LCD TVs like this one can be very expensive. But they are said to burn much less electricity than ordinary television sets.

Chances are you've seen a sharp spike in your electricity bill for last month. A result, no doubt, of higher fuel prices and, maybe, in some cases, increased usage.

You're probably at your wits end, wondering how best to slash this bill, given that there seems no end in sight to the increases in oil prices worldwide.

LYN. plug out appliances that are not being used

There are a few things that you can do, though, to cut your electricity bill.

Here are three suggestions from Alternative Power Sources managing director of Damian Lyn - the man who helped Ocho Rios attorney Mike Drakulich reduce his monthly electricity bill from $58,000 to anywhere from $1,700 to $9,000 by the use of solar and wind energy systems.

"There's something called phantom voltage," Lyn told the Observer in a recent interview. He recommended that householders plug out all appliances when they're not in use and made special mention of television sets.

"Most of us have remote TVs at home," he said. "When you leave your homes in the mornings, plug them out, they're burning power right now."

LCD TVs, he said, are perfect, if you can afford them.
Why?

They carry a switch that allows you to lock off the power going into them. Plus, the LCD screen burns less power than the ordinary TV. "So what you find is that in the long run you pay less for electricity to watch that TV," he said.

LCD TVs can start anywhere from J$40,000 for unrecognised brands going up to J$300,000 for recognised brand names.
However, yesterday, DigiTimes.com reported on its website that HANNspree, an affiliate of Taiwan-based HannStar Display, has developed a variety of small-to-medium size LCD TVs and is now displaying them at CEATEC Japan 2005, the information technology trade show that started Monday in Tokyo and runs though Saturday.

According to the report, a total of 28 models, sized from 9.6 inches to 15 inches are being exhibited at the company's booth. "HANNspree expects to start marketing the products in Spring 2006, though prices have not yet been finalised," the report said.

Lyn's third suggestion is to change out all you ordinary ballast light bulbs to fluorescent - electronic start fluorescent, to be specific.

"They burn 40 per cent less than the old ballast light bulbs," said Lyn, who advised that not all fluorescent bulbs are efficient.

According to Lyn, a lot of electricians don't like electronic start fluorescent bulbs because after a while they take a long time to start.

"But fluorescents weren't made to be turning on and off," he said. "If you have a fluorescent at home with an electronic starter in it and you're just stepping out of the bathroom for half-hour, leave it on. It's like a car, sometimes it's better to have the car throttling than starting it every minute."