How to save on utility bills. How to save on utilities: tips for saving the family budget

The cost of housing and communal services increases every year. “Kommersant” will tell you how to pay less for housing and communal services, on which payments you can save and optimize your expenses for the “communal”.

General Tips

Installing lever faucets can save water because it takes more time to set the temperature with a two-valve system and uses more water.
Due to leaking taps, several hundred liters of water can be lost per month, so it’s worth taking care of the condition of the plumbing and calling the master when faults are found.
Owners of cast iron batteries can call a plumber free of charge to clean them in the summer.
Batteries can be equipped with control valves to control the amount of heat supplied, thereby saving it when possible.
Due to poor insulation of pipes in boiler rooms and basements of houses, a lot of heat energy is lost. Having secured the consent of all the residents of the house, you can contact the management company and the contractor to install a common house meter, which can save up to 30% of heat energy.
When buying new household appliances, you should choose economical class A models, as they consume less electricity.
Maintenance of the refrigerator is also a way to save money, as a freezer with ice frozen on it consumes more electricity.
To save up to 30% of electricity in the apartment, you can install automated motion control sensors that control electric lighting.
When leaving on vacation, in order to avoid a waste of resources, it is worth unplugging all electrical appliances from the outlets. For more effective savings, you can turn off the water and electricity.
When paying for housing and communal services, it is worth carefully checking receipts to avoid unjustified expenses.

If an error is found, you need to contact the relevant organization that issues the receipt, and if necessary, the state housing inspection, which checks the correct calculation of the amount of payment for housing and communal services.

Who is entitled to benefits

Many consumers can count on government support to pay for housing and communal services provided for by federal or regional regulations.

Benefits are provided to specific categories of citizens, regardless of income level, the size of the area of the apartment and its belonging to a particular housing stock. With the help of benefits, consumers can pay up to 50% of housing and communal services, but only for one residential facility.

The following can apply for state aid in the form of benefits:

Large families raising four or more children.
Disabled people, as well as the families where they live.
Employee families.
Heroes of the Russian Federation and the USSR with distinctions in the field of labor.
Veterans, participants, relatives of those killed in the Second World War.
Donors marked with a special sign.

To apply for benefits, you can contact the department of social protection of the population at the place of residence, providing the following documents:

Applicant's passport.
A document proving the applicant's attitude to a certain preferential category.
Information about the composition of the family living at a specific address.
Help showing the amount of living space.
Ownership document.

Subsidies

Unlike benefits, subsidies can be provided to those citizens whose costs for housing and communal services exceed a certain percentage of the income of all family members (from 10% to 22% depending on the region). The level of payments for subsidies is determined by law and is not always limited to the subsistence level. Accruals are made in advance for the next six months.

Only citizens of Russia, Belarus or Kyrgyzstan who do not have debts for housing and communal services can apply for state assistance in the form of subsidies. It can be:

Owners of housing (apartment, residential building or part thereof).
Users whose housing belongs to the municipal or state housing stock.
Members of a housing cooperative or housing association.
Citizens who rent a separate private living space under an agreement.

To apply for state support, you can contact the city center for housing subsidies at the place of residence by providing the following documents:

Passports of all members of the applicant's family.
A document confirming the right to own housing.
Certificate confirming the composition of the family.
Certificate confirming the level of income of each of the family members.
Certificate proving the absence of housing and communal debt for the past months.
Bank account details.

Counters

Individual meters are devices that measure and take into account the amount of resources supplied to the apartment (water, electricity, gas). By installing them, the consumer will be able to pay for housing and communal services at reduced rates, without overpaying for something that he does not use.

To install a water meter, you should:

Contact the management company at the place of residence to obtain the necessary documents (technical installation conditions, water supply schemes).
Purchase counters depending on how many risers (stop valves) are in the apartment.
Install counters by contacting specialists.
Draw up a tripartite act for putting the meters into operation (the document is signed by the installer, the owner of the living space and the representative of the management company).
Conclude an agreement with the management company to pay for water by meters.

