As if you needed another reason to delay laundry day—residents of California and New York can actually earn money by putting off a wash.
How is that possible? By wearing your jeans a third (or fourth) time, you help reduce strain on the electric grid. One company is willing to reward you for doing just that — with actual money.
If your utility service is with PG&E, SDG&E or SCE (covering nearly all California counties), or Con Edison in New York City, a firm called OhmConnect will compensate you for holding off on laundry.
OhmConnect is a free platform that alerts you when many people nearby are using electricity. Your role is simple: cut back on electricity for about an hour each week at a specified time. You might switch off the AC, light only one room, or — yes — wait until later to run the washing machine during off-peak hours.
How to Collect Payments from OhmConnect
- Create a free OhmConnect account.
- Link it to your online utility profile through PG&E, SDG&E or SCE in California or Con Edison in New York.
- Await a text or email alert from OhmConnect during times of high electricity demand.
- Lower your energy use for the requested hour. Go for a walk, or at minimum turn off the TV until the event finishes. You can play on your phone — just avoid plugging in electronics.
- Reap the rewards! OhmConnect pays with cash, giveaways, gift cards and more.
This arrangement works because utilities in California and New York pay OhmConnect to help them avoid firing up expensive, polluting power plants. OhmConnect shares a portion of those savings with you.
The greatest advantage is that grid operators prefer to incentivize reduced electricity use rather than bring a fossil-fuel plant online.
Team Up with Neighbors to Boost Earnings
Invite friends and neighbors to join and unlock additional cash, prizes, and gadgets! It’s a side gig that benefits your bank account, the environment, and the people you refer.
The more folks you sign up, the more you can earn!
Automate for Convenience
If you’d rather not dash around unplugging devices, there’s good news: OhmConnect can do it for you. Connect your smart gadgets like Google Nest or smart plugs from brands such as TP-Link or compatible OhmConnect devices. When the grid is strained and reliance on dirty energy is likely, the service will automatically curb your usage.
Rest easy — you can always decline those automated reductions if the timing doesn’t work for you, and you’ll receive a notice before any action is taken.
You don’t need smart hardware to participate: the more events you join, the more you earn.
Enter your ZIP code to open a free OhmConnect account, then sync it with your utility login to begin collecting rewards. Your whites can wait!
