With winter just around the corner (stop laughing all of you who live in the South!), homeowners’ thoughts turn to… heating our homes for less. Aside from all the obvious ideas (set the thermostat on 50 and wear a parka inside, blah, blah), CNNMoney.com came up with a few new ideas. First, replace that dinosaur […]
Tag Archives | Utilities
Energy Saving Facts and Fiction
When it comes to saving energy, there are some confusing and conflicting ideas out there. A recent Associated Press story sought to sort out fact from fiction. For example, do computer screen savers save energy? No. Sleep mode, which uses about 70 percent less energy, is a better choice if you’re not going to be […]
Money Down the Tube
The average U.S. household now has three televisions, according to the Consumer Electronics Association. That’s one reason why electronic devices today consume 15 percent of the average home’s electricity–up from 5 percent in 1980. A Chicago Tribune article highlighted several ways to tame those energy monsters, starting with your choice of TV. The larger the […]
Gunning for Energy Savings
Want to save on energy costs but roof top solar panels aren’t in the budget? Buy a tube of caulk and a caulk gun. As reported in the Wall Street Journal, homes consume more than 20 percent of all the energy used in the U.S. — more than cars, planes, or offices. And yet the […]
Dialing for More Dollars
In the last issue of this eNewsletter I mentioned an ABC News profile of someone who easily persuaded many of his service providers – from his health club to his cable company – to reduce their rates. He simply called them and said, “I need to save some money. I know you get it. Can […]
Dialing for Dollars
Times are tough, which means service providers are especially intent on keeping their customers, and that’s making it easier to negotiate better rates. ABC News profiled one man who systematically called everyone from his cable provider to his health club and said, “I need to save some money. I know you get it. Can you […]
Under the Financial Microscope
By now you’re aware of the importance of keeping your credit score strong by paying your credit card bills, mortgage, and other loans on time and keeping your credit utilization (how much of your available credit you use) low (10 percent or less is best). But did you know that paying your phone bill late […]
What’s In Your Light Socket?
Okay, so you’ve joined the green movement by switching to compact fluorescent light bulbs. But did you know that all CFLs are not created equal? While they all last longer than traditional light bulbs and use less energy, it turns out that there’s quite a range in how long they last and in how much […]
Twenty-Four Hours of Savings
A recent post on the blog The Simple Dollar charted the author’s money saving moves over each of the 24 hours in a typical day. At midnight, for example, a programmable thermostat adjusts his home’s temperature, saving on cooling in the summer and heating in the winter. At 3 a.m., clothes hung out to dry […]
Don’t Dim a Bright Idea
There’s been a big push to get people to replace traditional light bulbs with compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFL). As a result, sales have skyrocketed—from about 17,000 bulbs in 2000 to 380 million last year. However, there’s been less focus on teaching people how to properly dispose of such bulbs. As was pointed out in […]