To install a meter for electricity, you should:

Contact any organization that installs electricity meters.
Purchase and install a multi-tariff meter (unlike the usual one, it takes into account the time of day).
Contact the energy supply or energy sales organization that services the house to seal the meter (you can determine the organization you need in the management company).
Conclude an agreement with the management company for payment of electricity by meters.

To install a gas meter, you should:

Apply to an organization that has a license to install gas meters (in Moscow - Mosgaz).
Pay for the installation of the meter by a specialist (during installation, it may be necessary to rearrange gas appliances, change the intra-apartment gas wiring).
Contact a gas supplier representative to seal the meter and take readings.

If payment for housing and communal services is carried out not according to metering devices (meters), but according to approved standards (based on the number of people registered in the house), you should pay attention to who is registered in the apartment. It often happens that there are people on the register (usually relatives) who, in fact, have not lived in the housing for a long time, but the fee for them is charged and grows every year. It is possible to write out "phantom tenants" without their personal consent only through the court.

Recalculation

If the consumer is absent from home for a long time (more than five days), he has the right to use the recalculation of the cost of payment for certain LCD services by contacting the appropriate center or management company at the place of residence. Such a request can only be made if it is technically impossible to equip the housing with meters. To carry out the recalculation, you will need:

Application for recalculation.
Survey report confirming the impossibility of establishing individual meters.
A document confirming the fact and duration of the absence of the applicant or at least one of the family members registered in a particular housing.

Radio station and antenna

Many citizens still spend money on those housing and communal services that have not been used for a long time.

The radio point, which is equipped with every house (except for new buildings), is designed to notify residents of emergencies. Today, SMS notification is in effect, however, the “radio and notification” service is still found in many utility bills. Consumers have the right to turn it off by contacting the management company, the district office of the engineering services department or the city radio broadcasting center.

Cable and satellite television have long since replaced the need for a community television antenna, which some tenants still pay for. To turn off the antenna, you need to write a statement and contact the management company.

Energy-saving lamps

With the help of energy-saving lamps, you can save up to 75% of electricity. They shine in the same way as incandescent lamps, but consume several times less energy and last much longer. For example, a 20 watt energy-saving lamp shines the same way as a regular 100 watt lamp. There are two types of energy-saving lamps - fluorescent and LED, which can work properly for up to six years. There are several light temperatures of lamps:

from 2700 to 3500 kelvin - warm yellow light;
from 4000 to 5000 kelvins - cold white light;
from 6000 kelvins - daylight.

Home phone

Consumers of housing and communal services are increasingly refusing to use a home phone, giving preference to mobile communications. In order to save money, you can contact the city telephone center and terminate the service agreement by writing an application and submitting a receipt confirming that there are no debts on home telephone payments.

How to pay less for a communal apartment and save on utilities?

More recently, there has been another summer rise in the cost of utilities. If we turn to the statistics, we will get data indicating that the national average increase in tariffs for electricity, sewerage, water, heating and gas has exceeded 4%.

It should be noted that this percentage is not relevant immediately for all regions. Some were hooked by the new increase in tariffs by only 3%, while others are forced to overpay as much as 6%. For example, residents of St. Petersburg and Yakutia were included in the list of Russians who were the least fortunate, and those living in North Ossetia and the Novosibirsk region were less affected by the new increase in price tags.

In any case, housing and communal services tariffs are growing and it is because of this that the issue of saving is gaining a new round of relevance. We want to give our readers some tips that will help save on utilities and spend money on more important things for the family.

What should be done to maximize savings on housing and communal services?

1. Apply for a Waiver of Services You Don't Need

Modern society and its lifestyle is changing very quickly. Unfortunately, the housing and communal services of our cities do not keep up with this rhythm, which contributes to the emergence of very unfavorable situations for payers.

Very often, people themselves do not understand that they are paying for services that no one has been using in their apartment for a long time.

For example, the tariffs include the price for a radio point, which is not only not needed, but also completely outdated, as a service, in all respects.

Another such absurdity is paying for a collective television antenna in an age when most residents have already switched to satellite, cable or Internet television.

In general, if you prevent such erroneous payment, you can save about 2,000 rubles per year, which is very noticeable. Moreover, earlier this money was given at all for no clear reason.

