The answer depends on many factors, including the number and kinds of appliances you use, the way you use them, how long you use them, the number of people in your household, and even the company that supplies your electricity if you live in a state where you can choose your electricity supplier.

There are also seasonal factors. For example, in the summer, you may cook less and use your lighting for shorter periods of time. You may use air conditioners or fans. In the winter, your heating and cooking costs are probably higher, and your lighting will be used for more hours during the day.

The addition of new appliances, or new family members, can also increase your electricity use.

The appliances that cost the most to operate are the ones that require the greatest amount of electricity to heat or cool, such as your furnace, air conditioner, water heater, clothes dryer, or range. The cost of operating an electrical appliance is calculated using these three factors:

1. The number of watts the appliance uses.
2. The number of hours the appliance is used.
3. The cost you pay your supplier for one kilowatt-hour (kWh) of electricity.
   (A kilowatt-hour is 1,000 watts of electricity used for one hour.)

The wattage of an appliance is usually listed on the appliance. To calculate the cost of operating an appliance, multiply the wattage by the approximate number of hours you operate the appliance, then divide by 1,000 to get the number of kWh the appliance uses. Then multiply the kWh use by your cost per kWh as shown on your electric bill.

Example: A television set is rated at 300 watts and operated for seven hours a day.

• Multiply 300 watts times seven hours (300 x 7 = 2,100 watt-hours)
• Next, divide by 1,000 (2,100 ÷ 1,000 = 2.1 kWh)
• Then multiply the kilowatt-hours by the price of electricity. Let's use 7 cents per kWh. (2.1 kWh x 7 cents = 14.7 cents)
• The TV set costs a little more than 14 cents a day to operate.

Using the following chart, you can calculate the approximate cost of operating some of your other appliances. Keep in mind that the actual cost of operating your appliances depends on your living habits, the number of people in your family, and the way you care for and use your appliances, as well as the price you pay your supplier for electricity.

* Calculations are based on a rate of 7 cents per kilowatt-hour. Your actual rate may be different depending on where you live and the company that supplies your electricity.

These figures are averages and may not exactly reflect your household's habits or the energy efficiency and size of your home. They will help you estimate how much electricity various appliances use and where energy dollars go each month.