Monday, May 5, 2014

6 (+5 more) simple ways to save

If you have your own apartment (or house) and you're responsible for paying utilities, there are simple ways to cut waste and save $$$. Here, you'll find 6 that you may not have thought of:



1) A major way to save is to keep your place warmer in the summer and cooler in the winter, in order to reduce heating and cooling costs. 64-65 degrees F in the winter is manageable with a sweatshirt (my parents keep their house at 60!!!), and 73-74 degrees F in the summer should be quite comfortable unless you're very active.

2) If you plan on spending a long day, or even a weekend, away from home, you can turn the heating/cooling system all the way down, or even turn it completely off! This obviously depends on whether you think you can handle the extreme temperatures for a bit when you get home, but it's a great idea for days with a temperature between 50 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit, from which your A/C systems shouldn't take too long to moderate the temperature.

3) Another way is to take shorter showers, to reduce your water bill.

4) Similarly, don't leave the water running while you wash your hands, brush your teeth, wash dishes or cook. Turn the water on when you need it, and turn it off when nothing is under the faucet.

5) The same idea goes for lights, as well--turn them off when you're not in the room. If you're worried about that urban legend that it takes more energy to turn a light off and on than it does to leave it running, there's a 2-minute MythBusters video about that here:  http://www.discovery.com/tv-shows/mythbusters/videos/lights-on-or-off-minimyth.htm

6) You can also try plugging in your phone and computer at work or at the library (thus charging it while being productive, and saving yourself the electricity costs by using your devices on battery while at home). Will that make a huge difference in your electric bill? Probably not, but the savings should add up over time, if you stick with it. This also depends on the number (and type) of devices you have. You can also save a lot of money on your monthly phone bill with this tip.

For some tips aimed specifically at college students, try this link: http://froogalstoodent.blogspot.com/2014/05/secrets-to-financial-success.html

There are five more helpful tips here, courtesy +Mark Ross Canaoay : http://blog.phroogal.com/can-save-money-home-simple-things/#.U2f6qfldUbs

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