Recently, I received an email containing tips on how my family and I can save money on our electric bill. With the worsening economy, we are all looking for ways to cut down on our monthly expenses. Whether it’s spending less on groceries, making fewer trips to the mall, or decreasing unnecessary spending, or even cutting down a little on your electric bill, every bit helps.
1. Turn Your Lights Off
You may already know that compact fluorescent lights (CFLs) use about 75% less energy than standard incandescent light bulbs and can last up to ten times longer. What you may not know: Turning off CFLs when exiting a room for less than 15 minutes costs more than leaving them on. So if you are likely to be back in that part of your house within 15 minutes, leave the lights on to save!
2. Use Task Lighting
Why pay to brightly light an entire room if you’re working in just a portion of it? Instead, try focusing light only where you need it: on your desk when paying bills in your home office, under the kitchen cabinets when chopping ingredients for dinner, or on a side table when reading in bed.
3. Install Ceiling Fans
Moving air tends to help you feel warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer, allowing for lower wintertime and higher summertime thermostat settings. The effect is equivalent to about 4 Degrees Fahrenheit, and using less energy than air conditioners and furnaces in doing so.
4. Perform Routine Maintenance on Your Electrical System
Specifically, your electrical panel. It is one of the most important parts of your home’s electrical system. It constantly distributes and receives electricity. The panel protects your home from power surges and other possible hazards. A loose connection in your panel will cause a greater power draw and more heat. This can lead to higher energy usage and potentially a fire. Regular maintenance is recommended once a year by a qualified electrician, to help reduce energy usage and breakdowns.
Friday, January 30, 2009
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Does this Clutter Make My Butt Look Fat?
With the tough economic times that most of us are facing, I am always open to new ideas on how to better manage my life and my family to help us save money and make ends meet.
At a neighborhood get together last month I heard about a book that I thought sounded interesting called “Does this Clutter Make My Butt Look Fat?: by Peter Walsh. So, over the winter break I read the book.
It was not a diet book, but a book about life — about creating the healthy clutter free life you have always imagined for yourself.
Does This Clutter Make My Butt Look Fat? will help you examine how your emotions, your home, and how your spending and eating habits are working for — or against — the life you want for yourself.
Most of us try to slim down our bodies. But this book suggests the better strategy is to first slim down your home and your spending.
The book focuses on how clutter in the home stands in the way of a more healthful lifestyle. “All of us deal constantly with the urge to consume more,” he writes. “We spend too much, we buy too much, and we eat too much.
This book has given me the motivation to start thinking more about everything that I buy. Before buying anything I have starting thinking to myself, “do I really need this or will it just add to the clutter to my life”.
I have also starting trying to share this concept with my 8 year old son. I hate even thinking about all of the things that he has that never get used. For the last month, any time he mentions wanting something I talk to him about cleaning up his clutter, and what doing so can add to his life.
At a neighborhood get together last month I heard about a book that I thought sounded interesting called “Does this Clutter Make My Butt Look Fat?: by Peter Walsh. So, over the winter break I read the book.
It was not a diet book, but a book about life — about creating the healthy clutter free life you have always imagined for yourself.
Does This Clutter Make My Butt Look Fat? will help you examine how your emotions, your home, and how your spending and eating habits are working for — or against — the life you want for yourself.
Most of us try to slim down our bodies. But this book suggests the better strategy is to first slim down your home and your spending.
The book focuses on how clutter in the home stands in the way of a more healthful lifestyle. “All of us deal constantly with the urge to consume more,” he writes. “We spend too much, we buy too much, and we eat too much.
This book has given me the motivation to start thinking more about everything that I buy. Before buying anything I have starting thinking to myself, “do I really need this or will it just add to the clutter to my life”.
I have also starting trying to share this concept with my 8 year old son. I hate even thinking about all of the things that he has that never get used. For the last month, any time he mentions wanting something I talk to him about cleaning up his clutter, and what doing so can add to his life.
Monday, January 26, 2009
Turn off the lights when you leave the room!
I get tired of reminding my 13 year old to turn off the lights when she leaves the room. (I sound like my father, when did that happen??) Anyway, I read an article on The Daily Green website that suggests installing motion detectors in rooms. That way the lights turn on and off automatically as she comes and goes. Hmm...might be worth a try. (But it does dismiss her from establishing a habit of turning off the lights, it may or not be worthwhile.)
The article also talks about 'energy vampires' - the small appliances that we leave on all the time that suck electricity. The Daily Green suggests these vampires account for about 8% of our electric bill. I think I'll try unplugging the vampires and see if I can see a difference in my bill! I guess it all adds up. I've already bought two "Smart Strip" electric outlets that automatically turn off ancillary appliances when one turns off. For example, you turn off your TV and the DVD, DVR and other stuff turn off too, putting the vampires to sleep.
The article also talks about 'energy vampires' - the small appliances that we leave on all the time that suck electricity. The Daily Green suggests these vampires account for about 8% of our electric bill. I think I'll try unplugging the vampires and see if I can see a difference in my bill! I guess it all adds up. I've already bought two "Smart Strip" electric outlets that automatically turn off ancillary appliances when one turns off. For example, you turn off your TV and the DVD, DVR and other stuff turn off too, putting the vampires to sleep.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
How much does your purse cost?
I recently had my purse stolen from a local restaurant. It happened in a flash. I turned my head for about 2 minutes and had stepped only about 3 feet away. When I turned back around, my purse was gone. A few people even saw the event - a man picked up my purse awkwardly with two hands and carried it off causing the witnesses to note how odd he looked. The restaurant's cameras caught him running away with my purse and climbing into a car. They could even see the license plate! But because no one could actually describe in detail what he looked like, the police could not track down the owner of vehicle.
By the time I replaced everything, it cost nearly $1000! Here's an estimated breakdown...notice I didn't even have designer purse or wallet!
Purse and wallet - $25
Cell phone - $300
Car keys - $279 (Keys had to be programmed at the dealer!!)
Digital camera - $200
New locks for my house - $50 (Dad did the labor for free. Thanks Dad!)
Cash - $70
Misc stuff (makeup, photos, etc.) - $50
Estimated total: $974
Fortuantely for me, my Onstar service paid for towing to the dealership so that the thief couldn't come back and steal my car. In addition to these costs, I spent hours that night cancelling all my credit cards and several weeks replacing credit cards, drivers license, etc. Reloading all my contacts into my new phone, waiting several hours at the dealership getting my keys replaced, hours driving to and waiting at the DMV for my new license.
I had no idea what an enormous hassle and expensive ordeal a seemingly simple loss would be! And I'll never let my purse out of my sight again.
By the time I replaced everything, it cost nearly $1000! Here's an estimated breakdown...notice I didn't even have designer purse or wallet!
Purse and wallet - $25
Cell phone - $300
Car keys - $279 (Keys had to be programmed at the dealer!!)
Digital camera - $200
New locks for my house - $50 (Dad did the labor for free. Thanks Dad!)
Cash - $70
Misc stuff (makeup, photos, etc.) - $50
Estimated total: $974
Fortuantely for me, my Onstar service paid for towing to the dealership so that the thief couldn't come back and steal my car. In addition to these costs, I spent hours that night cancelling all my credit cards and several weeks replacing credit cards, drivers license, etc. Reloading all my contacts into my new phone, waiting several hours at the dealership getting my keys replaced, hours driving to and waiting at the DMV for my new license.
I had no idea what an enormous hassle and expensive ordeal a seemingly simple loss would be! And I'll never let my purse out of my sight again.
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