Let’s talk about saving money when it comes to utilities. Utilities keep going up and up and I don’t believe we are going to get a reprieve any time soon.
For your gas and electric bills, consider doing some (or all) of the following tips:
Look for cracks in the caulk around your windows both in your home and outside of your home. If you find cracks, re-caulking is a really cheap way to save some moolah.
Check any exposed air ducting for leaks. The most likely leak culprits are exposed air ducting is in your attic or unfinished basement. If you feel any leaks, repair them by placing duct tape over the leaks. Yes, that is the main purpose of duct tape, despite its many uses. Thank you MacGyver!
Install a programmable thermostat. You can program your thermostat to adjust the temperature while you’re asleep or away from your home. By raising the temperature by a few degrees is another sure money saver in the summer. Do just the opposite in the winter, and lower you thermostat by a few degrees during those same away times.
Change your air filter every month. This will help your furnace work more efficiently. It will also cut down on allergies and dust in your house.
Lastly, you can always replace your windows with higher quality ones. If you choose this route, I recommend you make sure the new windows qualify for the tax credit that is in effect now as part of the stimulus package. If the windows qualify, the credit is 30% of the product cost up to a maximum of $1500. Now if you have ever bought windows, they aren’t cheap. You would have to purchase $5000 worth of windows in order to maximize the tax credit, but if you plan to stay in your home a long time, it will be worth the investment.
What energy saving tips do you have that help your rope in your spending?
I just wanted to give 4 simple steps to survive from recession and are,
1.Live on half
2.Pay with cash
3.Only buy what you truly need and
4.Make a budget and set goals
I saw on a TV show one time that a lady learned that by unplugging all your appliances when not in use you save a lot of $ in energy costs b/c stuff uses electricity even when it’s “off”. Her roommate said no way so they tried it and their bill was substantially lower than it had ever been. They showed the “high-tech” way of doing it – using those “Smart Strips” – the power strips where you plug everything into it and just turn it off instead of your stuff – TV, VCR, even lamps, etc. We haven’t gotten around to getting those but we do unplug most appliances that aren’t in use – toaster, blender, coffee maker (if you aren’t using the clock timer), space heaters, lamps in guest and play rooms (where we have overhead lights), my blowdryer, electric toothbrush chargers, etc. Now that it’s on my mind again, I’m going to get some of those Smart strips for our “big energy drains” – the media equip. Thanks!