Posts Tagged ‘Ways’
During times of economic struggle, it can be tough to manage a tight budget. Utilities are one area of the budget that most of us have very little wiggle room…. or so you think. While you can’t completely discontinue your water, electric or garbage service, there are a few ways you can trim the budget. We all know that installing energy efficient light bulbs and investing in newer energy efficient appliances are great ways to save money and the planet at the same time. But what if you’ve taken those steps and still need to save a few bucks?
Set a Timer and/or Limits
When it comes to watering your lawn, this may sound like a no-brainer. However, consider the energy and money you will save if you limit your microwave use, the length of time in the shower, or the amount of television you watch each day. Avoid unnecessary use of appliances by wearing clothes more than once before washing if possible, or doing full loads of laundry instead of several smaller loads. Keep computers turned off at night and unplug unused appliances and electrical equipment. If you use a lot of electrical equipment, the cost just to keep them plugged in can add up quite quickly. Turn off your printer and the radio that you leave running while you sleep, and you would be surprised how the pennies saved will add up.
Do Things the Old Fashioned Way
One family recently cut out use of the microwave and dishwasher for a full month and noticed a dramatic drop in their utility bill. If you can, try cooking the traditional way, washing dishes the old fashioned way, and drying clothes as they did before dryers were invented. Obviously this isn’t ideal for everyone, but if you are on an extremely tight utility budget, you may need to make these tough choices. This might include making cuts that you would have never previously considered. When money is tight however, we learn what is truly necessary in this world.
Evaluate Your Usage and Make Cuts
The best way to lower your utility bills is to diligently study your statements for a few months. You can usually identify areas where you can greatly cut back. For instance, perhaps you go over a recommended electric usage each month, and that “extra” is charged at triple the normal rate. Striving to stay inside the recommended usage can save a considerable amount each month. You may decide to turn down the hot water heater or adjust the thermostat. Though cable and internet are considered necessities by some people, they are extras that you can live without if you needed to. Consider what you really can live without and make the necessary cuts.
When cold weather arrives, the cash-strapped and the frugal-minded often think of the skyrocketing energy bills that can come with heating a home. Fortunately, there are many things you can do yourself, easily and inexpensively, to put a dent in that bill (plus a few others that you’ll need to hire a professional for, but that will pay off over time). In this article, we’ll share some ideas for winterizing your home, whether you rent or own.
3 Money-Saving Tips for Everyone
Even if you’re a renter and don’t have the liberty to make significant changes to your home, there are a few things you can do to decrease your winter energy bills.
1. Change your furnace filter. Over time, your furnace filter becomes clogged with dust and dirt. When this happens, your furnace becomes less efficient, demanding it to run longer to heat your house and increasing your energy bill. A basic furnace filter only costs a couple bucks and takes a few minutes to replace.
2. Caulk windows shut with removable caulk. If you’ve already caulked sufficiently around the edges of your windows and you can still feel air seeping in, try using removable caulk to seal your windows shut. When you want to open your windows again, you can easily peel it off. (Learn about a financial instrument that makes temperature a tradable commodity, see Introduction to Weather Derivatives.)
3. Replace incandescent and halogen light bulbs with compact fluorescents. According to the U.S. Government’s Energy Star website, 20% of a household’s energy bill comes from lighting, and a compact fluorescent light bulb (CFL) certified by Energy Star uses about 75% less energy than an incandescent bulb. For example, a 60-watt incandescent bulb is comparable to a 13-15 watt CFL. It’s recommended to use these bulbs in light fixtures that are used for at least fifteen minutes at a time. In winter, days are shorter and people tend to use their light fixtures more, so switching to CFL bulbs can help compensate for the increased energy usage and prevent a spike in your bill. (The average family spends $1,600/year on utility bills – find out how to put some of that back in your wallet, read Ten Ways to Save Energy and Money.)
6 Additional Money-Saving Tips for Homeowners
Because those who own a single-family residence have more control over altering their dwellings, they have additional options for decreasing winter energy bills.
1. Get a home energy audit. An energy audit will give you an idea of how you can improve your home’s energy efficiency and decrease your energy bills. While you can have a professional perform this service for you, the expense may not outweigh the savings. Luckily, some utility companies offer this service for free. If yours doesn’t, you can do an audit yourself using the Energy Star website’s Home Energy Yardstick, which compares your household’s energy use to similar households nationwide and recommends things you can do to improve your energy usage. You just need your last 12 months’ energy bills (if you don’t have them, you may be able to look them up online or order a record from your energy provider) and some basic information about your home. (Find out how to reduce your costs with these inexpensive tips, see 6 Ways To Save On Your Utility Bill.)
