Why it matters:Rising electricity bills during the holidays have Americans second-guessing if they should scale back on decorations.
By the numbers: It costs under $20 a month to power holiday decorations for most homes, if using LED lights, said Kristina Zagame, senior researcher of home electrification at Boston-based EnergySage.
Electricity bills can jump well over $100 a month if homes use incandescent lights and/or larger displays like inflatables, she said.
Zoom in: In California, average household electricity bills were about $150 last December, and surged 17.5% from November that year, according to a recent study from Payless Power.
What they're saying: "Shutting lights off overnight matters much more if you're using incandescent bulbs or inflatables, which use far more energy," Zagame said.
Pro tips: Switch to LED lights, use a timer to automatically turn lights off, and ditch the inflatables to save money, utility company Duquesne Light suggests.
Switch to solar power to enjoy it all without a second thought, Zagame said.