2. Install all kinds of meters

Previously, there were quite a lot of different opinions about how appropriate it is to install counters. At the moment, all these disputes can be stopped, because the winner will be known in advance.

After the new payment rules were supplemented with increasing coefficients for the use of resources without a counter, only those who, in principle, do not count money can afford such a luxury.

Now you have to pay for the same water according to the standard set by the local authorities, which is multiplied by 1.5. And due to the fact that the indicators of standards are often overestimated, the use of water without meters is absolutely unprofitable. Unless, of course, the faucet in your house is open around the clock.

3. Compare the number of people actually living and registered in the apartment

Due to the fact that we have to pay for many services based on how many people are registered in the apartment, there are situations when the owner is forced to overpay extra money that would not be so difficult to save. This happens if one person actually lives in the apartment, but 2-3 or more are registered, who have been living elsewhere for a long time.

The cost of services, the payment of which is not calculated according to the meter, but according to the standard, will be multiplied as many times as the number of people registered in a particular apartment. Why would you pay extra money for something that no one uses?

4. Be attentive to the content of payment receipts

Many experts are sure that it is this measure that will save the most money and avoid truly fraudulent schemes on the part of public utilities. The main idea of this method is to simply not pay more than you need.

There are two most common types of issues related to receipts:

Receipt of "double receipts".
Artificial overestimation of actually consumed services.

In the first case, the clerk of the receipt hopes that you will not study it too closely and tries to charge you twice for the same service.

The second way can be described as attributing additional amounts of consumed resources. In this case, elementary attentiveness is similarly required, which will not allow you to deceive in the calculations.

In the event that such a case has occurred, first of all it is worth contacting the organization that issued the wrong payment with a claim. If it was not possible to resolve the dispute, you will need to go to the State Housing Inspectorate, which is empowered to resolve such conflicts.

The appeal is best submitted in writing and in two copies, one of which will remain with you and will have a mark of acceptance. If the dispute is settled in your favor, you can hope not only for a recalculation, but also for a refund of a fine in the amount of 50% of the overcharged amount of the payment. These funds will be deducted from future payments for housing and communal services, and the organization in the future will definitely be very attentive to the payments of an overactive consumer.

5. Check if you qualify for benefits

Very often there are cases when people suffering from unbearable utility tariffs do not even suspect that they are entitled to additional assistance from the Russian Federation. The types of assistance are different, but still significantly reduce the financial burden on the beneficiary consumer.

The most common form of assistance is a grant. Under existing legislation, families can count on it if their utility costs exceed a predetermined percentage of their total income

Thanks to this benefit, you can save from 10% to 22% of the cost of services, depending on the region of your residence.

It is also worth checking if you are included in other categories of beneficiaries, which are provided for by both federal and regional regulations. In any case, the beneficiaries are: pensioners, veterans, the poor, large families, the disabled and others. To clarify the circumstances of your interest, it is best to contact the department of social protection of your locality.

In addition to the tips described above, short notes will also help you save on housing and communal services without giving up everyday comfort and without cutting back on your needs:

Check the thermal insulation in the apartment. Due to the absence of blowing from windows and doors, you can significantly reduce the price of services that allow you to heat your apartment.
Adjust battery temperature if possible. It makes no sense to heat empty rooms at a time when no one is at home.
Install a multi-factor meter that will allow you to pay cheaper for electricity consumed at night. It will be possible to save with their help in special semi-peak evening zones.
Replace ordinary light bulbs with LED ones, which will save you 8-10 times less for lighting rooms.
Teach yourself and your children to be sure to turn off the lights when they are not needed for a particular activity.
Install motion sensors if you have a terrace, attic, balcony, closet, or other area where you might accidentally forget to turn off the lights.
Buy appliances only with a high energy efficiency rating. Absolutely every modern device has an indicator marked from G (least effective) to A (most effective). In the long term, even replacing the already present in your apartment, but too demanding equipment will justify its implementation.
Check the tightness of the refrigerator gaskets. Inefficient cooling can be a source of increased operating costs for this cooling appliance.
If you use an electric stove, you can save money by turning it off 5-10 minutes before the dish is actually ready. Ceramic materials of the tile surface will not have time to cool down during this time and will work with almost the same efficiency as before turning off.
Use cookware that heats up more when cooking. Usually ceramics, copper and glass allow you to cook a particular dish with much less energy, which saves you money.
When using an electric kettle, heat as much water as you need. In a time that does not exceed 60 seconds, you will get your cup of tea and save on heating water, which then just stands and cools down unnecessarily.
Clean your vacuum cleaner frequently. This will increase its efficiency and reduce the time required for high-quality cleaning of the apartment.
Try not to ignore plumbing breakdowns when a faucet or drain tank leaks a little. The drops eventually become extra liters of wasted water at the end of the month.
Try to use water only for its intended purpose. While brushing your teeth or washing dishes, it is better not to leave the faucet turned on with aimlessly pouring water.
Buy and install faucet aerators that spray water, cutting water usage in half. A noticeable savings, given that the device costs several hundred rubles.

We hope that our advice will help not only to smooth out the increase in the cost of housing and communal services, but also save a lot by spending the saved money on things that you and your family really need.

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Every year, utility bills take more and more money from residents of apartment buildings. We cannot prevent this, but it is quite within our power to reduce the amounts in the receipts. A reasonable approach to the consumption of electricity and water, as well as control over the work of the management company will help save quite a lot of money.

website made a memo on what and how to reduce the cost of utility bills.

1. Little known life hacks

Today, almost all batteries have control valves, with which you can adjust the temperature and save heat. No need to heat empty rooms - reduce the temperature in the battery. It is also better to do if the room is hot: do not open the windows, but turn down the temperature in the radiator.

4. Turn off electrical appliances from sockets

After use, it is better to unplug all unused appliances from the sockets. Equipment that is not involved, even in sleep mode, continues to consume energy. It seems that this is quite a bit, but if you calculate the total amount for the year, then on average ₽ 1-3 thousand is wasted.

5. Choose the right cookware

The size of the cookware when cooking should match the diameter of the burner on the electric stove: up to 50% of electricity is wasted due to poor contact. And also, by the way, the stove can be turned off 5 minutes before the dish is completely ready: it keeps heat for a long time, and therefore the food will “reach” safely without any extra expenses.

6. Turn off the water when not in use

In those few minutes while you brush your teeth or shave, 20-30 liters of water can escape. And if you multiply them by the number of residents, you get a huge amount of liquid (and money) drained in vain into the sewer. In addition to financial savings, this will save earthly resources.

Every year we spend several tens of thousands of rubles to pay for housing and communal services. And it seems logical to everyone, because it is impossible to live without water, light and heat. At the same time, tariffs are constantly growing and costs are becoming more tangible, and the quality of services, if it is growing - although not everywhere - does not keep pace with the increase in their cost. Therefore, an increasing number of citizens are thinking about how to reduce payments for housing and communal services.

To save on this area, you need to optimize the costs of all services - and this is a whole strategy. First you need to understand all the receipts and understand how much money you spend on different payments.

In general, if you decide to reduce some expenses, always try to break them down into small groups and analyze them in dynamics, this will help you understand where the money is going.

It is worth starting with a detailed study of the information in the receipt - it is also a payment. It has a section called "Calculation of the amount of payment for the maintenance and repair of residential premises and utilities" - this is where the main information for you is contained.

Water supply (cold water).
DHW (hot water).
Water disposal (sewerage).
Electricity.

There are also other interesting figures there, but more for information, since it is almost impossible to influence them:

Maintenance and repair of housing.
Heat supply.
ODN (hot water supply, cold water supply, power supply).

And now the most important thing: every month you need to write out these key indicators in a separate table for months - it doesn’t matter if it’s Excel or a notebook. Such a table will show you as clearly as possible how much the services were used and how much was paid for them. Your spreadsheet will be the key to spending less. This is understandable, because without knowing what and how much money is spent, it is impossible to determine what and how you can save.