2. Add insulation to your attic. If the insulation in your attic doesn’t cover the floor joists, you probably need more to help prevent heat from escaping through your roof. You can add more of the same type of insulation you already have, or a different kind. Check the R-value, which measures the insulation’s performance, when deciding which product to buy. Also, if you’re handy, choose a product you can install yourself to avoid incurring installation costs. Just make sure to get some basic guidance from the home improvement store or a reliable book since some types of insulation need to be covered with drywall or another fireproof material.
3. Add weather-stripping. When added to windows and doors, weather-stripping can help keep out drafts so your house stays warmer and you don’t need to run your heater as much. Your local home improvement store probably sells a complete weather-stripping kit that contains everything you need to complete the job yourself.
4. Replace your old furnace with a new, energy-efficient one. If your furnace is over 10 years old and is not operating efficiently anymore, your monthly heating bills may be higher than necessary. Consider replacing it with a new, Energy Star certified model. The up-front cost can pay off over time through the decrease in your annual heating bills. Also, some utility companies offer rebates to help people purchase energy-efficient home upgrades. Before making a purchase, see if your utility company will help defray the cost, and if so, make sure to buy a qualifying model. (Upgrading household appliances to more energy-efficient models can slash your utilities bill, read Home Energy Savings Add Up.)
5.Get a digital, programmable thermostat. This device can automatically reduce heat usage in your home during times when you don’t need it as much, such as when you are sleeping. You can set it to be at one temperature when you get out of bed in the morning, another an hour later when you leave and while you’re away all day, another when you come home and another when you go to bed and while you sleep all night. Of course, you can accomplish the same thing yourself by turning your furnace on and off, but if you’re the forgetful type, a digital, programmable model can save you money (for example, you won’t leave the furnace accidentally running all day while you’re at work).
6.Have ducts checked for leaks. If your home uses a forced air heating system, the air in your home is distributed through large tubes called ducts. If the ducts are poorly connected or insufficiently insulated, the air you’re paying to heat with your furnace can leak out – that’s money wasted. Having your ducts sealed can improve your home’s energy efficiency. In some cases you can do this job yourself, but in others (for example, if you have asbestos insulation, or if the ducts are located in areas you cannot easily access, like in walls or ceilings) you’ll be better off hiring a professional. (Don’t put the sale of your home at risk by committing one of these dirty deeds, learn more in 12 Worst First-Time Home seller Mistakes.)
Conclusion
Make sure to weigh the time and cost of making improvements against the potential savings, when making energy-related home improvements. Then, start with the areas that will give you the biggest savings and work your way down the list. (For more you might want to check out Save Money on Summer Bills.)
When it comes to saving money on your monthly telephone bill, there is really no wrong or right way. Though, there is obviously an emphasis on making it happen. And unless you go all-out with your attack and strategy, it’s not going to happen at all. The ultimate goal is to maximize your savings without having to cut back on phone calls. You don’t want to limit your phone time and cut yourself off from family and friends, but you do want to get free usage from your phone and milk it for all it’s worth.
The first step in accomplishing this feat is to locate the best possible phone plan for your needs. You’re going to want a reliable plan that gives you a competitive rate, and still allows you make all the phone calls you need. Unfortunately, it isn’t likely that you’re going to find the Holy Grail of phone services. In reality, you’ll be altering your existing phone plan and tweaking the service to work its best for you. In order to limit your expenses every month, you can start by asking others to use calling cards and maybe anytime minutes when dealing with you. Free nights and weekends are often available on some phone plans, and they should be used. Slightly rerouting your calling schedule can save you big buck monthly. Also, a lot of plans offer free Instant Messaging or Texting services.
Most phone companies have various payment plans that will allow you to make staggered payments. This enables you to create your own custom phone plan, and capitalizes on places you call most frequently. The company will offer competitive rates and create fairness between places you call often, and places you call less frequently. This type of structure is referred to as “call leveling.” It is one of the most popular plans available, especially for users with long distance families and relationships.
