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Cutting down my electric bill with smarter lighting choices

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law537
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I've been trying to trim down my monthly electric bill lately, and one of the easiest things I've found is swapping out old bulbs for LEDs. I mean, it's not rocket science, but there's a few things I learned along the way that might help someone else.

First off, I started by checking the wattage on all my old bulbs and replacing the highest wattage ones first. Those old incandescent bulbs were eating up way more power than I realized. Then I looked into color temperature—turns out, warmer LEDs (around 2700K) feel way cozier in living spaces, while cooler ones (4000K+) are better for kitchens or garages. Learned that the hard way after my kitchen looked like a hospital room for a week, lol.

Also, dimmers! If you have dimmer switches, make sure your LEDs are actually dimmable. I bought a bunch without checking and ended up with flickering lights everywhere. Had to return them all and start over.

Anyway, that's what worked for me. Curious if anyone else has other tricks or maybe some cool lighting setups they've tried?

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drider56
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"Had to return them all and start over."

Been there too—LED dimmers can be a pain if you don't double-check compatibility. Another thing that helped me was putting some motion sensors in hallways and closets. It's surprising how much you save when lights aren't accidentally left on all day. Also, anyone tried smart bulbs with scheduling? I'm curious if they're worth the extra cost for energy savings or mostly just convenience...

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philosophy488
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Been there too—LED dimmers can be a pain if you don't double-check compatibility. Another thing that helped me was putting some motion sensors in hallways and closets.

I've messed around with smart bulbs a bit, and honestly it seems like they're mostly about convenience rather than big energy savings. Scheduling is nice, but unless you're someone who regularly forgets to turn off lights, you probably won't notice a huge drop in the bill. Motion sensors, though, are legit—I put them in my laundry room and pantry. Now I don't have to juggle baskets or groceries trying to flip switches, plus no more accidental all-day lights... definitely worth it.

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kathymitchell838
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Motion sensors are definitely underrated. I put one in the garage and basement stairs, and it's been a game changer—no more fumbling around in the dark or leaving lights on overnight by accident.

About smart bulbs, I get your point. They're convenient, but the actual energy savings seem pretty minimal unless you're the type who leaves lights on constantly. One thing I've wondered though: do the bulbs themselves draw power even when they're technically "off" but still connected to WiFi? I haven't measured it myself, but if anyone has tested that I'd be curious to know if it's significant enough to factor into overall savings.

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law537
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I haven't measured it myself, but if anyone has tested that I'd be curious to know if it's significant enough to factor into overall savings.

Good points about motion sensors, they've saved me some hassle too. Couple extra things I've noticed:

- LED strip lighting under kitchen cabinets is pretty efficient, and it gives a nice ambient glow without needing the overhead lights full blast.
- About the smart bulbs drawing power when off—yeah, they do pull a tiny bit to stay connected. I haven't measured exactly how much either, but from what I've read it's minimal enough that you'd barely notice on your bill.

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