The Toy Box Smart Tools That Get You—and Get Things Done
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Life’s busy. These smart tools can help you reclaim time, cut energy waste and streamline your life.
This is really about your baseboards. You want to clean your baseboards. Seems logical. But going after that deep clean means you lose out on more urgent tasks. You have to buy gifts and do laundry and cook dinner and pay bills. And all the while your dusty baseboards are just sitting there in their own dirt, silently judging you. All while figuring out what’s for dinner or remembering to dim the lights, it can feel like one more tab open in your brain.
That’s why we looked for tools that do more than save time. These smart helpers fit into your routines, take some mental load off and help you use your home’s energy a little smarter. Because building a more energy-efficient home doesn’t mean overhauling your life—it starts with simple choices that actually fit your life.
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Your Home, in Your Pocket
BGE’s My Account ToolHome life takes energy—literally. While you can’t plan for everything, BGE’s My Account tool helps you stay ahead of the curve. You can:
- Set up AutoPay or Budget Billing.
- Track your energy use as it happens.
- Get alerts when your usage suddenly spikes.
- Compare your energy habits month to month.
- Complete your What Uses Most Profile to discover which appliances are driving your energy use.
It’s not about crunching numbers—it’s about being in tune with how your home uses energy. A few small shifts, and you’re saving money without even trying—making energy efficiency simple and affordable for everyone.
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One device. Many jobs.
Smart HubsThis isn’t about doing more—it’s about setting things up once and letting your home take it from there. A smart home hub app lets you link and control your lights, thermostat, coffee maker, plugs and more—all from one place.
Picture this: You head out, and your home knows what to do. Lights turn off. Thermostat adjusts. Doors lock. Then when you return, everything’s back the way you like it. You don’t need to be a tech expert or have every smart gadget either. These hubs work even if you just want to automate the lights or your coffee routine. Whether you’re relaxing in Mount Vernon or managing after-school chaos in Towson, these tools give you quiet backup—and smarter energy use without the fuss.
Pro tip: You can get rebates on smart thermostats on BGE’s website.
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Want to Make EV Charging Easy?
Charge Smarter with SWTCH + BGE’s EVsmart® NetworkDitch the stress and recharge your drive with the SWTCH app. You’ll find stations, reserve a spot, track your charge and pay right from your phone.
It’s great for city living and works with the EVsmart public charging network, which includes nearly 800 charging stations all over Maryland, in places you already go.
Curious about going electric?
Explore EVsmart: bge.com/EVsmart
Download SWTCH: swtchenergy.com
Less stress. More charge. Smarter drive.
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A Shameless Plug for a Plug
Smart PlugHmmmm. What in your home is on some mysterious energy binge. Is it the lamp? The TV? Your dog having “The Zoomies”? Let’s find out.
We’d like to introduce you to the smart plug. Here’s how it works simply:
- Plug the smart plug into your outlet.
- Plug the desired appliance into the smart plug.
- Monitor the energy use of that appliance.
- Control your appliance via a smartphone app.
Perfect for the energy detective or the energy detective to be, this advanced smart plug does more than control an outlet—and the device plugged into said outlet. It automates. It does more than monitor your energy use for that device. It optimizes. It doesn’t just work with the info you’ll get from My Account. It complements it.
Simply plug it in, download the app and, boom. You have pinpoint energy consumption info for your device—along with automated energy management.
Real Tools. Real Relief.
None of this is about becoming someone you’re not. These tools just help make life run a little smoother.
And when those tools help you save time, money and energy—while supporting Maryland’s energy efficiency goals? You win. Maryland wins. Your freshly cleaned baseboards win.