Unfortunately, even the best phone planning can go awry and leave you with an enormous bill. When this happens, you need to pay the phone bill. Unlike a credit card bill which may compile some interest, or a utility bill which may give you a little leeway for a month, a phone company will shut off your service almost instantly. Because of this, it needs to be paid. So if you do find yourself having trouble scraping the money together, there are options out there to get you quick cash. Payday loans or instant cash loans, are an ideal fix to tide you over when you hit a sticky situation like this just short of your payday. These payday cash advances should only be loans of $100- $600 and it’s best to find a company that doesn’t roll over your debt into another payday loan or you may never be able to pay it off!
You need to keep your eyes and your ears open when making decisions involving your finances. Ask around, shop around and do your research. There are options out there that can be tailor made to suit your needs!
1) Install low flow showerheads. You can buy these at any hardware store for about $5-$10.The ones I installed, have a button to turn them off that helps save even more water.
2) Caulk your windows and around doors. Good caulking costs around $7/tube and you should be able to do your whole house with 3-4 tubes. You’ll save enough in one winter to recover your investment. You can pay a handyman to do this or do it yourself. There are caulking tools you can buy that will make your work easy and look professional.
3) Turn your water heater down to 120*. If you have Natural Gas service you could also consider a Tankless Water Heater. They can pay for themselves in 2-3 years.
4) Buy a Programmable Thermostat.. You can find them at any major lumber/hardware outlet. The cost range is $30-$100 for a good one. Set it to 68* in the winter and around 78* in the summer. This may take getting used to, but remember, the objective here is to lower your utility bill.
5) Wash clothes in cold water whenever you can. I’ve noticed some of the laundry soap companies are making detergent for coldwater washing.
6) Change your light bulbs to Compact Florescent light bulbs (CFL). Have you looked at these? They use a fraction of the electricity and last 5 times longer so the savings is huge. They do cost more up front but they use a fraction of the electricity and last so much longer.
7) After you install your new (CFL) be sure to turn the light off when you leave the room. I’m on my wife all the time about leaving the light on. I suspect I do some things that she doesn’t approve of. One would be that whole toilet seat up/down thing.
Turn off all your appliances that have standby features. It’s amazing how much power these things draw. I’m talking about your PC, Stereo, TV, and Cable or Satellite Receiver. This also ties in with tip # 9.
9) Buy a power strip to plug all of the above into. Then you can turn them all off at the same time. You could also buy one with a built in surge protector. It doesn’t cost much more and will protect all of your expensive equipment from lightning.
10) This is probably the most costly of all. Add insulation to your attic and or crawl space. Or you could install Radiant Barrier. Trust me this is easy. You can find Radiant Barrier where you buy your thermostat and CFLs. A 1,000Sq Ft roll is about $130. In my opinion it will do as good a job as adding insulation at half the cost. Again any handy man can install it for you in one day.
Old man winter is getting ready to breathe down our necks again, even though fuel costs aren’t quite as astronomical as they were last winter, we still don’t want to spend more than we have to. The good news is that there are simple things you can do to cut energy bills.
Just look through the flier from your local hardware store and you will be inundated with ideas of inexpensive ways to winterize your home so that the air you’ve paid to heat isn’t escaping to the outside.
Here are a few places you can start that will help you make a dent in your utility bill, not just this winter but all year long:
1. Have your furnace inspected by a professional to make sure it’s running at peak performance. Also don’t forget to change the filters monthly.
2. Add a programmable thermostat, that way your home can be nice and warm while you’re home but the temperature can be lowered automatically when you’re not there which will save money.
3. Add insulation to your attic. You can also add an insulated blanket to your water heater. There are foam insulating products made specifically for pipes and behind electrical outlets too.
4. If you can afford it, replace old, drafty windows and doors, you might even be eligible for a tax credit. If you can’t afford to replace your windows you can buy a window insulating kit to help prevent heat loss.
5. Use solar and or wind power and build your own solar panels or wind turbine. Don’t laugh, this is very easy, and cheap, to do. Anyone can do it and it can save you 80% on your electric bills.
If you want to cut energy bills this winter just follow one, or all, of the steps listed above. The savings can be significant and with the money you save maybe you can take a trip to someplace warm!
We have just had the worst snow in twenty years last month which brought some parts of the UK to its knees. The Bank of England is trying to control deflation by reducing interest rate to one percent and still the prices for certain imported foods and energy costs are rising. Everybody is now feeling the fallout of the credit crunch and the recession is starting to take victims. Last month I noticed the biggest jump in my gas and electricity costs so I called my provider. They informed me that the costs were about right for the size of house although my gas was a bit high. My Gas and Electricity bill had jumped to £282 per month. (Ouch!)
