The holidays are here, and the festivities kick off with holiday decorations. Whether you’re a prim, minimalist decorator or have that one house in the neighborhood whose colorful display can be seen from space, it makes sense to keep an eye on your energy bills. Here’s how your home can reign as the merriest-looking in your neighborhood—without worrying about holiday overspending on your energy bills:
- Use LED light bulbs and lighting sets. Using energy efficient lighting is a smart way to avoid getting blinded by your energy bill, and the best energy efficient light bulbs are LED bulbs. These can save you at least 75% more energy and last up to 25 times longer than incandescent bulbs. LED bulbs also don’t pose a fire hazard. Particularly if you’re using lights indoors and near flammable surfaces, incandescent lights can be dangerous because of how hot the bulbs can get over time.
- Use indoor and outdoor timers. You can use a programmable light timer to ensure that your holiday lights are on for only a set number of hours each day, which will save you considerable cash on your energy bills. Both indoor and waterproof outdoor light timers are inexpensive and can be reused year after year. They also save you the hassle of remembering to turn all those lights on and off every day during the holidays.
- Avoid animatronic and inflatable decorations. You’d be surprised how energy-hungry that “grazing” reindeer on your front lawn can be, and how much less magical that inflatable snowman can look on your energy bill. Animatronic and inflatable holiday decorations can cost you plenty both up front and over their lifetimes, so consider avoiding them. If it just isn’t the holidays without them for you, use other energy-saving strategies to balance out their electricity usage.
- Use non-electric decorations. Holiday lights can go a long way toward brightening up a cold, dark neighborhood, but you can save quite a bit of money and energy by minimizing your use of lighting. Consider balancing out your decoration types with bright, festive, non-electrical items. Unlike lights, you’ll be able to appreciate these during the day, and they probably won’t get as tangled up during the off-season, either.
Give Your Home the Gift of Financing for Energy Upgrades
If you live in Michigan and you’re ready to invest in green appliances, you can get financing for new and safe energy-efficient upgrades to your home with Michigan Saves.
Michigan Saves can help keep Mother Nature from costing you all year long. Our financing can help you quickly turn your house into a comfortable and energy-efficient home by paying for virtually any energy upgrade you need. Check out our list of eligible improvements and get professional help from one of our authorized Michigan contractors in your area. Give yourself the gift of energy savings with us today!
