Help me out (give tips about saving electric)

[UghRochester]

Alright, folks. I'm UghRochester and I've been living on my own for over 6 months. *Hi, UghRochester.* Anyways, my rent is $500/month and I only pay electric and of course Comcast for internet (shut up, De-Ting it's the only provider around beside Verizon and AT&T). This probably doesn't concern any of you, but you'll probably insult me for paying too much for my small ass apartment. Anyways, I didn't know I had electrical heating, always thought it was gas. So, last month I only paid $27.90 for my electric. Awesome! I still thought it was gas and I told myself to only save $50 and the rest I could blow. Well, this month's bill fucked me in the ass. $109, what?! My dad's apartment is bigger than mine and he only pays $50. So, I found out from my electric company my heating is electric. Fuck! So, I need tips on how to stay heated, but not have a high electric bill.

TL:DR My electric bill is high. How can I lower my electric bill and still have my small apartment heated? Are small portable heaters energy efficient? May you recommend some to me?

*NOTE I always have my lights off until I need to turn them on. I unplug all my appliances unless I'm using them.
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[Optimus-Crime]

Do you have free water? Some apartments have free water with rent. Run that hot water like a mo fo and turn your place into a walk in sauna! though this all depends on if your water heater is electric or gas...and if you're paying the water bill.

most surge protectors have that little switch, but unplugging them is the right way to go.

wear a sweater? and a blanket? pull tugs off a bottle of wild turkey bourbon to keep yourself warm. wear socks! Insulate your windows somehow, i dunno, curtains... hell, blankets... go the meth lab lab motif and put up tin foil on your windows. It works!

become a vampire and walk around in perpetual darkness.
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http://imageshack.us/scaled/landing/580/21kb5fp.jpg

[UghRochester]

I don't pay the water, but I think it's electric. Even if I did it that way, my landlord already complained to the tenants for using too much water. I'm looking for a better apartment, because this is just a starter to get away from my dad.

I'm just wondering if smaller electric heaters would be more efficient than the one through out my apartment. I also read leaving the curtains open during the day and close them at night. However, I need to sleep during the day, because I work at night. I'm wondering if I cover the window seals with duct tape would help.
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[Optimus-Crime]

Would you be against tin foil on windows? Gives your place some street credibility and will surely piss off Mr. Wilson next door. Supposedly keeps the cold out during the winter. Perfect for a day sleeper.

[MattAY]

Just wear two pairs of socks - shit like that. Is that extra $80 really all blown on just electric heating? And not the all day, everyday Halo 4 gaming you were doing?
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[Affen]

-Lower the heat when you go to work and lower it couple degrees overall.

-Wear more clothes

-Get a bunch of cats

[LinksOcarina]

Yeah it sounds like lowering the heat is the best course of option, as is wearing thicker clothing to compensate.

If it keeps the costs down you might have to make do with it, then save up bit by bit as you go.
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[cyberjim2000]

Works for hobos.

Also, find someone to spoon with at night.

[Lien]

-Wear scarves
-use curtains on your windows to block cold breeze
-clog up air holes with pieces of cloths or toilet paper
-try sipping on hot tea or cocoa as much as you can
-socks socks socks
-ya got free water then takes baths
-use your blankets as much as you can
-carry them like a freaking cape!

After i did all this after i moved in my first apartment, i saved up to 50 bucks. try it!
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[Sourdeez]

When I wanted to stay warm when it was snowing outside, and I lived in the back of a garage, I would take my computer desk, put cardboard on any sides that were open and then push a coach up to the front of the desk. Then Id put my gaming pc under the desk and then put a ceramic heater under the desk. Then took blankets sleeping bags and pillows and enclosed myself making a seal layer of me on the coach at the desk with just my head sticking out.

Surprisingly this worked really well. My gaming pc can pump out a lot of heat and the ceramic heater hat a temperature setting to turn on and off(I set mine to 75) and with the gaming pc the heater turned on maybe 10 minutes every hour. All the heat gets trapped inside and less heat has to be produced.

We call it the hotpocket. It was actually the second redesign before I just used a sleeping bag with a heating blanket in it.

Just beware when you gotta get up to go to the bathroom
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“Yeah but when does EA come in when your trying for auto erotic asphyxiation and decide that you are really trying to commit suicide? Then they force you to do what they want.”

[WickedLiquid]

Two summers ago I had no AC and believe me it gets friggin hot in Toronto despite your idea of Canada being a frozen tundra.

I resorting to throwing an air matress on the bathroom floor and sleeping there with the cold water in the shower running. It's a great way to cool down as long as you're not paying for water.

My advice is try doing the opposite. Make yourself a bed in your washroom and keep the hot water going. I know your landlord will bitch, but you're planning on getting out of there anyway.

Only problem with my idea is eventually through out the night you'll run out of hot water so steam the place up real good, close the door and turn the water off. Then if you wake up cold do it again, or just leave it running if you have to get up soon.
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[Sourdeez]

All that running water I would have to piss all the time
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“Yeah but when does EA come in when your trying for auto erotic asphyxiation and decide that you are really trying to commit suicide? Then they force you to do what they want.”

[used44]

Boom. Programmable thermostat. It will cost $70-$100 at first but it will immediately start paying for itself. Set the temp low when you're at work, and warm thirty minutes before you get home. You can even set different programs for different days so that it doesn't mess around on the weekends or whenever you have a day off. And then take it with you when you leave to your next apartment/house.

Also there are way more efficient ways to weatherproof your place (especially windows which are a likely culprit). Duct tape might help a little but thick curtains usually do the trick. Or some of that energy saving window wrap.

[UghRochester]

Thanks fellas. I had my thermostat set to 60 F all the time, unless I worked. Whenever I leave work I would just turn it off completely. It's not really that cold to me, but it's cold to my brother. I wished he would just leave it off. I'll probably just dress in layers.
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[Rakon]

Yes, hot water does use electricity.

How do you heat your apartment? My place had baseboards, which not only were extremely inefficient, but ran the hydro bill up like crazy. I instead got a tower heater from Wal-Mart for about 30 bucks (which doubled as a fan for the summer), which was both more effective and cheaper than the baseboards.

You should also buy plastic covering for your windows (I bought mine at Canadian Tire, but I'm sure you can find it at Home Depot, Wal-Mart, etc.) They were bar none the most effective way of insulating heat. Here's a link:
http://www.canadiantire.ca/AST/browse/Green/EnergyConserving/Green_EnergyConserving_HomeRepairMaintenance/PRD~0642615P/Comfort+Plus+Window+Kit+%28Premium+Film%29.jsp?locale=en

Sorry I coulnd't find one for Wal-Mart or an American chain, but that's the most useful product for you. That a tower heater were what myself and my roomate used to heat our apartment beautifully. And we had a fairly large space (much larger than you have).
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NATURE! - Goulet

[WickedLiquid]

And on facebook I am not Wicked, I am Rob. Get it right Howard.
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[UghRochester]

[Rakon]

I think it's weird to call him Wicked in real life. I mean as an adjective it works, but he does have an actual name.
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NATURE! - Goulet

[UghRochester]

I wouldn't be able to do it. Lock the topic mods, unless people have more advice.
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[Green_Lantern]

How can people suggest sleeping in the bathroom with the shower running on hot. Sleeping in a sauna would be gross.