Do people actually change when they use electricity to save money?
Posted by SmartEnergyDIY@reddit | AskAnAmerican | View on Reddit | 344 comments
I’ve been trying to be more mindful about electricity usage lately (running appliances at certain times, avoiding peak hours, etc.).
On paper it makes sense, but in reality I keep forgetting or it just feels like too much effort to manage every day.
I’m curious how people actually deal with this in the US.
Do you actively change when you use electricity, or do you just use it normally and not worry about it?
Haifisch2112@reddit
I live in a 2 story 4 bedroom house. I have smart thermostats on both floors that let me set temperatures where the heat will kick on or the AC will kick on. I usually have the heat set for around 72 and the AC set for 76 which means it doesn't run most of the day. I also don't use lights at all during the day except for 1 lamp about 6:00-7:30 am because I'm up when it's still dark but I turn it off when the sun comes up. Then again around 7:30-9:00pm because it's starting to get dark and I go to bed fairly early. My living room TV is on pretty much all day from when I get up until I go to sleep, and my bedroom TV is on all night because I'm the kind of person who needs background noise to fall asleep. I leave it on all night because my sleep is always broken up so it's already on when I wake up. Obviously, my refrigerator is on 24/7.
People in my area always complain about electric bills that are anywhere from $400-$1000 monthly, but I think the most I've paid was about $200. My current bill was $150. To me, saving money on electricity is all about conservation. It can become a habit to just flock a switch when you walk into a room or wake up in the middle of the night. But if you can resist the urge to do that, as well as not turn your heat or AC up really high, you can help keep your bill a bit lower.
SmartEnergyDIY@reddit (OP)
That’s actually exactly the kind of behavior I kept noticing.
People don’t want to constantly optimize or think about it, they just build habits.
The problem is you never really know if it’s the “right moment” or not, you’re just guessing.
That’s why I made something super simple for myself, just a small device that shows a color (green / yellow / red).
It kind of removes the mental effort completely, you just glance at it and decide.
Curious to see if people like you would actually use something like that or just stick to habits.
Haifisch2112@reddit
I don't know that I'd use something like that. I forgot to mention I have Alexa devices and almost everything is on smart switches. That means I can set lights to go on and off automatically, which helps. And I know people would think I'm crazy but in the early morning or late evening when there are no lights on, I navigate my house without them. Even for something as small as grabbing a snack. There's a light in the refrigerator so I don't need to turn on the kitchen light lol
SmartEnergyDIY@reddit (OP)
Yeah that makes sense, if everything is already automated it kind of solves part of the problem.
What I noticed though is that most people don’t actually have that level of setup, or they don’t want to configure anything.
So I was more targeting the opposite case:
something super simple, no setup, no apps, just a quick visual cue.
Almost like a “low effort” version of what you’re doing.
I’m curious, do you feel like your setup actually reacts to real-time pricing, or is it more fixed schedules?
Extension_Abroad6713@reddit
For bigger appliances/energy uses. Where I live electricity is more expensive from 3pm-7pm, so I won’t plug my hybrid on then
SmartEnergyDIY@reddit (OP)
Yeah that’s exactly the kind of pattern I’ve been seeing.
People adapt a bit (like avoiding peak hours), but it’s still based on rough habits rather than real-time info.
Do you actually think about it daily, or does it just become automatic after a while?
JohnSnowsPump@reddit
During heat waves, I do not do things that are energy intensive at peak hours.
Washing Machine, Dryer. Dishwasher.....
Scott72901@reddit
Same. I set my dishwasher, for example, to run at 2 am during the worst days of the summer.
SmartEnergyDIY@reddit (OP)
Out of curiosity, do most people in the US even check electricity pricing or is it mostly fixed?
Feels like in Europe it’s becoming more common to track it.
NUFC_fan2@reddit
Depends on your electrical company. We have peak hours were the prices go up and also if you pass a certain amount of usage.
WildMartin429@reddit
My electric company charges us a variable monthly rate so it might be 10 cents this month and then 11 cents next month but it doesn't change during day or night. I think they may do it different for businesses but that's how they do it for residential. Although there is an optional program where you can get super cheap electricity at night but you do pay higher during peak times but you have to sign up for that and I don't know anybody that actually does. Your electric bill in the summer would be way too high with the AC running during the day even if you turned it back.
BryonyVaughn@reddit
Are those made up numbers, u/WildMartin429 , or do you really pay 10-11¢ per kWh? I might be jealous.
WildMartin429@reddit
I honestly don't know what the current rates are but I know that it used to be like 10 to 12 cents about 10 years ago for certain. Regionally we have some of the cheapest electricity in the United States because of a combination of hydroelectric, nuclear, wind turbines, gravity feed, methane, and traditional coal-fired plants. We get our power from the TVA through the various electric companies and they're technically a government corporation like the post office so while they do charge and make a profit they aren't trying to gouge us. Every few years somebody like Con Edison will get their local senators and representatives to try and introduce a bill to sell TVA to them. Luckily the senators and representatives from the states whose constituents are served by TVA will usually vociferously oppose that regardless of what party they are in.
hercule2019@reddit
You get charged for electricity like we used to get charged for phone minutes? Are you in the desert?
CPA_Lady@reddit
I don’t even know where to look for that or have the bandwidth to care. If the dishwasher needs to run, I’m running it.
fenchurch_42@reddit
Interesting! In CA it's a huge thing to track because a bill could be $1k/mo in the summer if you're running A/C all the time.
CPA_Lady@reddit
Ok, just asked my husband the absolute worst our can be in Mississippi, in the summer with AC pretty much going all the time. $400. And our house is 4,400 square feet.
fenchurch_42@reddit
Ugh. Unfortunately in CA (northern, at least) there is a power company monopoly - PG&E - that just goes unchecked. Their lobby is strong and even the most liberal of Governors won't fix the problem.
AtheneSchmidt@reddit
Your electric bill should show things like that. It's one of the reasons I live having delay starts on my large electronics.
CPA_Lady@reddit
I never look at it. Drafts out of husband’s bank account and he gets the bill emailed to him.
Feisty-Resource-1274@reddit
I think it depends on what kind of electric meter you have. Mine just has total kWh, it doesn't distinguish between peak/off-peak.
jlt6666@reddit
Most places have added electronic metering so they don't have to send people out to read them. This also means they have time of use data.
wawa2022@reddit
My dishwasher has a 4 hour delay button so it can run in the middle of the night. However, since I got solar panels, I’m actually supposed to run it in the middle of the (sunny) day, but the habit of delaying is so ingrained in me that I usually still run at night.
I also put most of my small appliances into a power strip so I can turn off the power to avoid vampire usage. I don’t know if that’s even an issue anymore so now it’s just habit.
QuinceDaPence@reddit
You can test them on a kill-a-watt to see. Though it probably come out to so little as to not matter in most casses.
Deep-Hovercraft6716@reddit
The big culprit for vampire currents, at least in my experience, is home theater systems. Not necessarily any particular component, although these big TVs seem to be the worst offenders, but oftentimes they have many components that add up.
The worst I've seen was one of those really big TVs that was drawing 100 w even while it appeared to be off.
swedusa@reddit
If you've got Mississippi Power it's probably the same as us in Alabama. The normal plan doesn't have any time-based rates, but you can opt-in to a plan that does if you think it will save you money.
censorized@reddit
The people who tend to pay the most attention are those that live in places that get really cold and have electric heating.
Or, the ones that live in places that get really hot and use a lot of power for constant air conditioning.
SmartEnergyDIY@reddit (OP)
Yeah exactly, that’s the big difference.
In a lot of EU countries (like Belgium, Netherlands, Germany), electricity prices can change throughout the day depending on supply and demand.
So people are starting to adapt simple habits:
running the dishwasher at night, charging devices when it’s cheaper, etc.
The problem is most tools are still way too complex for normal households. Charts, apps, numbers…
That’s actually what made me build a small physical device that just shows a color (green / yellow / red) instead of data.
Much easier to react without thinking too much.
Deep-Hovercraft6716@reddit
Across the whole us most people don't. But in some specific locations, like Texas, many people do.
Most people don't have variable pricing but it's very common in Texas. Maybe other places but That's the one I know about.
My electricity pricing is fixed. The vast majority couldn't tell you their individual rate, but they probably know what their average monthly bill is.
And on top of that many providers offer bill averaging from month to month so it varies less.
LieutenantStar2@reddit
Depends where. When I lived in California, leak pricing was 5-8 pm (when solar started to decline, and people were cooking dinner etc). I definitely either ran appliances over my lunch hour (I had solar panels) or late in the evening.
Now I live in Texas and have flat pricing, so it doesn’t matter. Newer appliances are much more efficient anyway. I do want to install solar again.
NUFC_fan2@reddit
Really? I live in Bexar county. We have peak charges. It makes a difference if I use my bigger appliances during off peak. $30-40 difference. That might not seem a lot but for me it’s no chump change.
QuinceDaPence@reddit
Just depends on the plan you pick. I'm in texas and had like 100 options for providers. Some were peak pricing, some some goofy plan where if you used x amount you got a $100 off. I got one that was totally flat because I wanted a clear predictable rate.
I didn't want the situation to be "Damn, I could have saved $100 if I ran a space heater for 5 minutes."
SmartEnergyDIY@reddit (OP)
Yeah that’s exactly the kind of situation I was thinking about.
It really depends on where you live, but when there are peak hours like that it can make a big difference without people realizing it.
I ended up making something simple just to visualize it without checking apps all the time.
