Homeowner shares head-turning energy bills before and after installing solar panels: 'My electric bill is negative 8 months of the year'

With inflation causing the cost of living to skyrocket, most people are looking for ways to cut costs. As one Redditor proved, going solar is a good strategy for long-term, big-ticket savings.

The scoop

In a post to r/Damnthatsinteresting, a Reddit user shared photos of their home's electricity bill before and after installing solar panels and a home battery. The monthly bill before the switch was $280. One year later, it dropped to $17. 

This example further proves the power behind solar energy as the ultimate home energy hack. It's one of the easiest ways to save money and reduce planet-overheating pollution at the same time.

How going solar can help

Switching to solar power may be intimidating, but it's not as complicated or expensive as you may think, especially with the help of companies such as EnergySage. 

EnergySage makes it easy to get started with its free tools that estimate panel installation costs and compare quotes from local installers that have been vetted.

Using these free tools can save you up to $10,000 on solar purchases and installations on average. Taking advantage of solar tax incentives can save you 30% of the total cost. You can also use EnergySage's mapping tool to see the average solar installation cost in each state.

However, it's important to note that Congress has indicated it may eliminate this incentive by the end of the year. Nothing is certain, but completing your solar installation plans before 2026 could help ensure you receive the full tax credit. 

What everyone's saying

Commenters on the Reddit post backed up the significant savings claims with their own stories of going solar. 

"I experienced something similar here in [the] LA area, but did a loan. The cost of the loan is less than what our electric bill used to be. With our battery storage and exporting to the grid, my electric bill is negative 8 months of the year," one user wrote. 

"I do not regret it at all. We can charge our plugin hybrid car for free during the day (my wife and I work from home), the system keeps us powered if there's an outage, and we're doing our part to combat climate change," they added. 

"I lease a solar power system in California. Cost me nothing out of pocket and my electric bill went down from an average of $400 a month to around $100 a month plus I get [a] couple hundred a year kicked back from SoCal Edison for selling my excess power back to the grid," another Redditor said.

If you were to install home solar panels, which of these factors would be your primary motivation? Energy independence ⚡ Lower power bills 💰 Helping the planet 🌎 No chance I ever go solar 🚫 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

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