Journal Entry:
This really works for anyone but, i'm directing it at us guys. After a divorce or any financial disaster we all know that it's tough to pay for things. I'd rather use my money on something productive than pay it to the utility company. I've got some tips that made a noticeable difference in my bills and I know that they'll help you too.
1. Fill up the fridge!
I'm a bachelor; and that means that my fridge is pretty depressing. It's not because single guys don't cook or want food in our fridge; it's because we won't eat it. Let me explain: it'll go bad before I use it up, it's cheaper to grab an inexpensive meal out or eat at a friends (free), I don't feel like cooking after a 12-14 hour day, & finally i'm only one person and I don't need a ton of groceries. My freezer is almost always full and so is my cupboard. That's because - I put quick stuff in there and use it. So why fill the fridge? An empty fridge never shuts off the compressor and runs constantly to keep the temperature down. It does this because air warms up faster than food does. With the compressor running all the time it wears out prematurely and runs up your electric bill. Get some jugs of water from Walmart for 85 cents a piece and put them in there. It'll hold the temperature and have your fridge using 1/3 the electricity in an hour or two.
2. Smart Surge Protectors
These are pretty new and I hadn't realized they existed initially. They have a "Master" Appliance that when it gets turned on the surge protector gives juice to the other outlets. When the appliance is off it kills power to the outlets and saves on them vampiring electricity. Computers and Home theaters are prime candidates for these things. Put the PC in the "Master" and the rest of its stuff in the other outlets. When you fire up the PC - the other outlets work. The same goes for the home theater stuff. Plug in the TV to the "Master" and you're ready to go. The exception is DVR's that you have set to record. I'd suggest not plugging your DVR into anything other than a regular surge protector. The uses for these are endless. You should be able to get a free one from the power company. Most of them have an energy savings pack that they'll send you for free if you ask for it.
Penelec / PA Customers Kit: http://www.paenergykit.com/
Additional Surge Protectors: ZuniDigital ZG7000B-15 7 Outlet Digital Smart Green Surge Protector (Black)
That bad boy is even safe for DVR's - it has a always on outlet.
3. LED Night Lights and Timers
No one wants to come home to a dark house. Plus it's a PITA to see trip hazards in the dark LOL! I have a few night lights and I have 2 lamps on timers. That solved that for me w/o killing my energy footprint. Here's what I used:
Woods 50007 Indoor Digital Lamp Timer, Daily Settings, 2-Pack
&
Safety 1st LED Nightlight, 2 Count
You can sometimes find these @ your local dollar store too.
4. Turn your heat down to 65 degrees or better 63!
That one speaks for itself - if you're cold turn up your bedroom heat to 68 and/or put on a sweatshirt.
5. Use the TV sleep timer
I fall asleep in front of the TV a lot. That's a pretty decent waste of electricity. Use the built-in sleep timer to turn it off. A lot of appliances have timers - use them!
6. Use the microwave and not the stove.
I'm not debating the quality of a well cooked meal. But, who has time anyway? The microwave uses a lot less power than the oven. or better yet use your grill!
NOTE: Fruits and vegetables for the most part don't need to be cooked... I'm just sayin'
7. Turn down the water heater
I like a good hot shower & you don't have to give that up. Just lower the water heater temp to the point where you don't need to add too much cold water to it. There are about a bajillion guides out there - google is your friend. You can also get a water heater blanket:
Duck Brand 280464 Water Heater Insulation Blanket, 48 by 75 by 1.8-Inch
Make sure you use Tin tape to hold it together. They supply you with some but, it's not enough. Your local hardware store has it and so does Walmart.
8. Turn off the lights and use a lamp (LOL - with the timer!)
If you aren't in the room turn off the lights. I told the ex and I still tell the kids that.
9. Change out incandescent bulbs for CFL's
A CFL (Compact Florescent Light) uses way less juice than a standard bulb. The LED versions use even less and last forever but aren't really cheap enough yet. This was a huge savings for me. Just don't use them in outdoor lights up north. They take forever in the cold to put out any real light. Check Walmart for these - they had the best prices. Lowe's and Home Depot sell them too but Walmart kicks their ass on price. Also along that line - snag a day / night motion setup for outdoor lights - it gives you light when you need it and shuts it off when nothings going on.
10. Weatherstrip Doors and Cover the Windows in Plastic / Get really good Curtains
You'd be shocked how much heat you lose out of those. I personally use the good energy saving curtains but, plastic is cheap.
11. Use paper Dishes and Plastic silverware
I love my dishware and silverware but, the dishwasher uses a lot of energy and hot water. Doing them in the sink is almost as bad (you have to keep refreshing the hot water to kill bacteria). by the time you paid for supplies for either; you have a ton of paper plates and plastic-ware. Then either burn the trash or recycle them. I caught a lot of flack for this but here it is: I pay for 4 bags of trash per week. I used about .75 bags and now I use 1 full bag. It might not be better for the environment but, what good is that if you can't afford daily life? With a good composting and recycling regimen you can cut your trash down to a small bag per week and then just leave it in a trash can @ a gas station (i'm thinking they probably frown on that but, oh well).
Those are some quick / easy tips to save yourself some serious cash every month. I didn't come up with this on my own. It's the culmination of a bunch of research and recompiled lists w/ the stupid / hard stuff removed. I'm sure that there are more / better ways but, those are ones that you can do right now for very little investment.
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