👉 blockpulse.be
Turdulator@reddit
Oooooh, this whole post is an advertisement? That fuckin sucks. This type of deceptive advertising/marketing makes me not trust the companies that engage in it. Your company should grow up and advertise directly instead of pretending to be a person.
TheKiddIncident@reddit
In many areas you can pick a "time of use" plan which is cheaper if you manage your use or you can choose a plan that's a bit more expensive but isn't time of use based. So, it's up to you.
breebop83@reddit
Depending on the area, this may have more to do with avoiding outages than lowering bills. In extremely hot or cold weather the grid can become overloaded during peak usage times which can cause power outages or blackouts.
green_prepper@reddit
Many people are aware of peak and off peak hours. Running appliances at off peak hours is ideal for energy consumption and your budget. I feel this is fairly standard knowledge but probably not the actual prices.
Eubank31@reddit
Depends, I live in apartment, so my power company doesn't allow Time Of Use pricing (for some reason). My uncle who lives a few miles away has a house and an EV and takes advantage of Time Of Use rates to save money
Thunderclapsasquatch@reddit
Depends on who runs your power, even if fixed I'd wait until dark before running a washer and the like to lessen strain on the grid caused by idiots
Tiger_in_a_Jeep@reddit
In my state (Louisiana), pricing is fixed. It doesn’t matter what time you use it, it is th same price at midnight as it is at noon.
john_hascall@reddit
We have the option for fixed rated or variable rate.
BlueEyedSpiceJunkie@reddit
My thermostat incorporates my energy provider’s pricing scheme and, when practicable, tailor’s our energy use for heating and cooling to take advantage of it.
A-typicalAsshole@reddit
Some electric providers are really good at educating their customers about the benefits of different rate plans or the timing of their electricity usage.
Laiko_Kairen@reddit
Ever since we got solar panels, we hardly think about it.
jfchops3@reddit
If you're well enough off that the bill isn't that big of a deal no matter what it is, no. You would only look at that if there's an unexpected spike i.e. your usual bill is $250-300 and then you got one for $800 randomly one month and need to know why
If you're doing OK but have to be mindful of spending or you're saving for a down payment or whatever, maybe. But this would be pretty far down the list of where most people look for savings - most would find something more frivolous to cut if they need to find savings before going without AC in the summer or something
If you're living paycheck to paycheck and every penny counts, much more likely. Food, gas to get to work, rent, etc are going to be higher priority than "comfort" electricity costs like the usage from AC, a bunch of extra electronics, running appliances at peak times, etc
Crab_Rangoon_bby@reddit
We honestly should track it but the majority of us probably don't
Struggle_Usual@reddit
It heavily varies from area to area, even within the same state. I'm in a public utility district and it's the same cost at all hours of the day so I don't bother to postpone anything unless the power company put out something saying "hey with this heat wave we could hit some peak usage, hold off if you can".
I know what my utility pricing is, but I have no choice on who provides it so it's more just an FYI and a tell my super right wing relatives "huh your free market choice seems to have given you electric that's 3x the cost of mine" because I'm snarky.
lonestar659@reddit
Mine is fixed at a certain cost per kWh.
beyondplutola@reddit
In our area, you can choose fixed or variable rate. The fixed rate comes in between the peak/non-peak rate of the variable plan, so you chose what works best for your use case. Some people are also buying whole home batteries and just charge off-peak and discharge from the batteries during peak.
Mr_Kittlesworth@reddit
Electricity is much cheaper in the US, and salaries are also much higher.
Most Americans don’t worry about it at all. To the extent they do, it’s what these posters are talking about - which is also often motivated as much by environmental concerns as cost savings.
By pushing consumption to off-peak hours, you can avoid the grid operator needing to use “peak” generation assets, that are generally especially dirty fossil fuels like coal or even oil.
t-poke@reddit
Dishwashers use surprisingly little electricity. You might be saving a few cents a month doing that.
Scott72901@reddit
Pennies add up to dollars.
plantverdant@reddit
I do that too, because it heats up the kitchen, dining room and living room. So if we run it during the day we're paying extra for the cycle, plus more to cool the house down again.
SmartEnergyDIY@reddit (OP)
Yeah that’s exactly the kind of thing I noticed — people either automate it like you or just ignore it completely.
There’s not really an “easy middle” where you just know at a glance.
albertnormandy@reddit
Your washing machine and dishwasher burn trivial amounts of electricity.
Responsible_Ask3976@reddit
Yup same. I just avoid using those between 15:00 and 19:00 on weekdays but that’s it
Heykurat@reddit
To be more specific, I do this during heat waves not to save money, but to reduce the risk of contributing to a blackout.
But no, I don't really pay attention to the price of electricity at any particular time of day.
SmartEnergyDIY@reddit (OP)
This is actually why I built something for myself.
I realized I didn’t want to check prices, apps or charts every day.
So I made a small device that just shows a color:
green = good time
yellow = ok
red = expensive
No thinking, no app, you just glance at it.
I put a few details here if anyone’s curious:
blockpulse.be
AnUnexpectedUnicorn@reddit
We live in the southeast US and have solar panels with batteries. I try to do most electricity-hogging things in the late morning/early afternoon when the sun is right on the solar panels but before it gets too hot to run the dryer or anything else that might add heat to the house in hot weather. When its chilly, I'll bake all afternoon so my oven adds to the heating of the house. Spring and fall are the best for solar since we're using hardly any HVAC, and our power company allows us to sell or bank the excess electricity we generate.
groundhogcow@reddit
When I see the people asking me to conserve power doing so themselves I will consider it.
I go like to keep my power consumption low and as efficient as possible to the point I am designing more home renewable generator options. However if someone asks me to turn down my heat so they have more/cheaper power to heat their pool, that's a hard pass.
I may decide to use more power if a data center goes in.
TorturedChaos@reddit
I live in an area with electricity that is well below the national average, so I have never worried about it.
Plus I run a home server / home lab 24/7 so it seems like a bit of a moot point.
o93mink@reddit
Most US residential power systems don’t have peak and off peak times. And even when they do, our electrical costs are generally so cheap as to render the difference effectively meaningless for most things, with the possible exception of charging cars.
byebybuy@reddit
I mean I don't know where you're sourcing "most," but at least out here in the Bay Area we have PG&E (unfortunately). They have multiple rate plans you can choose from and a couple of them absolutely do take peak/off-peak into account.
Our household tries to keep energy-intensive things (laundry, dishwasher, etc) to off-peak hours because it's cheaper. The difference is most certainly not meaningless.
So that's like 7+ million people that have that option, and I would bet there are more across the US.
o93mink@reddit
According to the Department Energy, while 62% of Americans have access to a Time of Use electrical plan, only 7.3% are signed up for it: https://www.utilitydive.com/spons/the-4-universal-truths-of-a-successful-tou-rate-transition/624255/
byebybuy@reddit
Nice, appreciate the source. So 62% of residential power systems do have peak and off peak times. Sounds like "most" to me!
PAXICHEN@reddit
62% offer it. Only 7.3% are signed up for it.
byebybuy@reddit
The comment I responded to said:
It didn't say how many signed up for it, it was referring to general availability.
ThisWitch67@reddit
We also have PG&E and are inland from you, and the rates are so crazy high at peak times and pretty much all the time that we definitely changed our habits. $600 in July on a 1400 square foot house and we never put the AC below 78°. We finally ended up getting solar this year so we've had to completely flip and run all of our stuff in the middle of the day as much as possible while we're making energy and then we're running off the battery at night time so we're trying to be really conservative about it
Helo227@reddit
Where do you live that has “cheap” electricity? And what exactly do you consider cheap?
Henrithebrowser@reddit
Twin cities metro is $0.13/kWh which I’d say is pretty cheap
Ok_Bell_44@reddit
3 years ago we were that cheap in the Seattle region. Then private equity got involved and now it’s 24¢/kWh. Better than the poor bastards in CA, but fuck private equity greed.
AdamOnFirst@reddit
It has zero to do with private equity and 100% to do with mandates and state policy
fenchurch_42@reddit
And WHO pays to lobby for those things?
Ok_Bell_44@reddit
I like the confidence. Dead wrong, without any source other than one’s own biases and worldview, but stated confidently.
Thats something to build on.
AdamOnFirst@reddit
If you seriously think you can use private equity as a utility boogeyman… you’re pretty bad at this
Ok_Bell_44@reddit
Seriously doubling down? Can’t even do a modicum of research? Okay.
SEC filing Wikipedia. News coverage
Ignore that the neighboring municipality-owned are nearly half the cost per kWh? Okay. Fall back on your internal biases? Okay. Think your worldview is sacrosanct and reject any facts, truth, or evidence that don’t align? Enjoy the Midwest.
Shot-Artichoke-4106@reddit
Poor bastard from California weighing in :-) My off peak is $0.36 /kWh, peak is $0.39 /kWh. Argh. We live in a very moderate climate and are pretty good about our electricity use, so our bills aren't that high. And we do make an effort to limit usage during peak hours - set the dishwasher to run after 9pm, finish washing clothes before 4pm.
AdamOnFirst@reddit
You guys have done this by choice
Shot-Artichoke-4106@reddit
What did we choose?
AdamOnFirst@reddit
Policies to drastically increase your electricity costs
fenchurch_42@reddit
Uh, none of us chose to have a power company monopoly. Please show me the politician that is against it and I will vote for them.
