Miscellaneous Cost Cutting

I've spent the week looking at ways to cut my electric bill and mobile phone charges. Here are a few other things I am doing:

• I lowered the thermostat on my water heater. Before I had it set on "A", which was lower than "B" or "C". I didn't realize it could go lower and still be effective, but it can. I turned it way down, almost to "pilot". Still getting heated water; it's just not as hot as it was. I might adjust it back when the weather cools. For now, I don't need a steamy shower to get me going in the morning.
• Early to bed, early to rise. My partner and I are getting up earlier than we used to. When you stay up late in the summer, you use more lights, A/C and entertainment like TVs. Mornings are cooler and the natural sunrise provides lighting.
• Unplugging even more stuff: cell phone chargers, seldom-used lamps, the paper shredder - everything is unplugged.

Hopefully by minding the pennies the dollars will take care of themselves. I plan to quantify the savings by comparing my year-over-year utility bills.