Simply look at last month's electric bill to find the reading recorded by your local power company. Then, subtract last month's reading from the number you just took off your meter. What you end up with is the total number of kilowatt-hours you've used since your last reading. The biggest electricity consumption in your home is from your heating and air conditioning equipment. Older, less insulated homes use even more electricity.
Older appliances are less energy efficient, and cost more to run, too.
Water heaters are usually the second largest user of electricity in your home. After that come major appliances like refrigerators, stoves, washers and dryers, followed by smaller items like TVs, lights, and stereos. There are a few things you can do to save electricity, and save money in the long run.