Xiij@reddit
Also from california. I juat cry when i hear other people complain about their "high" electric bill. Its even worse for me because my neighborhood doesnt have gas lines, so its all electric
Shot-Artichoke-4106@reddit
Yeah, we're all electric too.
blablahblah@reddit
It's still 13.3¢/kWh in Seattle proper. Municipally owned power company ftw.
They are introducing time of use rates as an option soon but it's not going to make sense to switch unless you have an EV you can schedule to charge at midnight
HackDaddy85@reddit
Yeah, mine is $0.107/kWh here in Columbus, Ohio. I miss when it was $.071 a few years ago.
Helo227@reddit
That’s half what i pay! That is cheap.
Henrithebrowser@reddit
Advantages of having 2 nuclear plants feeding the cities and a ton of wind power from the rest of the Midwest 😄
Adorable_Dust3799@reddit
Our cheap rate is twice that and our expensive rate is twice the cheap rate.
dalaylana@reddit
Same here but our effective rate is up $.04/KWh with fuel adjustments right now. I'm sure that will only go up with current events
blanston@reddit
I pay 0.028/kWh. It pays to live next to a big river with all kinds of hydroelectric dams. I’d say that’s cheap.
o93mink@reddit
I’m comparing to Europe https://eprinc.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/COW2024-34-USAndEuropeanHouseholdElectricityPrices.pdf#:~:text=highest%20average%20household%20electricity%20price%20at%2041.5,than%20the%20U.S.%20average%20of%2016%20cents/kWh.
Shot-Artichoke-4106@reddit
Woohoo! California is top 10!
pinniped90@reddit
Kansas City. It's cheap here. I try not to waste energy but I never think about it for cost reasons.
BakedBrie1993@reddit
Speak for yourself. Our electric utilities average $280/m for a 500 sq ft apartment. Some peak months it's $600.
sonnenblumexx@reddit
That's absolutely insane. I pay $90 on a bad month for my two bedroom
BakedBrie1993@reddit
Yes, it's going to be a growing problem in NYC because for years the government has been pushing for everyone to replace gas stoves and old radiators with electric.
Ours is all electric utilities, including water usage and we have a dishwasher and washer/dryer.
It's insane. My partner and I can only afford it because our rent is stabilized and well below market rate for the city.
Others are 100% paying many thousands a month in rent and then suffering without heat/AC to cut costs.
7237R601@reddit
Wow. I had no idea NY was that bad. $280/mo. seems high to me, but that's my average on a 100% electric 2000 sq. ft. house with 5 people and a billion devices in it.
BakedBrie1993@reddit
Hello fellow Hoosier ✌🏾
Yes, it is ridiculous, but I love it here, so what can I do but yell into the void at my city council meetings.
7237R601@reddit
I get it, I was ready to move there on my first visit. By the time the train got from JFK to Manhattan, I was texting my brother to sell my shit and send me the proceeds. My cousin moved there decades ago, and recently moved to North Carolina, and relatively live like kings, just with less stuff to do. To each their own. For now, I need to stay put!
BakedBrie1993@reddit
The trade off is we don't have car payments, our rental insurance is $12/mo, there is endless free stuff to do, every kind of cheap food imaginable, and the best farmer's market in the country. We also have a few more civil rights lol
Struggle_Usual@reddit
How expensive is your electric?! I've almost always been in all electric places in my adult life and the most expensive month I've ever had was $200 because it was 100+ outside and my heatpump was dying and costing 3x as much as normal until I got it replaced. I average a bit over $100 and I have an EV and a 3 bedroom townhouse. Admittedly my area has some of the most affordable electric in the country though.
BakedBrie1993@reddit
I think it's 10-18 cents a kwh. But its not the usage that brings up the cost, it's the "delivery fees" that are the whims of Con Ed.
Struggle_Usual@reddit
Yikes!
spookybatshoes@reddit
That's more than my 1500 sq foot house in August when the a/c is running 24/7!
BakedBrie1993@reddit
I know, but you have worse hurricanes. We can't win them all.
spookybatshoes@reddit
I don't know that the ones that hit us are worse than the ones that hit NY, but we sure get them more frequently here. We don't really get snow here, which is nice and we don't get fires or earthquakes like out West.
HackDaddy85@reddit
Jesus. That’s more than my 4 bedroom house. Your average is what my costs look like in December when I have all my Christmas lights plus my heat pump going.
BakedBrie1993@reddit
My rent is also probably more than your mortgage. $2450/month.
byebybuy@reddit
Same cost for us, but it's 1500 sq ft and basically two separate residences. That cost for 500 sf is crazy.
AdamOnFirst@reddit
Your state has hideous utility policy, so…
LoveYerBrain2@reddit
I honestly have no clue how your electric bill is so expensive. I have never had an electric bill over $200 and I've never lived in such a small apartment. How many KWh are you using?
BakedBrie1993@reddit
Lurk on the NYC apartment sub and you will see this is a common issue.
It's not usage, it's the Con Ed delivery charges.
The short version is the city got rid of one of our nuclear plants and didn't replace it with anything.
People are probably going to blame Mamdani because more and more people are moving into all electric units, but he had nothing to do with it. My first $600 bill was Jan 2021.
yabbobay@reddit
This year has been insane (also NY), I have seen anything under $400. Summers are easily 600-800 with pool and AC, not sure what this summer will be.
ITrCool@reddit
Bruh, that’s insane. A “bad”only for me is $133 at worst. Average is $85.
bottlesnthrottles@reddit
Where tf are you living in the US? Dreamville? There is absolutely peak use times/rates and they for sure show a noticeable difference in the electric bill. I know because I recently had my house rebuilt after a flood and can clearly see rate usage of construction tool draw during peak and non peak hours. And I fire a pottery kiln, which I do at night because the savings are worth it.
o93mink@reddit
According to the Department Energy, while 62% of Americans have access to a Time of Use electrical plan, only 7.3% are signed up for it: https://www.utilitydive.com/spons/the-4-universal-truths-of-a-successful-tou-rate-transition/624255/
Waisted-Desert@reddit
Do you live in a power plant or something? I've mostly lived ion southern staters and pretty much every summer there's energy conservation efforts, peak usage charges, brown outs, etc.
ladytal@reddit
Mine does, and I take advantage of it to save money.
sean8877@reddit
Never thought of doing that nope
thurstonrando@reddit
It depends on where you live in the US. If you live in the northeast where there’s harsher winter weather and it’s further away from pipelines and other infrastructure, every little bit helps. And don’t believe anyone who says that energy social assistance programs are what’s causing the problem. Energy assistance programs literally keep people from dying, from using the ER and shelters as resources, and keeps children out of the foster care system. All of which would add more costs to the consumer.
SmartEnergyDIY@reddit (OP)
Yeah that makes sense — there are definitely bigger structural issues behind energy pricing.
I guess what I was focusing on is more the day-to-day side for regular households.
Even if you can’t control the price itself, a lot of people still try to adapt small things (laundry, dishwasher, etc.) depending on when it’s cheaper or less loaded.
But most people don’t want to think about it constantly — they just want a simple signal to guide them without effort.
thurstonrando@reddit
Definitely. While the surcharges should be up front and not hidden, social spending often means that we’re preventing “the taxpayer” from spending even more than they would down the road. Unfortunately Americans don’t think like that and they assume all immediate cuts are dollar for dollar savings.
OhThrowed@reddit
My electricity price doesn't change based on time of day. So, no, I dont actively change.
SmartEnergyDIY@reddit (OP)
Yeah that makes sense.
In Europe it depends a lot on the contract, some people have big differences between peak and off-peak, others not at all.
rawbface@reddit
I never even considered this. It didn't even factor into my mind that a power company would be allowed to charge a different amount based on the time of day.
I looked it up and my power company offers "time of use" plans that you have to sign up for. Of course it makes no sense to do so unless you have an electric car or something that uses a lot of power at certain times.
ABelleWriter@reddit
Same. I'm kind of shocked that there are places that do.
davidm2232@reddit
I wish I could. I'd save a ton doing things off peak. It's less than half the cost in my area. Electric company is waiting on smart meters to implement new time of use changes
q0vneob@reddit
Mine doesnt normally but there have been a few occasionswhere they offer a credit for reduced usage during some peak hour range, like 5-8pm. Usually late July-Aug when its particularly miserable.
Dr_Watson349@reddit
This.
rawbface@reddit
I use it normally and I don't worry about it.
I certainly notice and complain when the power bill goes up. But it hasn't impacted me enough for change to be necessary.
Certain-Monitor5304@reddit
Actively change how?
Using electricity doesn't save money.
Many people turn lights off during the day when they are home and dont run AC on warm days.
SVAuspicious@reddit
I haven't changed. I've always been ~~cheap~~ frugal. I was raised to turn off lights and not leave the fridge door open. The link between my behavior and my spending became apparent in 1982 when I got my first electric bill.
Where I live, discounts for overnight use went away as electric vehicles became more popular and industrial use also dominated consumption. I still run the dishwasher overnight because that works best for lifestyle with longer run times due to energy efficient appliances. I'm WFH so laundry gets run during the day (folding on my own time). I keep up with maintenance on insulation. A/C at 76F and Heat 70F days/66F nights. Vampire loads creep up so I do surveys around the house a couple of times a year. Sixty years of turning off lights and forty five years of being careful.
Our utility has graphics that show how we're doing compared to our neighborhood (so same size and age home) and we're consistently in the most 10% efficient. That's good enough for me.
arcticmischief@reddit
I’m in southwest Missouri. We don’t have supplier choice, but our monopoly utility revamped their plans a couple years ago. Formerly, it was 13.5c/kWh flat, but now it’s 12.5c/kWh from 10pm to 6am and 14.5c/kWh from 6am to 10pm.