Separately, we note that receipts do not need to be lost even after transferring data from them to the table. Collect them in one place and better sort by year so that any of them can be easily found if necessary. Situations when this is required may be different - a system failure, or incorrect calculation of rent. Without such a receipt, it will be difficult for you to prove something.

So, you lasted a few months and got a table. Now it’s worth deciding on the basic principles by which you will optimize the cost of housing and communal services.

As in any business, it is better to act together here: if several people live in your apartment, and you alone think about optimization, all your efforts will be in vain, and the savings are negligible. This means that you need to negotiate with all the inhabitants of the apartment - your relatives or friends. Children, for example, will find it easy to explain that turning off the lights when leaving a room can allow them to get a new toy or a trip to an amusement park. In fact, the rules of saving are not so complicated, and additional funds can motivate anyone.

The whole optimization strategy - or economy - can be broken down into three blocks:

Steps without cost. Money does not need to be spent on saving water, electricity, gas. For example, you can turn off the water when brushing your teeth or refuse the radio.
Steps that require little effort. This can be the replacement of incandescent lamps with energy-saving ones, or the installation of meters.
Steps that require serious costs. These include the purchase of household appliances with a higher energy efficiency class: A, A +, A ++.

Block 1: Rejection and Savings

First of all, you should give up what you do not use.

For a lot of people this is:

Radio point. That same radio in the kitchen, working without electricity. Well, why do you need it?
Landline phone. Tariffs for mobile communications have long been affordable for almost everyone, and people use their home phones less and less. We remove.
TV antenna. Digital television is now also not expensive at all. Therefore, it makes no sense to pay also for a stationary common house antenna.
Intercom. If someone rarely comes to you, and all household members have a key, you can easily do without an intercom. It is important that it be installed by a private company, then a simple statement will suffice.

Privileges

It’s also good to understand if you are entitled to utility bill benefits - there are quite a lot of them in Russia, more than 25% of the population can count on some of them. Such information is easy to find on the Internet.

Commissions

You can save on commissions charged by terminals such as QIWI, as well as some banks when paying by card. Specify this information by choosing one or another payment method - among them it is easy to find free ones.

fines

Pay on time to avoid penalties. For the previous month, you must pay no later than the 10th of the next.

Vacation

If you do not have meters, and you were not at home for more than 5 days - you were on vacation or a business trip - you did not use housing and communal services, respectively, and should not pay for them. Therefore, after returning, you can apply for a recalculation of the cost of electricity, water and gas. However, you need to have a document confirming your absence - a ticket, a travel list, a certificate from the hospital, and so on. Please note that heating is not included in the recalculation.

Now let's figure out how to pay less for different services.

Water

Leaks are the main enemy of economy. Keep an eye on the condition of the toilet bowl, radiators or taps from which water may drip.

Dishwashing liquid you need to choose one that cleans quickly and does not require a large amount of water.

Shower instead of bath 5 times more economical.

Economical toilet cistern and different buttons on it will also help you use less water.

You should brush your teeth in such a way as to include water only at the beginning and end, the same applies to shaving.

load washing machine you need to the maximum - this will allow you to wash less often, which means spending less water and electricity.

Dishwasher requires less water, although you will have to spend money on electricity. But if she uses 30-50 liters of cold water in one cycle, then about 300 liters of hot water are spent when washing with her hands.

At the same time, it is important to remember that saving is good, but you need to feel comfortable and not turn your life into a nightmare for the sake of a couple of cubic meters of water.

Electricity

washing machine it is not necessary to turn on the maximum heat - 60º is enough for high-quality washing.

Electric stove will heat up faster if you use pans of the right size with heating discs.

Electric kettle and microwave consume less energy than an electric stove.

Scale in the kettle hinders heating, increases its time and electricity consumption. And if possible, do not fill the kettle to the brim - this way it will boil faster and consume less energy.

Do not leave appliances connected to the mains that you don't use is a waste of electricity. Unplug chargers from outlets - they consume electricity even when gadgets are not connected to them.

The vacuum cleaner consumes much less energy if its container is empty.

