The Cheapest Time Of Day To Run Household Appliances

With so many household appliances that you're probably running daily, it's easy for your electricity bill to go through the roof. Your washing machine, dishwasher, dryer, microwave, and other home essentials can all quietly consume a surprising amount of electricity. While you probably can't avoid using them altogether, you can be strategic about when you're running your appliances to slash down your monthly energy bill. If you're on a time-of-use energy plan, electricity prices fluctuate throughout the day, and there are certain hours when power is significantly cheaper. Usually, the cheapest time to run your appliances is during the off-peak hours, which are generally at night.

Although the exact time window when your electricity is the cheapest may vary depending on your provider and location, off-peak hours typically fall between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. The reasoning behind this schedule is that this is when most people are asleep and using less power. So, the electricity becomes cheaper due to lower demand. That's why running your appliances during this time is an effective way to help reduce your energy costs at home.

To make sure you're taking full advantage of off-peak hours, schedule the household appliances that consume the most energy to run during nighttime. You can load your washing machine or dishwasher earlier during the day and evening, and then just run them once the clock strikes off-peak hours. Many modern appliances even have a delay-start function that makes the whole process much easier, as it lets you program the machine to start at a certain time in advance. This way, you won't be staying up late to start a load of laundry or dishes, but you'll still be reaping the benefits of lower energy costs.

If you want even greater savings, you can stretch this energy-saving strategy to your other appliances as well. For example, if the temperature is tolerable, try holding off on using your air conditioner until later in the evening. Pre-cooling the space during off-peak hours is another way to stay comfortable while reducing your energy costs. Small changes like these can quickly add up to significant savings and an energy bill that doesn't make you sweat.