Cut Utility Costs
Save Money on Electricity, Water and Telephone Service
The bills for electricity, gas, garbage pickup, cable TV, telephone, cleaning supplies, pet food, and a dozen other items take a big bite out of the bank account each month. Saving money here without suffering can be tough. Anyone can cut the electric bill by turning off the air conditioner, but when it's a hundred degrees outside, what fun is that? A better approach is to look for less drastic savings that together add up.
Some Money on the Electric Bill
Ideas for cutting energy costs include:
- Sealing air leaks in the house. Caulk around all windows. An easy way to check for leaks is to place a hand in front of electrical outlets on a very hot or cold day. Many stores sell inexpensive kits to insulate outlets and light switches. More information about insulationg your home can be found here.
- In warm weather, blinds or drapes sould be drawn during the day to keep out the sun's heat. In the winter, blinds and drapes should be closed at night, but opened during the day to let the sun help warm rooms. Heavy drapes and rolled towels will block drafts at windows and doors.
- Homeowners should plant trees and vines to shade south-facing windows from the summer sun. Awnings and overhangs will shade windows and doors.
- Thermostat s should be set as high as comfortable in summer, and as low as comfortable in winter. A programmable thermostat allows the homeowner to set the thermostat to a lower or higher temperature while they're away from home or at night.
- Ceiling fans create a cooling breeze in summe. In winter the direction of the fan can be reversed to pull warm air down from the ceilings make the room feel warmer.
- Homeowners should dress appropriately for the time of year, wearing shorts and T-shirts in summer, sweaters in winter.
- A water heate blanket or a water heater timer set to heat water only when its needed can lower energy bills.
- Homeowners should check the seals on refrigerators and freezers. Close the door on a dollar bill. If the bill out easily, the seal needs replacing. Clean refrigerator and freezer coils run most efficiently. Refrigerators and freezers should be defrosted regularly. A full freezer runs more efficiently; bottles of water can be frozen to fill empty freezer space.
Lower the Water Bill
Check toilets for leaks. Place a drop of food coloring in the tank. If any color leaks into the bowl, replace the interior valve to stop leaking. Fix dripping faucets to save water. Take showers instead of baths, or fill the tub with only a couple inches of water when bathing. Don't leave water running while brushing teeth. When wasing dishes by hand, rinse dishes in a basin rather than under running water.
Use landscape plants that require less water and mulch existing plants to conserve water. Water deeply once or twice a week to encourage deep-root growth.
Lower the Phone Bill
Consider canceling long-distance service. Instead, use cell phone minutes for long-distance calls. Or purchase pre-paid phone cards and use these for long distance. This saves monthly long- distance charges and taxes. Wholesale clubs such as Sam's and Costco have phone cards for an inexpensive per-minute charge and these cards can be used anywhere and can be re-charged over the phone.
Find more ways to save energy in the home.
Save Money on Phone Bill and Other Utility Bi
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