront they may cost slightly more than single-use batteries, they’re much better for the environment and perform better in the long run. In fact, they can be recharged up to 500 times each, so you don’t have to worry about making your money worth it at all. 

3. Reduce Showering Time

Bathtime can be chaotic in a house with kids, but it’s important to emphasize the importance of saving water from an early age. Needless to say, the longer showers your children take, the more water is used. This not only adds to your water bill but also your energy bill with more power needed to heat up the water. 

The best way to get your kids to reduce shower time is, of course, to lead by example and reduce your own shower times. A great way to make it fun for kids is to make it a competition — set a timer during bathtimes, and see who can take a shorter shower! You may have to spend some extra time making sure your kids come out clean, but it’s a great way to help you save on both water and energy as a family. 

4. Use Less Energy To Cool The Room

One huge energy guzzler is that of the thermostat and air-conditioning. Of course, we all want our kids to be comfortable at home, whether it’s to make the house cooler or warmer. However, it’s also no secret that using these appliances can contribute heavily to a hefty energy bill, even in the warmer months. 

To help reduce costs, consider using fans at home. Ceiling or standing fans can help to lower the temperature of the room, circulating the cooler air around the room with ease. This may help you cut your thermostat bill by almost half! Design-wise, choosing the right fans can easily elevate the room and make it look both beautiful and functional. 

Another simple way is to make opening the windows a habit in your home. In the warmer months, this can let cooler air and the summer breeze float through your home. It can be very enjoyable, and compared to relying on the air-conditioning, is by far much more energy-efficient. 

5. Clean Up Your Fridge 

If you need weekend plans, here’s one for the books. Unbeknownst to many, cleaning out the fridge regularly actually helps the appliance to perform optimally. With less clutter in the fridge, less electricity is needed to keep the temperature inside cool, helping you to save as a whole. Apart from that, cleaning the refrigerator coils regularly also helps to save power — and it’s a quick and simple process. So mark a fridge-cleaning day down on your calendar! Do it with the kids, and it’ll be nothing short of a fun-filled day for the family. 

6. Don’t Leave The Lights On

Most of us had parents who nagged at us to turn off the lights when we leave a room, and as we grow up, it’s easy to understand why. Leaving the lights on, while seemingly unimportant, can add lots of unnecessary charges to an energy bill. As such, it’s good to start reminding your kids from a young age to turn off the lights and other electrical appliances when they leave a room. Hopefully, this starts to become a habit for them that they’ll take into adulthood. 

On the point of lights, it’s also a great idea to swap out your light bulbs at home for LED lights, not just in the main lighting, but also for your decorations in the kids’ rooms and play areas. The LED lights use roughly half as much energy as their traditional counterparts and are much safer. They also last longer, about 50 times that of regular light bulbs. 

Conclusion

All in all, saving electricity is not only good for the environment but also your wallet.  With these 6 family-friendly energy-saving tips, you can start a culture at home of using energy prudently regardless of how old your children are.  So start today and you’ll be well on your way to saving both money and energy as a family!