Don’t be surprised by the amount of your January electric bill, which typically reflects electric use for December. Cold nights, extra houseguests, Christmas lights and baking can add to your electric bill. Here are some tips you can use now to reduce your holiday electric bill.

1. Lower your thermostat a degree or two. For every degree lowered, you can save between 2 and 3 percent on your power bill. To stay warm, bundle up and add extra blankets to the bed.

2. Turn off and unplug lights, electronics and appliances when not in use.

3. Lower your water heater temperature to the recommended 120-degree setting.

4. Use LED lights — that includes Christmas tree lights — to improve efficiency by at least 75 percent.

5. Open blinds and curtains during the day to let the sun warm your home.

Bonus Tip: Keep track of your daily electric use by monitoring your account at svalleyec.com or with the SVEC app for iPhone and Android.