For many people, the benefit of Daylight Saving Time is the arrival of more daylight, spring time and more time outdoors.

Pacific Gas and Electric Co. encourages its customers to emphasize savings – not just daylight, but dollars, too.

Checking the batteries in your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors remains sound advice, and could save your life, but it’s also the time of year to save energy.

Here are 10 sunny suggestions that could turn Daylight Saving Time into dollar saving time:

– Check the timers on your automatic lighting inside and outside of your home as longer days mean you’ll need less lighting. In less than six weeks, Californians will have sunlight for more than 13 hours.
– Check the timer on your outdoor sprinklers, too, to make sure you’re applying the right amount of water at the right times.
– Get your pool and hot tub ready for summer and make sure that pumps and vacuums are working properly. Get $100 for replacing an old pool pump with a more energy-efficient version. Visit www.pge.com/pools .
– Take a few minutes to complete a free, online Home Energy Checkup to see what savings are possible.
– If you have an electric vehicle (EV) or plug-in hybrid, check out PG&E’s EV rate plans to make sure you’re “fueling up” in the most economical way possible. Visit www.pge.com/ev .
– If you’re in the market for a new appliance, remember to look for the ENERGY STAR® label. These products use about half as much energy as other devices and can help our customers save big on energy costs.
– Visit PG&E Marketplace to explore our one-stop shop for all energy-saving appliances and consumer electronics.
– Check if your new purchase qualifies for a rebate with the retailer or PG&E.
– For certain income-qualified customers, the California Alternate Rates for Energy (CARE) and the Energy Savings Assistance Program help save money and energy.
– Sign up for PG&E’s Bill Forecast Alerts to help you budget for your energy costs. It takes less than five minutes.  

And, just as a reminder, Daylight Saving Time starts on March 12, so be sure to spring forward.