Some of the links in this post are from our sponsors. We provide you with accurate, reliable information. Learn more about how we make money and select our advertising partners.

It’s an expensive double whammy. First, you’re probably staying home more to social distance. Second, we’ve got hot summer temperatures. With that combination, many of us are getting hit with skyrocketing power bills.

Experts are predicting that most consumers’ energy bills will rise by at least 10 percent, putting a strain on household budgets.

But in California, we found a program that’ll pay you $300 a year (or more!) for turning out the lights and shutting off your appliances for an hour.

If you have a utility account with PG&E, SDG&E or Southern California Edison, which cover nearly every single county in California, listen up.

OhmConnect is a free tool that will pay you to help save energy when the grid gets stretched. These earning periods are called “OhmHours” and during this time, your job is to simply use less power.

Go outside and take the dog for a walk or take the kids to the park. Or stay inside and break out some playing cards or a puzzle or board game. If you can successfully reduce your energy usage, OhmConnect will send you a check!

Here’s how to get a check from OhmConnect:

  1. Sign up for a free OhmConnect account here.
  2. Sync it with your online utility account through PG&E, SDG&E or Southern California Edison. You must have an online account with one of these electric companies to qualify for OhmConnect.
  3. Receive energy usage notifications during “#OhmHours” — high-energy-consumption hours that trigger non-green power plants to activate in order to support the overtaxed grid.
  4. Head outside or at least turn the TV off until the #OhmHour is up. Heck, you can even play games on your phone during this hour — just resist plugging in any electronics.
  5. Profit! OhmConnect rewards you with cash.

This all works because the California electricity market pays OhmConnect to help power companies avoid turning on expensive, dirty power plants. Your company then passes the savings on to you.

More than half a million California residents have already signed up, earning more than $10 million.

#OhmHours only occur a couple of times a week, and in addition to earning money, you might see a reduction in your power bill each month, too — not to mention the benefits of getting some sunshine!

How to Maximize Your Earnings

Your earnings are based on how much power you save. The more you save, the higher your “status,” which helps you earn even more.

For example:

  • Platinum status requires an average savings of 40% or more beneath your forecasts for at least 10 OhmHours. You’ll receive the 2x multiplier on your payout.
  • Gold status requires an average savings of 15% or more for the past 10 OhmHours. You’ll receive the 1.5x multiplier on your payout.

Once you’ve earned rewards, you can choose to cash out or donate directly to your favorite charity.

The downside?

Like we mentioned, this cool program only works for Californians for now, and you have to have an online account with one of the electric companies mentioned above.

Before you leave, be sure to read about how one San Diego resident made up to $487 a month by saving energy through OhmConnect.

This was originally published on The Penny Hoarder, which helps millions of readers worldwide earn and save money by sharing unique job opportunities, personal stories, freebies and more. The Inc. 5000 ranked The Penny Hoarder as the fastest-growing private media company in the U.S. in 2017.



source https://www.thepennyhoarder.com/make-money/power-bill-higher-than-ever/?aff_id=178&aff_sub3=MainFeed__make-money/power-bill-higher-than-ever/

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

These Coconut Oil Uses Are for the Kitchen, Bathroom and Beyond

Image
I first discovered coconut oil several years ago when a health-focused grocery store opened in my neighborhood.  While I originally bought it for cooking, I quickly found many ways I could use it around the house. Now, I use so much that I invest in giant vats from Costco to save money; an 84-ounce tub costs $15.99 and typically lasts me four to six months. If you’re new to coconut oil, you’ll be surprised at just how adaptable this once-unknown ingredient can be. Ways to Use Coconut Oil That You Probably Haven’t Thought Of In the Kitchen The first use you probably think of for coconut oil is cooking. I most often find Indian recipes that call for this oil, but I’ve used it in a variety of dishes ranging from curries and stir-fries to granola and muffins. There’s some controversy surrounding the consumption of coconut oil because of its high saturated fat content. According to Harvard Medical School , coconut oil has more saturated fat than butter or lard — about 90%. Saturate
Read more

29 Road Trip Tips for a Fun and Frugal Vacation

Image
Cruising down the open road is a great way to get away from it all. Planning a road trip can be a cost-effective way to travel too — that is, if you do it right. The costs you’ll encounter on a road trip tend to sneak up on you, unlike the upfront sticker shock of a plane ticket. But no worries — there’s a lot you can do to save money on a road trip. 29 Cost-Saving Road Trip Tips 1. Consider Road Tripping With a Friend or Two Traveling solo has its benefits, like not putting up with someone else’s music for hours on end. But taking a road trip with others means you’ll have someone to split the costs of expenses like gas and lodging. You can literally cut your costs in half by road tripping with a friend. It’ll also make the long distance driving more bearable. Just make sure it’s someone you can tolerate being cooped up with for a long period of time. Also, discuss expectations for the road trip ahead of time so you’re both on the same page. You don’t want to wait until you’re o
Read more

Credit Sesame Can Help Homebuyers Fix This Problem Before It Happens

Some of the links in this post are from our sponsors. We provide you with accurate, reliable information. Learn more about how we make money and select our advertising partners . If you’ve ever searched for a home to buy, you know the first step is mortgage pre-approval — and in today’s competitive market, you likely need to have it before you even put in an offer. But if you’re like one-fifth of Americans, an error on your credit report could mean banks could be scared of lending to you and won’t give you a pre-approval. And even if they do, it could be for an absurd loan rate that can cost you tens of thousands of dollars or more by the time you pay off the house — yikes. So if you didn’t see that roadblock coming, your dream house could be someone else’s before you have a chance to fix it. That’s why you need to make sure your credit report card is free of errors and your score is in tip-top shape before you even start Zillow-ing. A free website called Credit Sesame makes it s
Read more