Concurrently, they also launched a TOU+ plan with rates at 8.5c/kWh all day/night except at peak time. Peak time in summer is 2p-7p; in winter, it’s 6a-9a and 6p-9p. Peak rates are a whopping 28c/kWh.
I live in a relatively efficient apartment that has pretty stable temperature (I only have one outside wall), so I opted for the TOU+ plan. I personally find it pretty easy to basically avoid using electricity at peak times. I’m a late riser, so in the winter, I’m showering after peak anyway (and if I have to earlier, I can quickly kill the breaker for the water heater before showering so it doesn’t turn on). It doesn’t really bother me to kill my heat or AC during peak times (my temps might float up or down 3-5 degrees across the 3-5 hours of each peak period). I hang-dry my clothes, so avoiding using my dryer during those times isn’t an issue.
I also pay $10 a month for a community solar subscription that usually offsets all of my peak hour use plus a chunk of my off-peak use, so I rarely see any peak usage on my bill.
With this, my electric bill runs around $80 a month and that includes me running a window AC in my bedroom at 60F all night (I like to sleep cool).
I’ve become a bit of a power grid nerd and watch the wholesale rates on my regional system operator’s dashboard (https://www.spp.org) and it really is fascinating to see them spike at peak usage times. No wonder utilities try to incentivize people to time-shift their usage. It’s not silly as a lot of people on my local community’s Facebook groups allege, it’s the reality of how power markets actually work. It costs more to provide stable power throughout a large demand curve.
I actually have a friend who lives in Chicago who’s a software dev and he is on ComEd’s real-time rate plan. He’s written his own software control mechanism to adjust his thermostat, heat pump water heater, EV charging schedule, and more in real-time based on real-time rates. He averages something like 2c/kWh and has an insanely cheap power bill for his relatively large house but has seen his power rates spike upwards of $2/kWh at times, during which he basically commands every device in his home to go dark. And sometimes his power rates actually go negative, during which time he’ll of course crank up the EV charging and turn on both heat and AC to soak up as much power as he can, since the utility is willing to pay consumers to be load sinks to help with grid stability (overgeneration or transmission congestion).
SmartEnergyDIY@reddit (OP)
That’s actually a great breakdown.
What’s interesting is that you’re clearly comfortable with it, but most people aren’t at all.
They won’t monitor dashboards, automate systems or think about peak windows that precisely.
They just want something simple like:
“is this a good moment or not?”
That’s where I feel there’s a gap — not in the data, but in how it’s presented to normal households.
Because the information exists, but it’s still too complex for everyday use.
BatterUp1600@reddit
It comes naturally to me.
Individual_Event_152@reddit
yes and i always monitor my usage especially projecting my bills using spreadsheet or this calculator Utility Bill Calculator
Cyberspots156@reddit
Where I live residential rates are the same 24/7, unless you have solar panels.
With solar panels you are switched to time of day rates and a monthly electric surcharge for the privilege of being connected to the grid.
SmartEnergyDIY@reddit (OP)
Yeah that’s actually a good point.
Even with flat rates, I’ve noticed people still shift usage a bit — like running things at night or weekends just out of habit.
But where it really becomes useful is for people with time-of-use or dynamic pricing, which is becoming more common in Europe and starting in some US states too.
The idea is just to remove the mental load — instead of checking tariffs or schedules, you just glance and know.
Even if you don’t optimize everything, it helps build better habits without thinking about it.
sundancer2788@reddit
I just cut back on use because it's better for the environment and less expensive.
SmartEnergyDIY@reddit (OP)
Yeah that’s usually what people start with.
What I noticed is that timing can make a big difference too, not just using less but using it at the right moment.
Most people don’t really have a simple way to see that instantly though.
tcrhs@reddit
I’m not willing to sacrifice my family’s comfort to lower the electric bill.
SmartEnergyDIY@reddit (OP)
Yeah that’s exactly the point actually.
It’s not about sacrificing comfort, it’s about not using electricity at the worst possible moment without realizing it.
Most people don’t want to change habits, they just want to avoid the obvious “bad timing” without thinking about it.
GreenBeanTM@reddit
I use it normally whenever, but my family does also keep things like the microwave and coffee maker unplugged when we’re not using it.
It wouldn’t surprise me tho if people living in bigger states/cities avoid peak times tho.
Queasy-Flan2229@reddit
No
LynnSeattle@reddit
I’ve never even thought about this.
HurtsCauseItMatters@reddit
I know there are people that use whole home battery systems this way even if they don't have solar connected, charging them from the grid during non peak hours and using the battery during peak hours.
sgtm7@reddit
When I lived in the states, I used everything whenever I wanted, with no consideration of the cost. Electricity wasn't that expensive where I lived, and since the climate was dry, all the house used evaporative coolers(aka swamp coolers), which uses less electricity than refrigerated air conditioning.
I am not in the USA now. Electricity is more expensive than in the USA, but I have solar. So the only thing I take into consideration is to only charge my PHEV during daylight hours.
SevereAnimator5@reddit
No to your original question but in the summer our cooking habits change to not heat up the house
kartoffel_engr@reddit
I’m surrounded by hydroelectric dams, windmills, and within 40mins of a nuclear power plant.
I use what I use and pay the bill.
BelleMakaiHawaii@reddit
We do, but we are off grid
LastCookie3448@reddit
Yes, and the rates do vary. I also grew up in L.A. where there could be too much strain on the system due the summer heatwaves, so I've become accustomed to running my appliances (W/D/DW) in the evenings so we're less likely to trigger a blackout.
LetterheadClassic306@reddit
i feel you - remembering to shift laundry to 9pm is such a pain. what helped me was just automating the whole thing. grabbed a couple smart plugs and set schedules so my dishwasher and dryer only run after 8pm. also picked up an energy monitor for my fridge to see where i was leaking power. now i don't have to think about it at all. way less effort than trying to remember peak hours every day.
TheOwlMarble@reddit
Some do. Even with my EV, it's not really worth it though.
Texan_Greyback@reddit
For most homes, cooling is by far the greatest demand for electricity. I keep my house fairly warm in the summer because of this. Saves me a lot of money.
Pernicious_Possum@reddit
I won’t be guilted into acting like my little shit is the problem. Fuck that. I’m living normally
Deolater@reddit
As far as I know I'm not charged differently
TheKiddIncident@reddit
Yes, I certainly do.
For me, electricity is much more expensive from 4-9 pm. So, I try to avoid running the dishwasher, washing clothes or doing other electricity intensive tasks.
So, yes. I'm pretty careful about this because it does effect my bill quite a bit.
balthisar@reddit
I receive a 25% discount for charging my car between 21.00 and 07.00, so that’s when I charge it.
Turdulator@reddit
I put enough solar panels that I generate over 11,000 kWh a year.
Since January of this year, I’ve sold over 500 kWh back to the electric utility.
Mental-Method-1321@reddit
I don’t pay for my electricity but I’m still mindful of its use and avoid wasting it.
MVS-SISL@reddit
EVA2 plan - I only charge my EV, run extra appliances, during this time period!
Relevant_Airline7076@reddit
I don’t use much electricity to begin with, but peak hours coincide with some of the hottest times in the summer, and I’m not going without my box fan (I have ac but I prefer the fan)
GlitterChickens@reddit
I don’t have peak times to contend with but I have been trying to save money wherever I can. I remember and have to because I don’t get enough money to be sloppy or convenient. I have experimented and figured out that it costs me approximately $10 a month to run the over stove light. This is coming from someone with chronic leave light on issues.
Maxpowr9@reddit
I know a good amount of people shut off their heat/ac in the milder months to save on energy.
MattieShoes@reddit
Peak vs off-peak rates have been a thing for a long time, but utilities usually make it not worth changing your behavior -- the difference is small, or the hours change, or it's only seasonal, or you have to specifically sign up for it, or they want the ability to change your thermostat whenever they want (ie. to turn off the air conditioner on the worst part of the hottest days)
crispyrhetoric1@reddit
I use major appliances at night. Use AC sparingly. If I don’t the bill goes through the roof
SmartEnergyDIY@reddit (OP)
Yeah that’s exactly the kind of habit I was trying to simplify.
Like instead of thinking about it every time, just having a quick visual reminder somewhere in the house.
crispyrhetoric1@reddit
I guess i don’t really use any reminders other than when it’s hot I don’t use much during the day except for the AC. And when it cools down at night, I turn off the AC and use the other things
cryptoengineer@reddit
I wish my power company had cheaper overnight rates - I'd be happy to charge my car then.
geak78@reddit
Most commonly, people pay the same rates no matter the time. Some companies offer programs that are cheaper at night but the one time I looked at it in NY, it made daytime rates higher than the 24/7 rate.
dgillz@reddit
I am unaware that electricity costs more during different times of the day. Is this actually happening in the USA?
Suppafly@reddit
I think it's regional. I'm guessing people in like California or Texas might, but I don't really know anyone in the midwest that worries about it because the rates don't change that much throughout the day.
Odd-End-1405@reddit
Smart thermometers and not being crazy on temps.
Turning lights off when not in use.
Utilizing as-needed appliance (dishwasher, washer/dryer at non-peak times).
Grew up where the utility prices were always pretty high compared to the rest of the country, so really don't think about it to be honest. Not that hard.
clunkclunk@reddit
I live in California where electricity is one of the most expensive places in the nation and aside from setting my electric car to charge at off hours for cheaper rates, there's not a whole lot else I can change. Our hot water, stove and oven are all natural gas powered, so no change in price depending on time.
