The festive season has arrived. Christmas does not only mean shopping and good food but it also denotes a time to decorate and light up your home and show the festive spirit. Unless you are innovative and go for some cost-saving plans, Christmas lighting will dug a hole in your pocket. Here are some of the tips which will help you in decorating your home without breaking the bank:
Switch to light-emitting diodes: When you decide to go for decorating and lighting, you can go for the light emitting diodes. It should be noted here that they cost around 3 times more than the traditional incandescent strands. But when you think from the point of power bill saving, LEDs will help you save a huge amount of money. A typical LED bulb will require just 1 watt of electricity which is 7 times lesser than the same-size incandescent bulb.
Plus points of using LEDs: There are various plus points of using LEDs. Most major retailers now sell "warm white" LED strands. However, it is true that warm white lights cost the most whereas the red bulbs cost the least. Apart from that, LED strands can be linked into larger strings because of the lower power requirements. They also don’t have the risk of blowing a circuit. Moreover, using LED strands will help avoid a tangle of extension cords. The LED strands remain cool to touch thereby reducing the risk of fire.
Use power wisely: It is true that LED lights are costlier to run but being smarter in its usage will help you save money. You should get preset timers to operate the lights. The lights can be switched on at 5 p.m. and shut off after 5 hours. Many timers cost less than $20. There are some LED strands which even come with timers built in.
Stay away from fancy products: It is always better to stay away from fancy product which will increase power consumption and increase your power bills like light nets for bushes. It is always better to go for pre-lit artificial trees. They are not only easy to manage but are not quite costly even.
Use battery-operated items: If saving on power bills is your main aim, then you can go for battery-operated items which include window candles, door wreaths, etc. You can even go for rechargeable batteries.
Of course, the cheapest way to cut cost on your power bill is to use fewer lights to decorate the house. But during Christmas, I guess hardly anyone will even think of it!!