How I cut my electric bills for lights by 50%

At work, factories, offices, airport terminals, hospitals, schools and even at home most likely a lot of us are still using the old fluorescent tube, the T12 tube rating.
To cut our electricity cost, we should upgrade to LED.
CORRECT! or may I say WRONG!
Correct because LED is the ultimate goal but Wrong because the cost is still very expensive.
So if LED is not the answer then how did I cut my electric bills for lights by 50%?
The answer is to upgrade the old fluorescent tubes you are using T12 tube rating to the new fluorescent tubes with T5 tube rating.

I do not usually believe what manufacturers put in their labels.  So to help me measure how much power these fluorescent tubes really consume, I got the help of my mini-watt power reader.  Below are the actual real time power consumption on both T12 and T5.

 

Things to remember:

1. These two different tube ratings have different connectors so if you plan to upgrade from T12 to T5 you need to change not only the fluorescent tube but also the assembly.
2. In other countries, T12 fluorescent tubes are already phased-out.
3. T5 is brighter than T12.
4. T5 is lighter and smaller in diameter than T12.
5.  Although the cost of T5 is higher than T12 the advantages of it will pay off the initial cost from the savings you get as you use it.