Our peak pricing hours are from 3pm to midnight so about the only purposeful changes I can make is to run the dishwasher (about 1kwh) in the morning rather than the evening and choosing my AC settings carefully.
SilverStory6503@reddit
My electric usage is pretty moderate. Heat stays mostly at 70, and cooling at 74. The rest is peanuts by comparison, so it doesn't matter how many loads of laundry I will run in a day, and other small stuff.
Kristylane@reddit
I track mine. I always knew when my peak hours were and avoided running things then, but then I got an EV. Definitely set that to charge only off-peak hours and it made me more mindful for the rest of my stuff.
Most-Silver-4365@reddit
Or collective savings by conserving is a drop in the bucket compared to industrial manufacturing and data centers. There is actually a system ERCOT uses to entice large consumers of electricity to drop load during peak to handle these periods. My former employer pulled around 25 megawatts and we were paid 1 million + per year to be in the program and we would only shed load once or twice a year for up to 4 hours. Like pollution us regular folks collectively can't do much, needs to come from the large consumers/producers.
Emergency_Coyote_662@reddit
we used to have peak and non peak hours in my market, the washing machine was NEVER run until the evening when rates were lower
thecardshark555@reddit
We have balanced billing in my house (which is entirely electric- no gas or oil). If we pay in full each month, it's the same rate all the time, so I don't pay attention.
I do run my dishwasher overnight just so it's ready for me to empty in the AM.
WormWithWifi@reddit
As someone who grew up poor, yeah you are mindful of all of your resource usages at all times.
TJH99x@reddit
Yes I follow the schedule to try to save. It’s even easier now that they changed it to later hours for our area and I’m home mid day. I try to get most of the washing done on the weekend now as well.
t-poke@reddit
Nope. My electricity is flat rate, so I’ll charge my car, dry clothes, run the A/C and have the oven going during a hot, summer afternoon.
ThrockAMole@reddit
I’m in the South so best believe I tolerate higher temperatures in the house. In winter I like it around 65
gutclutterminor@reddit
The only real way fo most of the country to save electricity is managing your A/C. The bulk of it in the summer is AC. Just compare a July bills use with January. I keep mine about 74, and use fans, while many put it at 68. Their bills are about twice as high as mine. Gas is the exact opposite, with most of the energy bill being heat.
SmartEnergyDIY@reddit (OP)
Yeah that’s exactly what I noticed too.
AC is basically the biggest driver, and once it’s on, the bill explodes no matter what you optimize elsewhere.
I always felt like the hard part isn’t reducing usage, it’s knowing *when* it actually matters most during the day.
Do you actually track that or just go by habit?
gutclutterminor@reddit
I turn down, or actually up, AC whenever I leave the house, and go to bed. I turn down the heat in the wnte when leave, and go to bed. I have a good space heater for my bedroom. I am always very conscious of regulating home heat. Carelessness can easily add $200 to a months bill.
Maurice_Foot@reddit
Yeah, it’s just forming habits. Keep at it for a few months and turning off extra lights, planning 1 skillet dinners, thinking about hot water usage just becomes second nature.
Only downside is you start telling dad jokes and gain a sixth sense as to thermostat settings.
Zephyr_Dragon49@reddit
Severely cutting back only ever saved me like $20 so I don't do it. I do other stuff like putting tinfoil in my sunniest windows during summer (works better than blackout curtains) Being nightshift means I can open all my windows at night and turn off the AC. I try to avoid using any artificial temperature control during the mild times between hot and cold times. Though some summers are in the 80s F at night. I like it hot in my house but even that's a little much and my dog is old. He likes the AC vents blowing on him.
I keep my house in the mid to high 70s year round and my electric AC bill + gas heat + hot water are combined to be about $300-350 a month.
SmartEnergyDIY@reddit (OP)
Yeah that’s exactly the problem.
You can optimize a lot of small things, but in the end it barely moves the bill… especially when prices fluctuate during the day.
I feel like the real issue is not knowing *when* electricity is actually expensive vs cheap in real time — most people just guess.
That’s actually why I started building a super simple thing that just shows it instantly (no apps, just a color).
I put a bit more details here if you're curious: blockpulse.be
Would something like that even be useful in your case or you think it wouldn’t change much?
Knitspin@reddit
I shut everything non essential off
SmartEnergyDIY@reddit (OP)
Yeah that makes sense.
I feel like most people already do this instinctively, just without really knowing when it matters most.
Knitspin@reddit
I have a coop for my electric. They charge 13$ a kWh in a complicated scheme during the top hours. I got solar, but it doesn’t cover all, even with a battery. So, I’m miserly with my electric use.
SmartEnergyDIY@reddit (OP)
Yeah that sounds exactly like the kind of setup where it becomes really hard to intuitively know if you're using power at the “right” moment or not.
In Europe it's getting pretty similar with dynamic pricing, and most people either ignore it or just guess.
That’s actually what got me thinking about making something super simple to visualize it in real time (without apps or charts).
I put a bit more details here if you're curious: blockpulse.be
Curious if something like that would even make sense in the US or if people would just ignore it anyway?
Want_To_Live_To_100@reddit
TIL electric rates change for people based on time of day… damn.
iwriteaboutthings@reddit
Most people do not pay different rates at different times, so most don’t. Also, depending on local dynamics, what you think is peak may not be peak.
HidingInTrees2245@reddit
I don’t change because I’ve always conserved electricity.
Derwin0@reddit
I don’t worry about it. We keep the thermostat where we like it and do what we want and just pay the bill, however high it may be.
BouncingSphinx@reddit
For people that have dynamic pricing meters, I’m sure they do. Many people might have smart meters but they don’t have dynamic pricing, so using less during peak times has no effect.
RangerMatt76@reddit
I’m stuck in California with PG&E. They raised their rates after they lost a huge lawsuit. Last year we put in solar panels. We try to run appliances during the day when the sun is out and use as little electricity as possible at night so we don’t completely drain the battery.
byebybuy@reddit
Do you use time-of-use rates? That's what I do fwiw.
Aggravating_Fishy_98@reddit
I’m confused what you mean by change? I understand the thing about only running your dishwasher, washing machine, and dryer after a certain hour of the night so the rate for electricity usage is lower. Is that what you mean? I don’t do that because I have a routine that I try to stick to to be more productive and if I have to remember to run the dishwasher at 10pm when I’ve already wound down for the night I won’t remember to do it
FlyByPC@reddit
My power metering isn't on a schedule, so no. If it was, most of my energy usage is heat, anyway, so there's not much I could do.
getElephantById@reddit
I set my EV to charge at night because the electricity costs half as much between about midnight and dawn. It doesn't save that much money, but it's literally no extra work, so why not?
SmartEnergyDIY@reddit (OP)
Yeah that’s exactly it.
Once it’s automatic like that, you don’t even think about it anymore, it just happens at the right time.
animepuppyluvr@reddit
My washing machine is fancy. I can prep a load and then schedule it to start at 3am, that way I can swap it to the dryer at 5am and its done by the time off peak hours are over. I can also air dry the washing machine while im at work. We also do dishwasher overnight usually.
Thats always been the case for us, though.
SmartEnergyDIY@reddit (OP)
That’s actually a perfect setup.
You’re basically already optimizing everything, just in a more manual way.
I ended up making something simple for that, just to see it at a glance instead of planning everything.
👉 blockpulse.be
No-Lunch4249@reddit
Sure, electricity usage costs more during peak hours. Its a pretty easy choice to make small adjustments like not running big appliances (dryer, dishwasher, etc) until night time rather than earlier in the evening.
SmartEnergyDIY@reddit (OP)
Yeah that’s exactly it.
Most people already adapt like this, they just don’t have a simple way to see it instantly.
semisubterranean@reddit
In my state, pricing is flat no matter when you use electricity, so it doesn't affect me financially. However, I do change my behavior just to be a good neighbor during extreme weather, like very low or very high temperatures.
Flux_Inverter@reddit
Every place is different. There is no difference in price for electricity where I live. Not lived in a place that had that and have lived in 3 states. I'm guessing you are talking about peak pricing, where a utility company charges difference rates depending on the time of day? Do not know if it is common, just have not lived in a place that does that.
SabresBills69@reddit
depending on where you live and your heating/ AC needs…..
many places in summer have peak power rates/ brown out risks so some will shift to late night cheaper rates.
there are places in the country you don’t need as much AC in summer when power rates for electricity can be high. these are places along the pacific coast and the Canadian border.
things are different in the south where you use more electricity. many places it’s gas in winter to heat, electricity in summer to cool.
texas had problems because they have its own electric grid while the rest of the country are in 2 grids that split the country
ImpatientMaker@reddit
Probably like most things, we are coin-operated. If you pay different rates at different times, you will be more sensitive to it. And as far as worrying about the grid, it's hard to take that seriously when there are all these datacenters guzzling electrons and water. But I have solar now so I can make my house arctic and not feel guilty.
SmartEnergyDIY@reddit (OP)
Yeah that’s interesting actually.
I feel like once you have solar, the mindset shifts a bit, you’re more aware of when you use energy vs when you produce it.
ImpatientMaker@reddit
Exactly. I am grandfathered under a rate agreement that "trues up" once per year, so I don't have to worry about daily usage, just aggregate. I would like to have a house battery but I can't justify the cost.