Am I being mugged by my utility provider?
It certainly feels as if I am being mugged by my utility provider and the gas and electricity that is being supplied to my home is providing free gas and electricity to the rest of the homes on our development. At least Dick Turpin wore a mask when he was robbing the public. So faced with increasing utility costs I put on my money saving expert hat and started to investigate how I could reduce my gas and electricity costs.
Government Grants website
You could use the Government Grants website which provides a source of information for UK grants for gas central heating, loft insulation and cavity wall insulation. Government grants from 40% to 70% are available to homeowners and tenants for loft and cavity wall insulation. These grants are funded by the utility companies and are non-refundable. These grants will not be around forever and once the funding that has been allocated is exhausted they will finish. They also offer a solar heating grant of £400 towards the cost of installation of solar panels which cost around £4,000 depending on the size of your home. If you do not meet their eligibility criteria for free insulation, then grants from around 50% are available for loft insulation and cavity wall insulation, so you can still achieve a massive saving on the normal cost.
The Governments’ Energy Saving Trust Website
I also discovered that there were grants available to help us implement energy saving measures and help reduce our carbon foot print. The Governments’ Energy Saving Trust website provides grants and they have a wonderful search tool to help you find grants or offers that are available for you in your area. All you need do is complete the questions asked on their search for grants and offers page. You will then be presented with a list of providers offering discounted prices or grants in your area. This is a brilliant site and is packed with great advice and help for saving energy, saving money and reducing your carbon dioxide emissions from your home.
What Savings can I expect from loft and cavity wall insulation
Our homes lose 35% of their heating through the walls and 25% through the roof. At the Governments Energy Saving Trust website they have an Energy Saving House where they show you a full range of energy saving measures. For example by insulating the loft and having cavity wall insulation with a grant you could reduce you’re heating bills by around £365 a year and reduce your home’s carbon dioxide emissions by up to 1.5 tonnes.
You can complete their online Energy Savers report which allows you to understand your homes energy efficiency performance to reduce your energy use and how to save money. The average cost seems to be between £225 to £249 for either cavity wall insulation or loft insulation depending on the size of your home. Although I did find that B&Q the DIY store was charging £199 for either cavity wall insulation or loft insulation depending on the size of your home. If you are over 70 years old you can receive loft insulation and cavity wall insulation for free from the Energy Saving Trust or the Government Grants website.
Old central heating boilers are inefficient
Changing you’re a central heating boiler that is over ten years old will reduce your gas bill as it is thought that these older central heating unit are only 70% efficient. This means that for every £1 of gas that you buy your old unit wastes 30pence of the money you pay for your gas. Add some heating controls taps to your central heating radiators and they could help save you a further 17% of your heating bill when fitted with a condensing boiler along with an upgraded heating control and you could be looking at a total saving of as much as 40% of your heating bill providing a saving of £275 a year depending on the size of your home.
Sixteen ways to save money on your monthly utility bill
To summarize here is a list solutions and other money saving tips that are available to help you reduce your gas and electricity bill. The grants and discounts available will vary according to the size of your home, your location, your annual income and your age.
1. Grants for gas central heating depends on age and benefits being claimed
2. Grants and discounts for loft insulation from £199
3. Grants and discounts for cavity wall insulation from £199
4. Grant of £400 towards the installation of Solar panels
5. Replace existing light bulbs with Energy Saving Lightbulbs, they cost around £2 per bulb and you could expect to save around £45 before it needs replacing. These bulbs use 80% less electricity and will last ten times longer than a standard light bulb. Count the number of bulbs you need and see the savings.
6. Update your Central heating unit if older then 10 years. Consider either a condensing boiler along with an upgraded heating control unit or replace it with a Combi Boiler as this will do away with a conventional hot-water storage cylinder and water tanks in the loft. Costs from £2,000
7. Add heating controls tap to all your radiators, they cost from £7.99 each
8. Switch Utility providers for a better deal.
9. Switch your gas and electricity providers to a duel fuel provider if you have not already done this for further savings, save around £115
10. Pay your utility bills monthly by direct debit for a further discount from your provider.
11. Switch to an online account with your utility provider. You can now read your gas and electricity meters monthly and update the information for an accurate bill. This will prevent over billing from estimated assessments of your usage.
