Every little bit helps!  For the last couple years I’ve elected to participate in Peak Time Rebate from my electric utility company that allows me to save money on electricity at peak times.  

It’s actually super easy, and you can earn $1 rebate for every kilowatt-hour (kWh) of energy that you can reduce from your typical baseline usage during the peak time event. My power company states that the amount of the rebate is determined by my participation. 

Let’s review how it works: 
Once you agree to participate in the program, you receive a notification via email and text that a Peak Time Event is goin to happen. This typically is received a day or two head of time.  These events are a few hours long. For example; 4pm-7pm.

They encourage you to not consume excess amounts of electricity during these times. 

So, in using home automation (I use HomeKit and the compatible Ecobee thermostat) to simply schedule and turn off my Central Air Conditioner and other unnecessary lights, TVs, and electronics during this time. This can include phantom power suckers! These are those devices that can even sip power while OFF or Sleeping, but still plugged in. So, pull the plug! There are areas where I have a TV, DVD, and game consoles all plugged into a surge protector where I can flick a switch to STOP THESE POWER HUNGRY VAMPIRES! I’m conscious of these timed events to not use the range or toaster oven, for example, to cook dinner.

Some things need to be thought about ahead of time. When it’s 96 degrees outside with wicked humidity, I cool the house down a bit prior to the event. I may choose to run errands and be out of the house during this time. I’ll make sure blinds and curtains are pulled on those sides of the house that get hit by sun. This is huge in keeping the house cool! Sometimes, I’ll elect to be in in the basement, where it’s cooler, spending time on this damn thing!!

It has been kind of like a game, to see how munch savings, or what my rebate will be for the week and how to save money on electricity at peak times. Typically during the hot summer months there is a Peak Time event every week. Occasionally twice!

It’s fun to receive the text, or email from the power company after the Peak Time event:

Thanks for your participation in the Peak Time Rebate Event. Congratulations, you knocked it out of the park, earning: $7.14 for Account: XXXXXXX. You are among the top performers

Thanks for your participation in the Peak Time Rebate Event. Your efforts paid off as you earned: $4.96 for Account: XXXXXXX, better than most participants.

While this initially doesn’t seem like much, these add up over time.  If I can be saving approximately $5.00 per week just for turning off my AC for a few hours, that’s $20 a month, or MORE!  Dude! That’s more for groceries, a couple movie rentals, or meal out. SCORE!

My electric company will present the total rebates earned for June, July and August and will be applied to the bill on the first day of the following month. I can find your rebate credit on the back of my monthly bill, so you can track over time, I can also review how i’m doing this year compared to last year!

This was just quick tip to squeeze out a bit of savings that is wicked-easy. 

Thanks again, and happy saving!