ThirdSunRising@reddit
Off peak rates are mainly used only for commercial customers. Residential rates are the same at all hours in most places.
Own_Mission8048@reddit
There are a ton of utilities in the US that have rolled out time of use rate plans for residential customers in the past few years.
too_too2@reddit
yeah we’ve had this for a while now.. it’s not that bad I guess but I’m still trying to get in the habit of running the dishwasher first thing in the morning, otherwise I end up doing it around lunch time which is right when the peak hours start. We only have peak hours during the summer. I try to avoid using the big appliances but I let the AC run enough to be comfy. My gas and electric average about $200/month together.
ThirdSunRising@reddit
Cool, it hasn't reached here yet but I look forward to it becoming available in my area
shelwood46@reddit
My local electric company lets residential and small commercial customers do off peak rate stuff but only as an opt-in, and you have to have a certain type of meter.
worrymon@reddit
I switched to LED bulbs and use no power on them. I can leave them on all the time and it's less power than when I had incandescent and turned them off when I left the room.
I only use the AC when it gets up to 85 or so. But if I need to run it, I run it during the day because I'm home.
My only other power use is TV and laptop. Sometimes microwave or toaster. (The TV is 35 years old, so it might not be very efficient, but I have to see how long it actually lasts.)
Most of my ConEd bill is delivery charges (except when I have to run the A/C).
indicus23@reddit
I was so confused for a minute. I thought at first this was saying "When people use electricity to save money, do they change," rather than "Do people use electricity at different times in order to save money."
too_too2@reddit
very philosophical
SmartEnergyDIY@reddit (OP)
Yeah that’s actually a good point — I probably didn’t phrase it perfectly
I meant more like: do people actually change *when* they use electricity depending on price or demand.
Like shifting things to night, off-peak hours, etc — or if most people just don’t think about it at all.
captainstormy@reddit
I've personally never lived somewhere that charges different rates at different times.
Avoiding power use during peak times for me has always been about trying to make sure the grid doesn't overload during a heatwave in the summer or something similar. It's never been about me saving money personally.
Choice-Marsupial-127@reddit
Yeah, I make sure I do laundry and run the dishwasher outside of peak hours. It isn’t hard.
Dusty_Old_McCormick@reddit
Definitely. I have solar panels in addition to grid power, why wouldn't I do my laundry and cooking when the appliances can run for free off the sun?
SmartEnergyDIY@reddit (OP)
That makes total sense with solar actually.
I noticed people with solar are way more aware of *when* they use electricity, but for everyone else it’s kind of invisible.
Do you actually check production / apps, or you just go by intuition during the day?
Dusty_Old_McCormick@reddit
I have an app that tells me in real time how much electricity is being generated by the panels, as well as how much electricity is being used be the house. Any excess energy is sold back to the electric company, so we get a little credit on our bill each month.
I still look at it now and then to see our energy trends, but I learned pretty quickly which appliance use the most energy and when our optimum hours for solar production are.
ghjm@reddit
I don't think about it at all. But electrical rates aren't super high where I am.
Senior_Performer_387@reddit
I don't worry about it but mostly because my bills are low and i don't use a lot of electricity anyway. I only run the AC when it's really hot and it doesn't get as hot where I live vs my last apartment because there are trees around and the building is shaded and has less direct sun exposure all day like my old apartment.
Also I don't have gas service in my current apartment and heating my apartment is cheaper and my landlord has to pay the gas bill. I assume that's because the service isn't able to be separated between the two apartments(i live in a duplex) and we have radiators. My bill has never been more than 80ish dollars and that's in the summer when i run the AC more when it's hot.
athenank@reddit
People in my city do. Our city charges our utilities based on the time of day used. Utilities during on-peak hours can cost almost 30% more than off-peak
3mptyspaces@reddit
People with electric cars pay close attention to varying rates when charging at home.
Slotter-that-Kid@reddit
As a PWN person we have abundant hydroelectric power, when they aren't busy selling it of to other states for profits. Our biggest energy cost is natural gas more than electric and even then it might spike in the winter.
RickS50@reddit
My power is about a third of the price off peak, so yeah, laundry happens on the weekends, my car gets charged in the middle of the night. My water heater typically only runs during off peak hours and I can program a delayed start in my dishwasher.
Really, most of it is automated except certain appliances like the washer and dryer. Even though all of the other things have apps now, I could just as easily automate their run times with simple mechanical timers.
AccomplishedDark9255@reddit
Yes I can use my delay start settings so dishwasher, washer and dryer run after midnight, or save the laundry to do on weekends (also lower rate times)
Fluffy-Mine-6659@reddit
Changing behavior doesn’t move the needle much on electric bill. Maybe $10-$20/month. Hearing and cooling makes the biggest difference, so people who are cost sensitive will set thermostats accordingly
GrimSpirit42@reddit
Not on a household level, but one of our manufacturing plants used an electrolysis process.
They had a display that showed a real-time cost of electricity and only ran the process when the cost was low enough to run the process and still be profitable.
Great_Chipmunk4357@reddit
My wife and I don’t do anything special. Our electricity bill has never been exorbitant.
notacanuckskibum@reddit
Yes, it’s not hard to remember to run the washing machine in the evening or at the weekend.
revengeappendage@reddit
I used to care about this stuff til one summer it was HOT and the power company would ask people to reduce their usage etc.
I kept my AC at 67 all day. Did nothing different. And consistently got robocalls about being one of the top 10 most efficient users in my zip code. Now I do what I want without a second thought.
Temporary_Solid_5869@reddit
My power bill this month was $57.
I’m not making any lifestyle changes to lower that bill.
SmartEnergyDIY@reddit (OP)
Yeah that makes sense, if the bill is already low there’s not much incentive to think about it.
Serious-Mongoose-387@reddit
between 5 and 8pm electricity costs more here, so we don’t use AC, do landry, or any other power-intensive things during that time
Own_Mission8048@reddit
Here's what I do:
Charge the electric car at night. (On a smart charger) Pre heat/pre cool the house before peak times. (On a smart thermostat) Run the dishwasher at night. (On a delay timer) Try to avoid doing laundry during peak times. (Mostly)
I'm on a time of use rate plan AND my utility gives rebates for using a smart charger and thermostat so I'm very incentived and I don't have to think about it once I set it up.
CaptainGreyBeard72@reddit
In the upper middle of the US I don't have peak pricing, they do offer an incentive to remotely turn the air conditioner off, or cycle it more. I don't do that because my air can't keep up as it is in the hottest days.
JackfruitCrazy51@reddit
We live in Iowa, which has very cheap rates. 11 cents per kwh. I'm changing to time of use rates, and will be able to lower that to 6 cents at night. We have a Tesla and will schedule it to only charge at night. Our current rate in a 2,800 sqft house with a Tesla is about $100 in the summer, which is super cheap.
1Marmalade@reddit
I charge my car from 10-6am
Fun-Yellow-6576@reddit
We’ve been on a plan for years and don’t use the washer, dryer, and dishwasher between 3pm and 7pm, the pool pump runs during the night as well. We also cool the house down before 3pm that so the a/c isn’t running full blast. Also try to use the air fryer instead of the oven to save $.
SmartEnergyDIY@reddit (OP)
That’s actually super optimized already.
You’re basically doing exactly what utilities want people to do, just manually.
baalroo@reddit
Nah, the highest my electric bill gets is around $200 in the absolute hottest part of the summer.
The juice from policing usage isn't worth the squeeze.
SteelGemini@reddit
I get murdered by electricity rates in the summer time. I have no choice but to obsess over usage during those months. Going without AC isn't feasible much of the time, so I do what I can to reduce my usage in other areas.
Every time I turn around, PG&E ups the rates again, so my expected savings turn into me just treading water and paying the same to use less. Newer, more efficient HVAC system? Great, rate increased so I pay roughly the same amount monthly.
SmartEnergyDIY@reddit (OP)
Yeah that sounds really frustrating honestly.
I feel like a lot of people try to use less, but the real difference often comes from *when* you use it, not just how much.
TheLizardKing89@reddit
Yes, when we have a flex alert, we will wait until it has passed to run the dishwasher or laundry machine/dryer.
SmartEnergyDIY@reddit (OP)
Yeah that’s a perfect example actually.
You already adapt, it’s just about having something that makes it obvious without thinking too much about it.
AdamOnFirst@reddit
Lots of places don’t even have time of use rates in the US
Boom_Gate_Lady@reddit
How do you use electricity to make money? That's an odd sentence.
SmartEnergyDIY@reddit (OP)
Yeah I probably worded that badly
I didn’t mean making money directly, more like avoiding using electricity when it’s expensive and using it when it’s cheaper.
Responsible-Care-388@reddit
No, because I’m not poor
tsukiii@reddit
Yeah, I charge the car during off-peak hours. Dishwasher too.
Ok-Equivalent8260@reddit
I never think about this. I just pay the bill when it comes 🤷🏻♀️
SmartEnergyDIY@reddit (OP)
Yeah I think a lot of people are like that.
You don’t really notice it unless prices vary a lot during the day.
Whatisthisnonsense22@reddit
Back in the day when hourly pricing was legal, my folks had start times for the electric dryer.
JimBones31@reddit
Absolutely. We plan our dishwasher and washing machine usage for shoulder or off-peak hours and we also use as much natural lighting as possible.
Ok_Remote_1036@reddit
Yes whatever can be scheduled automatically (e.g. charging of electric cars, heat/air conditioning) is done with energy efficiency in mind. I also have solar panels and powerwalls.