Warm

For centralized heating you are most likely paying by receipt, but if the temperature of the batteries is too low and you have to use heaters, you should contact the management company.

Ventilate quickly. without leaving the window open and without cooling the apartment.

Block 2: change inexpensive

Water and electricity meters- this is a must-have. With water, the situation is simple, but with light, everything is a little more complicated, because in addition to the usual ones, there are two-tariff and three-tariff meters. Such meters count electricity at different times of the day. And in order to understand which counter is right for you, you should calculate how profitable it is.

Peak time (07:00 to 10:00 and 17:00 to 21:00) is the most expensive, semi-peak (10:00 to 17:00 and 21:00 to 23:00) is cheaper and night is the most low price (from 23:00 to 07:00). And shifting energy-intensive tasks overnight - washing, ironing or washing dishes in the dishwasher - will save a lot.

At the same time, tariffs in all regions are different, and people also consume energy in different ways. Therefore, you should study the tariffs, and also understand when you have the maximum electricity consumption. It is also important to consider how much it will cost you to install or replace a meter. In general, analysis is required.

Water

In the toilet tank, you can put an economical drain and a double button, this will also reduce water consumption.

Dishwashers also differ in water consumption.

Lever mixer for water allows you to quickly adjust the pressure and temperature of the water. Also, water-saving nozzles for taps will not be superfluous.

Electricity

Energy-saving lamps more expensive, but last longer and require less energy.

The dimmer allows you to reduce the intensity of lighting depending on the need.

Switches with motion sensor make it impossible for the light to burn unnecessarily.

Block 3: starting to live in a new way

Energy consumption class household appliances is a really important indicator. It is indicated in Latin letters. Appliances labeled class A consume less energy than class G appliances. For example, a class A refrigerator is more expensive, but it consumes half as much electricity (320 kWh) per year as class G (720 kWh). A refrigerator is bought for a long time, and the savings are obvious.

Wallpaper in light colors allow the use of less lighting.

Good or just sealed windows It is also very important from the point of view of energy saving.

Conclusions:

Turn off unnecessary services
Troubleshoot your apartment
Install counters
Spend money on economical appliances and appliances

It is impossible to live normally without heat, light and electricity. All this has to be paid for. Housing and communal services tariffs please only those who receive payment for services, and the consumer can only sigh and pay receipts.

If you have centralized heating, you will also have to pay in full. With autonomous heating, payment is made according to the gas meter.

Is it possible to pay less for utility services? Savings are possible due to those services that are paid according to the readings of metering devices. Installing meters for hot and cold water, gas, electricity will allow you to pay much less than when paying according to utility bills for each family member.

Some refuse to pay for the intercom. Basically, you don't have to pay for it. If you delve into the law on payment for intercoms, you can get the truth and not pay for the intercom with the entire entrance. Maintenance of intercoms should be handled by housing and communal services - they constantly raise fees for the maintenance and maintenance of the housing stock, but very often residents do not know what exactly this fee is taken for.

Non-payment for an intercom in a single apartment, even if you do not have an intercom handset connected, is not entirely fair to your neighbors. Your entrance is closed from strangers, and you use it, while your guests disturb neighbors with requests to open the door.

Energy saving

In the event of a breakdown of the electric meter, try to replace it as soon as possible. In the absence of a meter, payment is made according to the established standards. Housing and communal services tariffs are unreasonably high, payment for electricity by the meter is cheaper.

Multi-tariff electricity meters

In addition to conventional meters, there are two-tariff and three-tariff electricity meters. Such meters count electricity at different times of the day. Electricity at night is cheaper.

Before installing such a meter, calculate how profitable it is for you. When using multi-tariff meters, a separate standard is set for each time of day. Peak time (07:00 to 10:00 and 17:00 to 21:00) is the most expensive, semi-peak (10:00 to 17:00 and 21:00 to 23:00) is cheaper, and the lowest price for the night (from 23:00 to 07:00).

Please note that you will be charged more for daytime than with regular rates. Each city has its own regulations.

Using the example of paying for a two-tariff meter in different cities, you can see that this is not beneficial for everyone. Rates are given for apartments with gas stoves.