12. If you are on a coin operated meter for your gas and electricity then consider switching as you are paying a premium for this facility.
13. Switch off all light switches and plugs when the appliances are not in use.
14. An estimated £910 million is wasted in the UK every year by people leaving televisions, computers, TV set-top boxes and radios on standby.
15. Use a timer to turn your central heating on and off as required.
16. Consider switching to Energy Saving Recommended household appliances as they could cut your energy consumption by up to a third compared to your old appliance. Obviously only do this as you replace broken or old appliances.
For further ways of reducing your gas and utility bill then you should visit the Energy Saving Trust website where you will find a mountain of further money saving ideas and help.
Anyone can reduce their Gas and Electricity bills
Anyone can reduce their Gas and Electricity bills by at least 20% following the sixteen ways to save money listed above. Unfortunately, like most things you need to spend some money to save money; but the rewards will return each month. By implementing a few of these money saving tips at home you will certain reduce your gas and electricity bills in the future and save money. You’re thinking I cannot afford to make all these changes. Start with the changes that cost the least and then work your way through the list above. Remember by making these changes you will not only save money each month but you will be helping our planet HOME by reducing your carbon dioxide emissions.
I know a lot of us would give ourselves raises if we could. Everything else keeps going up, food costs, gas costs, and utility costs, but our incomes are staying the same. One of the things we can do is to cut energy bills.
We may not have much control over what the utility company chooses to do with energy prices, but there are many things we can do to cut our own energy costs.
Many things that can be done are free but can be very profitable for you by cutting your utility bills over a period of years.
1. The first thing you need to do is to make sure your home has enough insulation. Insulation can be measured in the ‘R’ factor. If you’re not sure what it should be just ask someone at your local hardware store what the proper ‘R’ value is for your home.
If you don’t have enough insulation you can save yourself a ton of money by adding more.
2. Once you’re sure your insulation is at the proper level check for other weak spots in your homes energy efficiency. Things like old drafty windows, doors, or gaps around your windows or doors. If you find any cracks or gaps use caulk or expandable foam to fill them in.
There are inexpensive window insulating kits you can use to help your old windows become more energy efficient.
3. Now that you’ve got your house ‘bundled up’ it’s time to make sure your furnace is running as efficiently as it should. If your filters are old or dirty your furnace won’t run as efficiently as it should and it will cost you more money.
4. Build your own wind turbine to create your own electricity. Out of everything on the list that is the one that can save you the most money.
You can build a turbine for a few hundred dollars and you will save about 80% on your utility bills.
One turbine will help you cut energy bills for a long time to come.
What do you do after you have changed out the light bulbs that will not cost you an arm and a leg? Actually there are a number of products that I will cover in this article that don’t cost much but can save you a lot of money.
Whether you believe in global warming or not, conserving energy makes sense on many levels. I have been in the conservation business since 1992 and have always understood that as much as we want to do what is right for the planet, unless I could prove the economic value of a product not many people would buy it.
Here are some options you might not have considered yet (and if you have, why haven’t you implemented them?) Some ideas have not been traditionally thought of as energy conservation strategies but at closer look they are. Other ideas have been around for awhile but recent advancements might mean it’s time for an upgrade.
For the purposes of this article I am going to focus on products that reduce hot water consumption. Studies show that 30% to 40% of water consumed in a residential environment is heated.
I am going to assume that you have already installed low-flow showerheads and aerators, low-flush toilets and replaced your energy wasting light bulbs. If you haven’t, bookmark this page and go do it.
Idea #1
Check your building pressure: Higher pressure means that more water is being forced through the low-flow faucets and aerators you installed. Since they are already restricting flow, reduce the pressure in 5 psi increments until the service level is no longer satisfactory. It is difficult to say what pressure is the right pressure – it changes from building to building. If you have a pressure regulator already installed there is no cost to implementing this strategy – experiment with it.
Idea #2
Drip Stop Faucet Washers: 90% of leaks occur in hot water pipes – some are easy to spot, others are hard to find. If you follow these steps you can pinpoint any problems and then take action to stop the bleeding. First, check all of your faucets. If they are leaking – fix them! The best replacement washers are made by Drip Stop. Google them, go to their website (turn off the annoying dripping sound) and buy them. Their patented design uses your faucet’s own internal pressure to create a tight seal which actually makes your faucets easier to turn off as well.