Helo227@reddit
When you use electricity doesn’t change the cost of it, only how much you use matters.
We can change habits to save money. Like unplugging electronics instead of just powering them off, or turning the AC off when you aren’t home.
Adorable_Dust3799@reddit
We have 3 rates depending on time of day, and nights are less than half of evening rates.
Helo227@reddit
I’d totally change when i use electricity if we had that here! I never even heard of peak/off-peak power rates until this post. Maine has two power companies and both just do a flat rate.
My power is $0.27/kWh, no matter the time of day.
AnnaMPiranha@reddit
I live in Nebraska. Our utilities are publicly owned. We have our rates set once a year for summer and winter seasons. There is no peak time intraday. However, if there is grid instability they do send out an alert and encourage people to use less power. Usually this only happens if it's bitterly cold or if we've had extreme heat over multiple days. It is pretty uncommon to have more than a handful of days like this.
Evapoman97@reddit
We get charged more for electricity during the day between certain hours, we use washer/dryer or really anything that will use a lot of energy during the morning or later at night.
SmartEnergyDIY@reddit (OP)
Yeah that’s exactly the kind of behavior I was talking about — shifting usage without really overthinking it.
Do you just do it manually or do you use anything to help you track the best times?
The12th_secret_spice@reddit
My utility has 2 options, time of use or peak option.
I ran the last 6 months of utility bills in ChatGPT and asked it if switching billing options would be cheaper.
Come to find out, peak use is cheaper for me. I’ll run it again after the summer to see if that holds true.
Queer_Advocate@reddit
I live in an energy efficient apartment. Literally everything is, even my tv. I use what I want when I want and it's like $18 range. I did the switch where everything was off as in unplugged and it was still like $40.
SmartEnergyDIY@reddit (OP)
That’s interesting — sounds like your baseline consumption is already super optimized.
Do you still have any peak/off-peak pricing where you are, or is it mostly flat rates?
Queer_Advocate@reddit
No idea. Let me consult the Google.
Drew707@reddit
California is lucky enough to have the highest energy costs in the US aside from Hawaii.
We didn't change our behavior, but we did buy solar back when it made sense without batteries. We started moving everything to electric. Last thing to go is the water heater which is still gas. We pay PG&E monthly for gas, connectivity, and grid consumed electricity during the winter when we don't produce as much, but during the summer they usually "pay" us. I have had negative bills from selling back to the grid on the NEM 2 plan. Batteries and a new water heater are in the future. Even with the minimal bill from PG&E and the financing on the solar, our net monthly energy costs are lower than if we never did the solar.
Judgy-Introvert@reddit
We don’t have peak and off-peak where I live so I don’t change anything.
SnowblindAlbino@reddit
Time shifting doesn't make a difference in most of the US, though there are exceptions by geography and use. Some places have reduced rates overnight, others have lower rates for specific things like EV charging and electric heating at off-peak times. I don't personally know anyone who bothers with demand shifting to save money, other than off-peak EV charging. But I do know people who respond to alerts to reduce demand during peak times, like on hot summer days, by shifting what they can simply to help out. There are also special rates or credits for interruptible service, like for AC, that can be remotely disabled during periods of peak demand.
But actually thinking "I'll cook dinner at 900pm because it's 25% cheaper" isn't a thing here. Energy is cheap in the US compared to much of the world, and simply doesn't factor in to most people's daily decision making-- at least not with electric demand.
ammitsat@reddit
I’d say you’re correct for most of the country but California has pretty high electrical rates and we have peak and off peak times. Depending on the season (rates are different in the winter vs summer) it’s a significant enough difference that I make an effort to do energy intensive things during off peak hours.
SmartEnergyDIY@reddit (OP)
That’s super interesting — so it’s more about occasional signals (like alerts or extreme heat) rather than daily habits?
That’s exactly what I was wondering — because in Europe it’s becoming more dynamic, but if the price difference is small, people just ignore it.
Feels like there’s a gap between “fully optimized” and “not thinking about it at all”.
Graflex01867@reddit
My local utility company sends out a text alert to “shred the peak” where they’ll list the time later that day when they could really use a demand reduction. I don’t always remember, but I’ll try and hold off doing laundry, maybe turn the AC up a degree or two.
BlazinAzn38@reddit
I don’t have a time of use plan so I don’t worry about it. We did have a time of use plan at one point which of course made us mindful of when to run things. During heat waves we try and run major things at night but that’s not a money issue
Shot-Artichoke-4106@reddit
We have peak and off peak hours and our electricity is on the expensive side so we do change our usage to minimize peak usage. We run our dishwasher, washer, and dryer during off-peak as much as we can. Our peak hours are 4-9pm, so it's hard not to cook during that time.
ammitsat@reddit
I’m in California with super high electrical rates. I do have a plan that is cheaper during ‘off peak’ hours so I do run my major appliances like washing machine and dishwasher during those off peak hours mostly just before 4pm or after 9pm.
geekycurvyanddorky@reddit
Some people are SOL right now because they’re paying the bill for data centers, and you can’t save any money because of them now. Hopefully there will be a hell of a lawsuit about this soon. FYI if you’re still using ai after knowing how horrific it is for people and the planet, you’re scum. The information showing how horrific using ai is right now is widely and readily available for everyone to see. Block it from your life as best you can, and stop using amazon and meta.
IJustWorkHere000c@reddit
I don't ever think about it. At all.
Appropriate-Food1757@reddit
I don’t think about it. My light bulbs are all led anyway
rollenr0ck@reddit
I have solar, I live in the desert, and I have to be hooked up to the power company. They keep raising their rates and fees. I have a four hour period in the afternoon where power is higher. I avoid everything but cooking and cooling. They have this great bill system where they charge the peak hours based on your highest consumption. So lucky for consumers. I lower my temp slightly before the peak time, raise the set temp during it, and resume normal temps afterwards. I also have electric vehicles that I do not charge during this time. Everything is automatically controlled so I don’t have to work to remember.
SmartEnergyDIY@reddit (OP)
That’s actually a really smart setup.
I like that you’ve basically automated everything so you don’t have to think about it anymore.
I feel like that’s the key — most people don’t want to manage this stuff actively, they just want something simple that tells them what to do without effort.
SmartEnergyDIY@reddit (OP)
That’s actually what I’ve been experimenting with recently.
Instead of trying to plan everything, I built a small device that just shows a simple color depending on when it’s a good moment — so you don’t have to think about schedules or apps.
I put a quick explanation here if you're curious:
blockpulse.be
byebybuy@reddit
Yes. PG&E offers rate plans based on peak/off-peak hours. So we try to do laundry etc. during off-peak hours. It's not hard once you get used to the schedule.
rinky79@reddit
It only saves money if your rate varies by time of day. Mine does not.
SmartEnergyDIY@reddit (OP)
Yeah same here for a long time.
That’s actually why I stopped thinking in terms of “saving money” and more in terms of just being aware of when energy demand is higher or lower.
Even if the price doesn’t change much, I found it interesting to at least *see* it in real time instead of guessing.
rinky79@reddit
I did just recently get solar panels, so I should concentrate more on using power when it's sunny and they're generating the most. I haven't had to turn on the ac yet this year, so it will be interesting to watch.
Comfortable-Bike9080@reddit
i am rich i don't care💔💔
ericbythebay@reddit
Yes.
I set appliances like the dishwasher to run after midnight when rates drop.
Likewise, the EVs know to only charge during off-peak.
I have the pool pump cycle off during peak.
jim2527@reddit
In Florida we keep our house ice box cold in the summer. Our average electric bill is $300. There’s really no significant savings. In the summer max off peak rate is from 11p to 6a. How am I supposed to save when I’m sleeping?
SmartEnergyDIY@reddit (OP)
Yeah that’s exactly the issue.
In theory it sounds great, but in reality most “cheap hours” happen when you’re not even using anything or you’re asleep.
That’s why I feel like trying to optimize manually just doesn’t really work for most people.
AfterAllBeesYears@reddit
My dryer, oven/stove, water heater, and heat are all gas powered, so my electric only spikes in summer, when I need the air conditioner. And even then, my monthly electric bill in my 195 m² house has almost never been more than $100. I do live alone, so that's a huge part of it.
Adorable_Dust3799@reddit
Copied from ai summary
SDG&E residential electricity rates, often averaging 45-48¢ per kWh. Rates are generally structured by time-of-use (TOU), with peak pricing (4 p.m. - 9 p.m.) reaching roughly 38.7¢-48¢+ per kWh, while super off-peak rates can drop to approximately 23.4¢ per kWh.
With that difference i about change my useage to nights when feasible.
These-Ad5332@reddit
We try not to use the oven, dishwasher, washer, and lights as much in the summer.
My family also participates in energy saving where we don't turn on our A/C during certain times and instead we go to the pool or park or we coast through the heat then turn the A/C back on later.
WinterRevolutionary6@reddit
My electric plan doesn’t have peak hours so I don’t change my habits for time of day. I specifically avoid those types of plans because my schedule and therefore my usage is not consistent enough to actually benefit
SmartEnergyDIY@reddit (OP)
Yeah that makes total sense actually.
That’s exactly what I noticed too — if your routine isn’t super consistent, those plans just don’t really work in practice.