For residents of Moscow and the Moscow region, installing multi-tariff meters can be beneficial. The usual tariff is 4.5 r, payment at two rates - in the daytime 4.53 r, at night 1.16 r.

In Kaluga, the difference is the round-the-clock tariff 3.5 rubles, for two tariffs you will pay 3.91 rubles during the day, 2.72 rubles at night. That is, when paying at two tariffs, you pay 0.4 rubles more for daytime than with normal rate. The main electricity consumption falls on the time from 7 am to 11 pm. If you are not a fan of washing and ironing clothes at night, no savings will come of it. In addition, not every neighbor likes to sleep under the noise of a working washing machine - no matter how silently it works - vibration is inevitable, sounds are especially audible in the stillness of the night.

First, study the tariffs set in your area, analyze what time of day you have the highest electricity consumption. Calculate how much it will cost you to replace the meter and when it will pay off. It may happen that by the time the installation of the meter pays off, the tariffs will change in an unfavorable direction for you.

Easier to think about how to reduce electricity consumption

How to find out how much electricity household appliances consume?

Using a household wattmeter, you can measure how much energy an electrical appliance consumes. An old refrigerator or freezer that you inherited from your grandmother and do a good job of cooling food can consume more electricity than all household appliances combined.

A household wattmeter costs about a thousand rubles. Even for the sake of interest, you can check how much electricity your household electrical appliances consume in operating mode and in standby mode.

The wattmeter is plugged into an outlet and a household appliance is connected through it. The display shows the energy consumption. The video is somewhat tightened, but the principle of operation of the device is shown.

Water saving

Saving water is easier than saving electricity because we can see it. It is clear that more water will flow out of a faucet opened at full capacity than when it is pouring in a thin stream. You can find advisers who recommend using a shower rather than taking a bath, and even rinsing with cool water. Saving is a good thing, but above all, you need to feel comfortable. And you should not change your habits for the sake of saving a couple of cubic meters of water.

A few simple tips will help you reduce your water intake.

How to save on heating

Payment for heating in different regions is different. There are two payment systems for district heating - either you pay for heating from October to April inclusive, or this fee is distributed to you evenly throughout the year.

With centralized heating, heat meters can be installed on radiators. This is not very beneficial for two reasons:

You will have to wage war with housing and communal services in order to prove your right to install such meters and pay for heating by meters.
Installation of heat meters will require tangible costs.

You will still have to pay for the centralized heating according to the receipt. But if the temperature of the radiators in the apartment is too low, and you have to use electric heaters to keep the apartment warm, file complaints with the housing and communal services and higher authorities, create commissions.

In apartment buildings with central heating, it is allowed to install an autonomous heating system. To obtain such a permit, it is necessary to collect a list of documents. If it is legally possible to install a gas boiler for heating the apartment and supplying hot water in your apartment, calculate the upcoming costs.

The transition to autonomous heating in an apartment with centralized heat supply will cost you about 100 thousand rubles. It is possible that these costs will not pay off soon, but you will have the right temperature in your apartment, you will not freeze in September, and you will not heat the street in April, as is often the case. They pay for such heating according to the gas meter.

Saving natural gas

The question often arises about saving gas when a house or apartment has autonomous heating from a gas boiler. To save gas, the boiler is switched on to the optimal mode with a temperature sensor. The boiler automatically turns on and off, depending on the set temperature.

About benefits and recalculations for utilities

You can get a recalculation for housing and communal services if you were absent from home for at least five days, if you do not have meters installed. To do this, you need to submit documents confirming your absence. This may be a certificate from a hospital or a sanatorium where you were treated, travel documents, travel certificate.

Recalculation is made for no more than six months of your absence.

Benefits for utilities are provided to families of military personnel, families with many children, and the disabled.

In rural areas, teachers and health workers have benefits.

Subsidies are provided if the payment for services takes from 10 to 20% of the family income, depending on the region.

If you are eligible for reduced utility bills or subsidies, take the time to provide the relevant documents.

Tip - do not be fanatic about saving. Peace in the family is more expensive than a couple of hundred rubles that you save on rent.