Everybody has their own morning routine. Whether you spend an hour putting on makeup and doing your hair or just roll out of bed, put on clothes and go, there’s no set way. Whatever you do, it’s probably a routine that’s ingrained into your everyday life, so you likely don’t think twice about the resources you’re actually using while getting ready. Blow drying hair, using an electric toothbrush, or making coffee all use electricity — but when used daily, how much electricity do you use over time? The question is even more important when taking into consideration the time of use rates.
Crescent Electric Supply Company recently combined survey data and the cost of electricity to determine how much typical morning routines cost based on the amount of electricity used. Using this information, they were able to see how long people take to get ready in the morning and what they pay overtime in terms of electricity usage.
For the general survey results, the study includes a breakdown of usage between men and women. Overall, the time spent doing typical morning routines doesn’t differ much between men and women, but some differences can be expected. For example, it’s not that surprising that more women spend longer times in the shower than men or that more men pick their outfit faster than women. Overall, men took less time getting ready than women — but really, who’s surprised by that?
When it comes to electricity usage, how much does your typical morning routine add to your electricity bill? It’s obvious that using tools and appliances uses electricity, but like mentioned before, most people don’t actually put thought into that. Here are the most expensive activities based on an hour of usage:
- Blow drying hair: $20
- Making coffee: $11
- Lighting for putting on makeup: $6
If most people knew that they spend $20 for every hour spent blow-drying hair, many people would probably stop or cut down on hair drying time if they’re able to. For some people, it can take up to 30 minutes (or more), leaving them to spend more on drying their hair every day. Also, while making coffee at home is something many people do to save money, it still costs money to operate. Despite this, most coffee machines only run for a few minutes, so you’re likely still saving money by making coffee at home.
Even though pretty much anything you do costs money, this doesn’t mean you have to change your routine. Most of these prices are for using appliances over time. This serves as more of a reminder that your daily life does use resources. The more efficient you can be with your routine, the better it will be for yourself, the environment, and your wallet.
