Americans spend millions of dollars per year on utility bills. Everything from washing the dishes to turning on the AC can increase your utility bills. However, there are several easy ways to lower your utility bills without necessarily decreasing your quality of life. Here are a few ways to save money on your utility bill every month: 1. Install a Low-flow Shower Head. Older shower heads can really increase your water bill every month, older shower heads actually put out 4-5 gallons of water per minute! By buying a low-flow shower head you will save on your water bill, since it only puts out 1.5 gallons per minute. Low-flow shower heads typically cost $10 or up to $200 or more. Low-flow shower heads are easy to install, and they’ll help conserve water while saving you money every day. 2. Insulate Your Water Heater. If you insulate your older water heater you can save 4-9% on your water heating costs. The USDE sums up that insulating hot water heater jackets prevent standby heat loss by 25-45%. 3. Wash Clothes in Cold Water: Most people don't know that 90% of the energy their washer uses goes to heat the water. This is really shocking and considering that most American families do about 400 loads of laundry a year, this can really add up. The cold water doesn't have any less effect when cleaning your clothing than hot water does. 4. Pack the Dishwasher. Don't waste energy by only doing half-loads, pack as many dishes as you can into one load. Letting dishes air dry, instead of using the manual heat dry can also save you money. 5.Cook Strategically. Heating up your oven takes up a lot of energy. If you’re cooking something small, use your toaster oven instead. Cooking with a microwave also use a fraction of the energy used when cooking with your oven.