I've been meaning to post this for a while. Please note I acknowledge some of these aren't realistic.
Lowering energy bills:
- Shorter Showers
- Turn thermostat down a little in winter, up in summer
- Insulate hot water tank and plumbing
- If you use a space heater for a room keep the door closed. Same for window AC units.
- Use ceiling fans to move air around in winter and summer (change directions for each)
- Open blinds/curtains on sunny days in winter, close them and keep sun out in summer.
- Look for gaps/drafts around doors and windows you can seal.
- Clean vent on bottom of fridge and around coils if you can access them.
- Clean fridge door seal.
- Clean food trap in dishwasher.
- Drain hot water tank to clear sediment buildup.
- Change/clean air filters on furnace/AC.
- Switch to LED bulbs.
- Keep lights off and use natural light when able.
- Unplug power bricks/use smart outlets (minimal impact).
- Lower brightness settings for displays/clocks.
- Check TV/electronic settings to turn off standby modes
- Standby keeps the TV charged so it loads the screen faster.
- Standby will allow game systems/electronics to update while not in use.
- Turn computer/laptop off when not using or set up hibernation and power saving settings.
- Setup router schedule to turn off WiFi while you are at work or sleeping (some routers have it).
- You can also adjust the transmit power on some to reduce the range. Good for small apartments where max power is overkill.
- Run dish washer/washer/dryer at night in summer, day in the winter
- Use start delay to make this easier.
- Some utility companies give discounted rates for using energy at night year round so it might be cheaper to run these overnight any time of year.
- Turn off the heat dry portion of dish washer and hand or air dry dishes.
- Use cold tap water for washing machine and cold water detergent.
- Might not need special detergent. I’ve heard different things
- Air/line dry clothes.
- Turn off the water while brushing your teeth.
- Use low flow shower heads/faucets.
- Don’t turn the water knobs to full flow. You may not really need the full strength stream.
- Stop turning on hot water tap unless you plan on waiting for the hot water to use it.
- Might just be me, but I have a bad habit of going to wash my hands and then deciding to not wait for the hot water and just wash with cold.
Note: Lowering hot water tank temp was intentionally left off the list. It is recommended to keep it at 140 degrees to prevent some nasty bacterial buildup.
Saving on Groceries/shopping
- Clip coupons and hang onto them until the items go on sale to stack savings
- Buy store brand variations
- Price compare between stores/ads. Use price matching when you can.
- Use store loyalty cards, but don’t get sucked into buying more than you would.
- Look for marked down meat about to expire that needs to be cooked or frozen soon.
- Don’t shop hungry!
- Learn to cook and buy less pre-made meals
- Don’t buy organic when able (benefits are overstated)
- Buying Bulk doesn’t always mean savings. Check price per item/oz.
- Drink more water
- Start your own garden
- Buy things when they are in season
Saving on entertainment:
- Libraries are still free and have books, e-books, DVD’s, video games, and classes
- Watch your old movies. If you don’t want to then maybe you should sell them…
- Cut the cord and look at cheaper subscription options
- Look into a digital antenna
- Call your provider and ask for promotions or discounts
- Play old games you haven’t touched in a while
- Play free games on PC or phone (there are a lot available)
- Borrow movies/games from friends
- Host game nights.
- Look for local pickup recreational games on local sites/blogs/community centers
- Stay in drinking instead of going out and bar hopping
- Do a pot luck and BYOB for house parties.
- Go against “tradition” for gift giving. Get what you can afford, make something, or give nothing at all (friends/family will understand if you’re hurting)
Transportation:
- Contact insurance about discounts or potentially reducing coverage.
- If you recently improved credit score ask insurance to rerun insurance score.
- Price compare other insurance companies and stay competitive.
- Have a car you own outright rather than financing or leasing.
- Walk/Bike more.
- Compare gas and time to public transit.
- Carpool.
- Cary cash for gas fill ups to get a cheaper price (some locations).
- Some stations count debit cards as cash!
- Roll the windows down to keep cool. Source
- Keep AC off and windows up for the most efficient MPG (godspeed).
- Don’t jackrabbit start (Gunning it/accelerating hard).
- Find your RPM sweet spot (Low RPM’s for the speed you want is usually the most efficient).
- Come to gentle stops.
- Coast as much as possible (let the car cruise).
- Perform own maintenance/repairs.
- Don’t skip/delay maintenance.
Other/Misc:
- Drop whole life insurance and pick up term insurance.
- Also make sure you need life insurance to begin with.
- Check to see if you can get an employee discount for cell phone plans/other products.
- Check with your employer if they have discounts for local companies.
- Lower/change data on cell phone plan. (Configure your phone to do some things when on WiFi)
- Leverage credit card rewards, but stay within budget!
- Save 20% down payment for homes to avoid PMI (you don’t get anything out of it)
- Sell things you haven’t used in forever.
- Shop thrift stores and garage sales for clothes.
- Adjust your W4 if you keep getting a large tax return.
- Understand cheaper may not always be saving you money. Sometimes you get what you pay for and things that cost more last longer, save you time, and might be more efficient.
April 01, 2019 at 07:55AM
