Spend money to save money

(ARA) – Sometimes you have to spend money to save money. The average household spends about $2,000 on energy bills every year. If you switched to appliances and lighting products that are Energy Star rated, you could save $75 a year in energy costs.

According to the Energy Star Web site, the money you save on your utility bills can more than make up for the cost of a more expensive — but more efficient — Energy Star model. GE offers a wide range of Energy Star appliances that can save consumers money.

If your refrigerator was manufactured before 1993, it may be time to say goodbye. In fact, if you want to see just how much your old refrigerator is costing you compared to one that meets new Energy Star guidelines, there’s a calculator on the Energy Star Web site. GE Energy Star-qualified refrigerators are at least 15 percent more efficient to operate than other refrigerators for sale and at least 50 percent more energy efficient than refrigerators manufactured 10 years ago.
Newer model washing machines also offer energy, water and money saving opportunities. An Energy Star-qualified clothes washer can save you $550 in operating costs over its lifetime compared to a regular clothes washer. A new GE frontload washer uses as little as 10 gallons of water for a small load and can save more than 5,800 gallons of water each year. In fact, its total energy and water savings can pay for the initial cost of the washer, based on average use over an estimated 12 years.

If you still wash your dishes by hand, you’re probably wasting more than just your valuable time. Over an average 11-year lifespan, Energy Star-qualified dishwashers can save $465 in energy and water bills and 55,000 gallons of water — that’s a lifetime supply of drinking water for more than four people. Choosing an Energy Star dishwasher instead of a regular dishwasher saves an average of $120 over the life of the product.

A new tankless gas water heater uses less energy than a standard tank gas water heater because it only activates when you need hot water, and it immediately de-activates when you turn off the faucet. A GE tankless gas water heater could help homeowners save up to 25 percent annually on water heating costs compared to the operating costs of a standard 40-gallon gas tank water heater.

For a complete list of GE Energy Star appliances, explore the Energy Efficient section of the company’s Web site, www.geapplicances.com. 

Courtesy of ARAcontent