Do you ever wish there was something more “passive” though? Like just knowing at a glance if it’s a good moment or not, without having to plan ahead?
elangomatt@reddit
In the US and I signed up for a program where my price for electricity changes every hour. Much of the time the price doesn't really matter and I'll do things without worrying about the price/time of day. If I know the price has been more variable than normal then I will check the price before starting laundry or turning on the dishwasher. During the summer I mostly leave my AC off during the daytime because prices can get high during those days and I keep my (electric) heat fairly cold in the winter. I average a savings of about $50 a month over the standard rate I can get in my area.
lovelylinguist@reddit
I don’t do it myself, but I live with somebody who insists on that, and I have to hear about it when I start the appliances like half an hour before the peak hours end. I wouldn’t be surprised if this person has mental health issues.
Letters4You@reddit
We try to run things during off peak hours.
Dishwasher, washing machine, dryer, etc. all have delay functions. We just set them for late night or early morning.
AC is on a smart thermostat. We'll precool the house before 4pm, and close the drapes to keep it cool. If it's super hot out, we have a portable AC unit, and a solar generator that we'll use to keep the bedroom cool.
Switching to the portable AC/Solar generator has shaved about $200/mo on our energy bill in the summer. But we like it COLD.
SmartEnergyDIY@reddit (OP)
That’s actually a pretty advanced setup
Most people don’t go that far though — timers, thermostat, solar… that’s already a lot to manage.
Do you still check things manually sometimes, or is everything fully automated now?
Special-Reindeer-178@reddit
Can depend on your energy plan, and even then energy is so cheap here most people dont worry about it.
For context, many people have an electricity plan based on actual usage, but there are energy suppliers who have flat rate plans, where you pay a set price per month based on the estimated energy usage, whether youre under that figure, or over.
On those types of agreements its literally doesnt matter. Leave every single light and electronic equipment on 24/7 and your monthly rate doesnt change
SmartEnergyDIY@reddit (OP)
Yeah that’s what I’m seeing from most replies here — if energy is cheap, there’s just no reason to think about it.
I guess it only becomes a “problem” when prices fluctuate a lot or get unpredictable.
Adorable_Dust3799@reddit
Super off peak is much less than half onpeak. Last time i looked peak pricing was around .60 and the cheapest was closer to .20. I have an alarm set for 4 pm, and i turn off the a/c until 9. Drier never runs in the late afternoon. If you're not altering use times your bill must not be too horrible, or there isn't much difference.
SaneSociopathPolitic@reddit
Power meter goes brrr.
ITrCool@reddit
I typically leave the HVAC off during nicer parts of the year like now and in early fall when temps aren’t super extreme. Windows open and plenty of natural light so no lamps on. I basically just focus on using less water more than anything.
No-Market-4906@reddit
I don't. It makes such a small change to my overall budget it just isn't worth it.
SmartEnergyDIY@reddit (OP)
Yeah that makes sense — if the savings are tiny, it’s not worth thinking about.
I guess it only really matters when prices fluctuate a lot.
OneNerdyLesbian@reddit
Our rates don't change based on when we use the electricity, so we don't really think about that.
VisibleSea4533@reddit
We don’t have peak and off-peak where I live, $0.30/kwh no matter when you use it.
Semirhage527@reddit
I use it normally and don’t worry about it.
Occasionally I get an email saying I earned $1-3 off my bill for using less during a peak period. Not often enough for me to adjust my choices to get that discount
SmartEnergyDIY@reddit (OP)
That’s interesting — so even when there is a price signal, it’s too small to really change habits?
That’s kind of what I was wondering.
AshDenver@reddit
I don’t run the dishwasher during peak time. Toss a 4h delay on there, walk away, unload clean in the morning.
Other than that, all lights were flipped to LED six years ago.
Drawn-Otterix@reddit
Yes; I printed out a schedule and did my laundry, charging, and electronic time to it to help with winter bills.
FishrNC@reddit
Absolutely I do. I am under a plan that has a peak time from 1600 to 1900 hrs where the cost per kWh is three times the rest of the day. Plus during this period your total usage per hour is measured and you are charged about $13 or $19 times the number of kWh used in any hour period (charge varies between summer and winter, with summer being higher). So if you use your electric range and clothes dryer simultaneously during one hour, you are charged the per kWh rate PLUS $13 or $19 times the amount used in that hour. Use 5 kWh, get charged 5 * per kWh rate + peak charge * 5. Fortunately, the peak usage multiplier is only a once per month charge on the max peak rate during that month.
You quickly learn to adjust your lifestyle to accommodate. And it becomes not a problem.
quitealargeorangecat@reddit
What are you trying to sell?
SmartEnergyDIY@reddit (OP)
Haha fair question
I’m not really “selling” here — I started building a small device for myself because I kept forgetting when electricity was cheap or expensive.
It’s just a super simple thing with a color signal (green = cheap, red = expensive) so you don’t have to check apps or schedules all the time.
I was curious if people actually care about timing their usage or not, because in Europe it’s becoming more common with dynamic pricing.
DJDoubleDave@reddit
I have an electric car I charge at home. I have the plug on a timer so that it charges when electricity is cheapest. This saves a noticeable amount on the bill, and doesn't take any extra effort, I just plug it in all the time. Important note if anyone is considering doing this, get a timer that's UL listed and rated for more amps than your charger's peak draw, don't buy a generic cheap one.
Something like AC is trickier, it's harder to time. When you're going to use it. Depending on your house, you may or may not have success pre-cooling it when electricity is cheaper.
I just turn lights out when I leave a room, it doesn't really matter what time of day it is. Lights are typically quite cheap to run anyway.
Ernigirl@reddit
I live in SoCal, and I’ve always done laundry, dishwasher, etc. after 6pm/overnight. I don’t think it saves me any money, but it does help with the strain on the power grid when it gets super hot (100 F or hotter). No one needs a power outage when we’re all trying to keep our homes cooler than the outside.
Sea_Analysis_8033@reddit
Honestly it’s rates that have gone up limiting usage really doesn’t do a whole lot. I have and still do keep anything I am not currently using completely unplugged from the wall. I barely use heat or ac and my bill just goes up. I don’t even have natural gas.
cranberry_spike@reddit
Yeah, we make changes. Not necessarily to avoid upcharges, because I don't think we have those - but doing power intensive things during, say, the hottest part of the day will increase what we're paying either way. Where I am we have extreme weather on both the hot and cold end of the spectrum, and in the summer I'm careful about what I use at peak heat times.
For that matter I try to reduce water usage during floods, which unfortunately we have rather frequently now.
JamesMarM@reddit
It is rooted in the American culture to have almost no concern whatsoever for wasting electricity or automotive fuels. It has become a political issue all the way down to the use of LED lightbulbs vs. traditional types. There are some that care deeply about wasting resources, but they are in the minority. Most Americans seem to relish running their heat and A/C even when nobody is home , or leaving lights on, or running 2-3 refrigerators and freezers even for small families. About 90% of the vehicles I see on the road known to achieve only 15-20 MPG on the highway are occupied by one one person and no payload in the cargo area. This is crazy!
Individual_Check_442@reddit
I live in the desert where the average summer day and yes we definitely try to do laundry/dishwashing at off peak times. It’s not just to save money if people didn’t do that we’d overwhelm the grid and have rolling blackouts.
porcelainvacation@reddit
My local electricity price is very cheap at $0.08/kWh, and is mostly hydro and wind power. However, my water and sewer are quite expensive so I focus on conservation there instead.
DerAlex3@reddit
Pretty much never. Our electric bill (Chicago) is always under $100, sometimes under $50-60.
Particular_Bet_5466@reddit
I never think about it.
3Duder@reddit
Ask us again in a few months
danhm@reddit
I've never lived anywhere that had cheaper or more expensive hours and I've probably had at least 10 different electric companies by now.
RedLegGI@reddit
Its use it normally. Occasionally some outside company will come along with a rate offer that is several cents cheaper per hour and I’ll switch over to save money that way. If something better comes along, I’ll do the same.
MaximumPlant@reddit
I don't really pay attention to it, but I've also been effectively indoctrinated in the school of "if its not being used, turn it off."
Can't stand a light being on in an empty room.
JudgeWhoOverrules@reddit
I turned my AC temperature up when I leave the house. In the summer it's set to 79 when I'm away, 77/78 when I'm in, and 77/76 when I'm going getting ready to turn in for the night.
Residential heating and cooling is the single largest electricity cost in urban areas, and the largest factor in a residential electricity bill.
TheBimpo@reddit
Some people, sure. Is it a widespread and well known phenomenon? No.
Flat-Yellow5675@reddit
The only time I took into consideration the increased cost of an electronic device at certain times of day, was 20-ish years ago when phone calls were free after 8pm.
Zealousideal_Crow737@reddit
I live in New England and our gas bills are TERRIBLE in the winter. For context, I keep my place around 62 degrees and have a 800 sq ft condo. Bills are usually in the 350s.
I RARELY use the dryer except to dry sheets and towels (don't like starch). Usually spend 50 bucks a month on electricity.
TCFNationalBank@reddit
I use the hourly demand based billing just because it works out cheaper with the way I use electricity. No idea why.
I think people with electric cars will also set up their car to charge overnight when rates are low.
river-running@reddit
I don't change on a daily basis, but I do change seasonally. I try to be conservative with my air conditioning use in the summer to keep the electric bill down.
Personal_Sea_3975@reddit
Are you talking about people choosing to use/not use electricity at certain times of day? because that's not at all what you're communicating.
RaspberryLanky7905@reddit
pre LED lights we were always super careful to turn them off when not in the room. We don't leave the TV running. but scheduling electricity usage? nah.
Personal_Sea_3975@reddit
Unfortunately, I don't think anyone is going to understand what you're asking. What do you mean by "do you actively change when you use electricity"?