Next turn off all of the fixtures and go look at the meter. Most utilities are now using meters with a spinner on the face that indicates even the smallest amount passing through the meter. Again if you have a leak -fix it!
Idea #3
Lower-Flow Showerheads: That’s right, lower flow. When they first came out they were just watered down (pardon the pun) versions of the old guzzlers with flow restrictors. Nobody liked the way they felt but over the years advances were made and there are a number of low-flow showerheads that conserve while providing a quality showering experience.
But they have evolved and now there are an even better ones available and here are 4 reasons why:
1.) One is rated at 1.59 gpm versus the old 2.5 gpm wasters. This can save an average family of 3 about $155 per year – at around $40 your payback is under 4 months!
2.) When we are pre-warming the water before we get in the shower most of us on the faucet and let it run while we do other things. 1 or 2 minutes later we return to a shower filled with steam, adjust the temperature and step in.
One manufacturer has patented a technology that actually turns off the water once it reaches 95°F. You can go about your business until you are ready, pull on a chain and take your shower. This increases the savings by another $75 per year, for a total of $230 saved per year. That’s a 2 month payback at $40 per shower head!!
3.) The demise of most showerheads is clogging from lime (or other minerals) deposits. Many new models have anti-clog spray nozzles that are cleaned by dragging you finger across the nozzle tips while the water is running.
4.) Pressure can drastically change the amount of water flowing through your fixtures (see Idea #1 above). Some new models use pressure compensating technology that helps maintain a consistent flow rate across the spectrum of building pressure from high to low. And they feel great, even with lower pressure.
The best of the new fixtures that I have found are called the Evolve Showerhead and are available at The Energy Conservation Store online. And one of their polished chrome or brushed nickel showerhead (hand held also available) would look great with any decor.
There are other options but I have run out of time. If you have any questions please send me an email at the link below.
In the present scenario, technology has made enormous amends, as well as played an imperative role in changing yesterday’s world into the most recent high-tech world. It is a fact that the high speed internet has made world come closer and made the communication easier, as it provides soothing communication with the improvement of cost-effectiveness. You can even do a lot more on your computer and laptop without any hassle, as the broadband offers very high speed to surf the internet.
Due to higher advancement, broadband internet is distinct as the high speed internet. And this offers the users to access information through the internet at a quick speed compared to the dial-up access over the modem. There are many broadband deals in the market and the users can avail them as per their needs and pockets.
As a result, it becomes more popular among the users for accessing the web and it is used to activate information on the desktop or laptop computer extremely easily. This latest technology touches the user’s operations with a speed ranging from 64 bits to 1.0M bits. It makes flawless high-speed connection with immense outcomes. But the high speed internet is only achievable, when the users use with a built-in high-speed modem.
In a choice of forms, the users can gain the broadband internet connection such as DSL, cable or satellite. That means DSL stands for digital subscriber line, which allows spreading a high quantity of data, voice, images and videos very speedily. However, the most important thing is to search for the best broadband deals in the market. It means you will hit upon relatively perplexed about the deal to select from the huge market.
There are some broadband deals, which regularly propose additional features, such as virus protection. While some are free, others are added for an extra charge. It is very obligatory for you to confirm the small print of the deal whether the free offer is only available for a trial period or may be you can get the extra feature cheaper as a separate package. You can go through various online to avail the best and profitable broadband deals.
Utility bills can consume a very large portion of your paycheck. Wouldn’t it be nice if you could pay 25-50% less on these bills? There’s a number of ways you can. Don’t worry you won’t find any low flow toilets on this list!
#1 Change your light bulbs – Compact florescent bulbs use about 25% the electricity of standard incandescent bulbs and will last for years. They do not work with dimmer switches, but you can swap out the majority of your light bulbs and save a significant amount on lighting.
#2 Check your insulation – Go in your attic. Does your insulation cover all the 2×4s? If not you don’t have enough. Having a well insulated house will save you a significant amount on your heating and cooling bills and is well worth the cost. It’s also the kind of project the average home owner can do by themselves.
#3 Add caulk and weather stripping – Is your house drafty? Look at your doors, does light shine in? Feel around the edge of your windows, do you feel a cold or hot breeze? You need to add caulk and weather stripping. It’ll save you money and help get rid of those annoying hot and cold spots in your house.
