Consumer

Holiday decorating, preparing meals for family or parties and of course, the dropping temperature all can add up this holiday season.

Through their new program called Holiday Cents, TXU offers the following to help consumers cut costs while still keeping the holiday spirit.

COOKING 

• Choose glass or ceramic pans for cooking in the oven­ - Glass or ceramic pans heat faster than metal pans and allow for the oven temperature to be set 25 degrees lower.
• Thaw food before cooking If you are pressed for time, it is more efficient to thaw foods in the microwave than in the oven.
  Use slow cookers Slow cookers can cook a whole meal for about 17 cents worth of electricity.
• Keep the oven door closed Use the oven light and peer through the window. Opening the oven door drops the inside temperature which increases cooking time and wastes energy.

DEOCRATING 

• Decorate with LEDS – Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) are more durable, last up to 100,000 hours and conserve more energy than traditional bulbs. One bulb in a traditional strand of holiday lights uses six watts. An entire strand of LED lights uses only four watts.
• Remember to turn them off --  Always unplug all holiday lights at the wall outlet before going to bed or leaving the house. Timers can be effective to limit light and inflatable displays.
• Consider non-electric decorations Use holiday decorations like wreaths, garlands, fresh flowers, topiaries, ribbons, ornaments and ceramic displays. These festive decorations add holiday flair and do not use any electricity.
• Buy pre-lit decorations To avoid the mess and hassles of a real garland in the home, try using pre-lit LED wreaths and artificial garlands on the mantel and along stair railings. This not only saves assembly time, it also provides considerable cost-savings year after year.

OTHER EVERYDAY TIPS 

• Use ceiling fans – use ceiling fans on a slow speed with the fan direction UP during the winter. This will push warm air away from the ceiling and move it around the room without creating a cool breeze.
• Check your water heater – Set water heater temperatures to 120 degrees. By lowering the thermostat, families can decrease water-heating bills without sacrificing comfort. If your water heater is hot to the touch, install a thermal, blanket to help retain the heat.