But what if you can’t do that? It could be due to bad weather, or simply because you don’t have a clothes line because of lack of space in your yard.

I have a bigger than average family (for Australia) – there are six of us living in the same house – and three of those six are children under ten. Yep, makes for a lot of washing.

Unfortunately, that means I also have a lot of washing to dry. In the summer time, it’s not so bad. But in the winter, my electricity bill is expensive – very expensive (often $600 or more per quarter) – so I am always on the lookout for ways to save money on my account.

Are you old enough to remember back to when we had cabinet dryers? It definitely ages me, but I remember them vividly. There was a rod at the top, much like a wardrobe, and you hung your wet clothes in the totally enclosed cabinet.

Worked brilliantly, but it was an expensive exercise.

What if you could get the same effect, without the exorbitant cost?

For several years now I’ve done something similar, without it costing me a cent.

Our house has ducted heating, so I use stand-alone clothes airers (clothes horse) to dry the clothes.

I ensure every item is laid out flat on the bars so all parts of the clothes are dried evenly. Once the airer is full, I layer towels over and around the rack, making sure they overlap so there are no gaps. The airer is then placed over the heating ducts.

This basically sets it up like a tent, keeping the heat inside the airer, and drying the clothes quickly.

If you don’t want to use towels, it also works with sheets and doona covers. When I don’t have these items available wet, I use dry ones.

This process is extremely effective, and dries the clothes overnight in most cases.

If you have several ducts available, there’s no reason you can’t have multiple ‘tents’ working at the same time. I have two, and most of the time they’re both in use.

I hope this simple tip helps you to save heaps of money on your electricity bill!

The price we pay for this luxury comes high in the form of an electric bill that seems to get higher each month. Just look around and you’ll quickly see why. The number one power consumer is the central air conditioning unit, especially if it handles the double duty of both cooling and heating. In warm regions, the AC accounts for more than half of the electric bill.

You could set up window units and cool only the used areas of your home, and this is not a bad idea. But, if you’re determined to keep the central unit there are things you can do.
If your unit is over 15 years old, think about getting a new one. Today’s models use up to 50% less energy.

If a new model is in your future, make sure it’s sized properly. Consult an air conditioning expert because a unit that’s too big or too small can continue to work inefficiently. Check the energy ratings – the higher the better.

Buy a unit with a programmable thermostat that has a built-in timer. With the timer, you can turn off the AC when you’re gone and set it to restart just before you return. Studies have shown that it’s less costly to do this than to have it recycle on and off while you’re not even at home.

Another electric guzzler is the electric water heater tank. Tanks keep heating water 24/7/365 whether you use the water or not. Tankless water heaters are available for both electric and gas homes but do your homework before installing.

You could install a solar water heater but the high-priced system may take a while to recoup your investment. If you stay with the tank, turn down the temperature and wrap it in a thermal blanket. Also, turn off the tank when you’re out of town and save.

Refrigerator/freezers are both guilty of guzzling electricity, but who wants to return to the old ice box. If yours was made after 2001 it’s probably more energy efficient. If you replace an old one, buy the Energy Star sticker.

An appliance must exceed federal energy standards by 15% to qualify. Top freezers use a lesser amount of energy than the side-by-side or bottom models. Save even more energy if you can skip the ice maker and dispenser.

We can’t forget the electric dryer which utilizes about 15% more energy than a gas model. If gas is not an option, buy an electric dryer with a moisture sensor to avoid over drying. When clothes are dry it cuts off.

Don’t forget to clean your lint filter too. Concentrate on these largest electric guzzlers and you’ll see a dramatic difference in your electric bill. Conservation sure beats doing without.