#4 Fix leaking faucets – I’m sure you’ve heard even a small drip in your sink can fill a swimming pool in a year. It can also empty your bank account. Fixing this problem is usually as simple as replacing a 50 cent washer.
#5 Use fans – By having a slight breeze you can usually turn your AC up a degree or two and still be just as comfortable. It’s a whole lot cheaper to run the fan than to run the AC, so use them.
#6 Turn the computer off – That 300 watt power supply in your computer is still drawing power when you’re not using it. Turn your computer off when you’re done with it. If that’s too much of a hassle, adjust the screen saver settings to put your computer in sleep mode when it’s idle. This is a low power mode that will allow you to quickly resume your work where you left off when you’re ready to use the computer again.
#7 Switch to LED Christmas lights – You wouldn’t think you’re Christmas lights draw that much power, but when you get enough of those little lights, it really adds up fast. 25 watts per 50 bulb stand is standard and when you hook up 10 of those strands you’re looking at 250 watts, probably running 24/7. Christmas lights that use LED bulbs use 80%-90% less electricity and still look just as bright. Also, turn your lights off when you go to bed.
#8 Get an LCD computer monitor – Are you still using an old style CRT display for your computer? Switch to LCD, they consume as little as 25% of the power of a CRT monitor of the same size. You were looking for a good excuse to switch anyways.
#9 Swith to tankless water heater – It amazes me how few people even know about the existence of tankless water heaters. These water heaters do not store hot water, but rather heat it instantly whenever it is needed. The consume a mind-boggling amount of energy when in use, but it ends up being much cheaper to consume a lot of power during the time you need hot water than a little keeping it hot 24/7.
#10 Change your filters – So you change the filter on your AC/Heating unit every spring and fall like you’re suppose to? Wrong! Most filters are only rated for 30 days. Filters are cheap, so change them frequently. The efficiency gained in heating/cooling your house will make well worth it.
#11 Install a programmable thermostat – These are fairly cheap and easy to install. Why pay to cool your house while you’re gone to work? Do you really need it to be the same temperature while you sleep as when you’re awake? Programming it will allow you to make these energy savings adjustments automatically every day.
#12 Take (short) showers instead of baths – Try this one day. Pull the plug on your tub and take a shower like you normally do. When you’re all done, look at the water level. It’s probably about a quarter of the way full. This is how much water, and energy heating that water you save by taking a shower instead of a bath. If you can shorten your shower, even better.
#13 Ditch the phone company – Remember those “We don’t care, we’re the phone company” adds from Saturday Night Live in the 70’s? Not so anymore. They now have competition from the cable company, cell phone providers and internet phone companies. Shop around and you can probably find a better deal. If you use cell phones all the time, you may even be able to shut off your home phone.
#14 Cancel extra TV channels – Do you pay $50-150 a month for 500 channels but end up just watching the networks? Cancel the extra channels and save some cash. If there’s one show you just HAVE to have on one of these other stations, considering paying to download that one show from iTunes or elsewhere instead.
#15 Have AC Maintenance – If your AC is struggling to keep up in the summer, it might be a good idea to have some routine maintenance done. Low Freon levels can significantly impair the efficiency of your AC unit. So can grass clippings and other debris.
#16 Clean that lent trap – Be sure to empty the lent trap on your dryer after every load. If you are doing so and your clothes are still damp, there’s probably lent that has built up in the exhaust hose and it may be time to replace or clean it.
#17 Have a free energy audit – Many power companies provide energy audits free of charge. They can help you find inefficiencies you may not be able to find on your own, and will sometimes even provide you with free compact florescent bulbs. Contact your power company to see if they offer this service.
#18 Get some shade – Blocking out direct sunlight can significantly lower your cooling bills. Plant some trees that will help shade your house and close the blinds on hot days.
#19 Water in the early morning – If you water your grass on a regular basis do it in the early morning hours. By doing so you reduce the amount of water that evaporates which means much more gets to the grass. It’s not recommended to water in the late evening because having damp grass overnight provides a good environment for parasites that can harm your grass.
#20 Change your shower heads – You can switch to a low flow head without having to settle for a wimpy shower. Newer shower heads available can generate just as high of pressure but use less water. They do this by quickly pulsating between on and off to deliver rapid high pressure bursts. These heads are only about $20, have multiple settings you’ll love and can save a lot of water.
