DIY Checklist: How to Track and Maximize Solar Savings

November 5, 2025

☀️ DIY Checklist: How to Track Your Solar Savings

It was 8:05 a.m. in Phoenix, Arizona when Tanya Williams sat at her kitchen table with a cup of coffee and her laptop. She’d installed solar panels six months earlier, and every time the electric bill came in the mail, she tore it open with anticipation.

This month? $42. Last year, the same month? $185.

She smiled, but then paused. Was she really tracking her savings correctly? Were those lower bills purely solar, or just a mild spring season? And what about the credits she was earning from net metering?

Tanya decided it was time to get organized and start tracking her solar savings like a pro. She wasn’t about to let her investment go unmeasured—and neither should you.

💡 Tanya Williams: Homeowner, Budgeter, Solar Sleuth

Tanya loved numbers, but she didn’t love complicated spreadsheets. What she wanted was a simple, step-by-step way to see exactly how much money her solar panels were saving her each month and year.

Here’s the checklist she built—and the one every solar homeowner can follow to track real savings.

🛠️ 1. Gather Your Baseline Bills

Before solar, your bills told the story of your energy use. To know how much you’re saving, you need that history.

✅ Checklist:

• Collect at least 12 months of pre-solar utility bills.
• Note total kWh used, total charges, and peak rates.
• Record seasonal spikes (summer A/C, winter heating).

Pro Tip: Store them in a single folder (digital or paper) for easy comparisons later.

📊 2. Track Your Post-Solar Bills

Solar changes the game, but your utility still sends a bill.

✅ Checklist:

• Log each month’s new bill alongside your old ones.
• Compare both kWh used and dollars charged.
• Watch for net metering credits or rollovers.

Simple spreadsheet columns: Month | Pre-Solar Bill | Post-Solar Bill | Savings

⚡ 3. Use Your Monitoring App

Most modern solar systems include an app or online dashboard that shows daily and monthly production. This is your secret weapon.

✅ Checklist:

• Download your solar monitoring app (Tesla, Enphase, SunPower, etc.).
• Track how many kWh your panels generate vs. how much you consume.
• Export monthly reports if available.

Quick Tip: Create a “Solar Snapshot” once a month—a screenshot of production vs. usage.

🔍 4. Calculate Real Savings

Bills + production = the full picture.

✅ Checklist:

• Monthly Savings = Pre-Solar Bill – Post-Solar Bill.
• Annual Savings = Add up your monthly totals.
• Lifetime Projection = Annual Savings × 20–25 years.

Example: Tanya saved $143 in March. Over 12 months, she’d save $1,500. Over 20 years? That’s $30,000—plus protection from rising utility rates.

👷 5. Don’t Forget Incentives & Credits

Savings aren’t just on your bill—sometimes, they come in the form of tax credits or rebates.

✅ Checklist:

• Track your federal solar tax credit (30% as of 2025).
• Add state or local rebates.
• Include Solar Renewable Energy Credits (SRECs) if your state offers them.

These bonuses can shave thousands off your upfront cost—making your ROI even sweeter.

🌞 Final Thought: Savings You Can See

Tanya realized that tracking her solar savings wasn’t just about the math—it was about confidence. Every month, she could see her investment working, her bills shrinking, and her independence from the grid growing.

For homeowners, creating a DIY solar savings tracker isn’t about being a financial expert—it’s about taking charge of your energy story. With the right steps, you’ll know exactly what you’re saving, every sunny day of the year.

5 DIY Questions for Your Solar Savings Tracker

1. Have you gathered 12 months of pre-solar utility bills as a baseline?
2. Are you logging both kWh usage and dollar amounts monthly?
3. Do you check your solar app for real-time production data?
4. Have you calculated your annual and projected lifetime savings?
5. Are you including incentives, rebates, and credits in your ROI?