How to Save $50 or More a Month with a Little Effort
by Goodselfme on Nov 22, 2008 with 21 Comments
Wait until you see the savings if you stick to these hints for months. By Christmas, you could have saved enough for a nice gift for someone.
- Call the electric company and find out when the low kilowatts usage hours are in your area. Do the laundry, run the dishwasher and take showers during those times.
- Remove clothes from the dryer as they dry and hang them up immediately. This will allow the bulkier items more space to fluff dry in and also eliminate the need for a lot of ironing. Irons use a lot of electricity.
- Turn off lights in rooms when not in use. This goes for outside, garage and shop illuminations. Use econo bulbs inside and outside.
- Take 10 min showers. An adult can easily cleanse oneself in that length of time. Baths take more hot water.
- Close off rooms that are not in use for 2 to 8 hours. If the venting system pumps heat to those rooms, close off vents to those areas. This will concentrate heat to the living areas you are using. ½ hour before retiring, open doors for some warmth to permeate those quarters.
- Lower heat thermostat 5 degrees. Do this for a month and use sweats, sweaters and see the difference in the heat bill.
- Grocery shop once a week. Make out menus and don’t run out for 1 or 2 items.
- Check your cell phone company for an updated plan that they might have to save $$
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Published in: Personal Finance
Debra. | Nov 22, 2008 | Reply
Easy to follow helpful tips. Nice job. God bless.
joystick7 | Nov 22, 2008 | Reply
Yup.. Might help lot of people over here..
Ralph Brandt | Nov 22, 2008 | Reply
Good list. A couple comments, the saving on electricity only works if you have a meter that rates use on time – and few do. If you don’t and want that, contact the electric company but be careful, some charge for the meter or charge a higher rate for ON PEAK (that is the term) than they do if you have the simple meter. The big thing, KNOW what it is.
As an FYI, if someone wants me to look and see what their electric company does, write me.
Also, there is a list on electric usage here if you want a couple more ideas oriented directly to this. Suggest you bookmark it and come back as I update it with current info. One up to the minute thing that has not been added, I just found compact flourescent bulbs at the Dollar Store (they are $1.00 each) and they aren’t the ugly spiral things. They use two loop flourescent that have as good efficiency but I think look better and fit better in most sockets.
http://www.socyberty.com/Activism/10-Ways-to-Save-Electricity.150175
Also check this on gasoline usage… With Obama and the No-drill, no-way mania he brings GAS PRICES ARE GOING UP…
http://www.quazen.com/Recreation/Autos/10-Ways-to-Save-Gasoline.148181
Glynis Smy | Nov 22, 2008 | Reply
Good tips and advice here. If you get a body sponge ready with gel and soap yourself before you jump in the shower, you can cut the time to 5mins max,( we have done that during the drought)
LP Jardine | Nov 22, 2008 | Reply
Some good tips here.
Will Gray | Nov 22, 2008 | Reply
Fantastic article! Great advice for everyone!
Darla Smith | Nov 22, 2008 | Reply
Very helpful tips. Thanks for sharing them.
Brian Daniel Stankich | Nov 22, 2008 | Reply
some helpful stuff
Joanna Maharis | Nov 22, 2008 | Reply
I like the points you make in your article. I’ve done a few of these things even back during my college days. When I would take showers, I turn off the water when I’m lathering, and only when I ready to rinse do I shut the water off. I was living at a college dorm hall at the time. Also while living there, after washing my clothes, I would put them nicely into the dryer. I hade to use three or four quarters to get the clothes dry good, because of the poor quality of the dryers. I never use the iron to get the wrinkles out of my clothes, because by the time I took the clothes out of the dryer they were hot, but not so much where I would burn the clothes or anything like that. Because the clothes got good heat from the dryer, I would fold them neatly in my laundry basket, take them to my dorm room and refold the clothes again, after laying the out flat individually on my bed and smoother out any creases and such with sweeping my hands over them. I did this for the bed sheets too. I never had trouble with wrinkles. My sheets looks crisp, as did the creases in my jeans. I even taught the other girls on my floor to do the same, by giving instructional classes in my dorm room on the fundamentals of drying and folding the clothes properly, without having to use an iron. I’m sure we saved the university a lot on the cost of electricity, or at least saved future students on the cost of electricity. The same thing went for the usage of water for showering and brushing teeth and such. The other girls on my floor mimicked my lead in cutting down on the amount of water used for showering and brushing teeth and so forth. It was very gratifying.
Take Care,
Joanna Maharis
nobert soloria bermosa | Nov 22, 2008 | Reply
helpful tips,thanks
Mys Lyke Meeh | Nov 22, 2008 | Reply
Brilliant tips! It’s helpful, indeed!
BC Doan | Nov 22, 2008 | Reply
Great tips to save money!
MJPatrick | Nov 22, 2008 | Reply
Brilliant article, very helpful!
Loreta Dorington | Nov 22, 2008 | Reply
Yes, just by being responsible can help us save money. Thanks.
Mary Contrary | Nov 22, 2008 | Reply
Wonderful hints, tips, and advice!
eddiego65 | Nov 23, 2008 | Reply
Very helpful tips!
Debra. | Nov 23, 2008 | Reply
Excellent tips as always. Thank you and God bless your heart!
maryspaul | Nov 23, 2008 | Reply
Very useful tips, indeed a very brilliant article from a person full of Wisdom.
Joanna, thanks too for sharing that very interesting comment. I believe in you…
Take care and God bless us all!
maryspaul
CHAN LEE PENG | Nov 24, 2008 | Reply
Very brilliantly written, good points too. Take care!
Uncle B | Jan 5, 2009 | Reply
By the time we reach the post (GRD) great republican depression era, many of us will have adapted, thanks to great pages like this, to a more frugal way of life. In addition to saving electricity, we can develop money-saving skills. I home-brew, and have developed a near perfect methodology, all recorded carefully to paper lest I forget, all I need to know to make 5 gallons of the nicest German style beer, for a measly ten cents a bottle! My buddy makes wine and finds the same savings!
Bren Parks | Jan 11, 2009 | Reply
Great tips! In these times we have to pinch every penny!