This is the time of year when you keep the thermostat down, while you freeze and wish there were better ways to save on your energy bill. A PC in particular is one of those electronics thought to eat up energy.

Energy is particularly hard to save during the winter months, when temperatures are at an all time low.  This is the time of year when you keep the thermostat down, while you freeze and wish there were better ways to save on your energy bill.  A PC in particular is one of those electronics thought to eat up energy, and it’s not an incorrect thought; computers do, in fact, eat up a lot of energy.  So, how can you save?  Read on to find out.

1. Automatically shut down Windows

There’s a way to set your PC so it shuts down every night at the same time.  Here are step-by-step instructions from The Simple Dollar:

1. Click Start, and then click Control Panel.

2. Click Performance and Maintenance, and then click Scheduled Tasks.

3. Double-click Add Scheduled Task. The Scheduled Task Wizard starts.

4. Click Next.

5. Under Click the program you want Windows to run, click Browse.

6. In the Select Program to Schedule dialog box, locate the C:\WINDOWS\System32 folder, locate and click the Shutdown.exe file, and then click Open.

7. Under Perform this task, specify a name for the task and how frequently you want this task to run, and then click Next.

8. Under Select the time and day you want this task to start, specify a start time and date for the task, and then click Next.

9. Type the user name and password to run this task under, and then click Next, and then click Finish.

10. In the Scheduled Tasks window, right click on your new task and choose Properties. Select the Settings tab, then check the box that says “Wake the computer to run this task,” then click OK.

2. Don’t let it idle.

Many people keep their peripherals, like speakers and printers, on while their PC is turned off.  Even though your PC isn’t on, the peripherals are constantly draining energy simply by being on standby.  This is equally true for PCs that are left on “sleep” or “hibernate” mode, because they are not actually turned off.  To save energy, turn off your computer whenever you aren’t using it.

3. Use a SmartStrip.

A great way to save energy is to plug in a SmartStrip, which is designed to keep peripherals turned off while your PC is functioning.  You don’t need your printer until you really need it.  So, why let it waste energy?  A SmartStrip is cheap, and can save you a ton of money in the long run.

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