It seems everyone is looking for ways to save money these days. Even people who have never really concerned themselves with coupons, shopping sales or turning off the lights when not in use in the past are suddenly becoming conscious of these money saving habits in an effort to reduce their expenses.
There are a number of things you can do to reduce household expenses that will save you money over time, and most will not require a huge change in your lifestyle or quality of living. Here are some tips to help you save more money:
ELECTRICITY
The electric bill is a big one for some families. Did you know that about 40% of all of your electricity use is from the electronics that flash lights or display digital clocks, even when they’re not in use? So the DVR clock that’s always on, the stereo that has bright green lights flashing tempting you to turn it on, or forgetting to power down the VCR when done watching a movie all cost you when the electric bill arrives. Plug your electronics into power strips and hit the off switch whenever you’re not using them; or simply unplug from the wall when you turn them off. This way you won’t waste electricity or pay for electricity that you aren’t even using.
Do you leave your computer on all the time? A computer uses a 300 watt power supply that will draw power even when it’s just sitting there waiting for you to come back to check your email. If you would be turning it off and on a hundred times a day, at least adjust the screen saver settings to put your computer in sleep mode when it’s idle. This is a lower power mode that saves you electricity and keeps the computer ready to use at a moment’s notice.
GROCERIES
Most households overspend on groceries. If you run to the store to pick up just bread or milk, for example, how many times have you ended up coming home with a bag or two of groceries that you didn’t intend to buy on that trip? Getting in the habit of meal planning and writing a grocery list will eliminate the need to run to the store for one or two things. Less trips to the store will result in less impulse spending and keep your grocery expenses lower.
WATER
Do you pay a water bill? You’ve probably never even considered how much you’re paying for water if the bill is low, but chances are you could reduce what you’re paying even more with a few adjustments. First, fix any faucet that may be leaking (usually only requires a washer that you can pick up for 50 cents at the hardware store!) – even a small drip can cost a lot of money over time (not to mention the wastefulness).
Installing a low flow shower head uses less water when showering, and the new adjustable ones still give you a good amount of pressure. There is nothing worse than showering under a shower head that feels like a light rain and in fact, it seems to take longer to rinse the soap out of your hair so does that really save water if you spend more time in the shower?! Make sure you pick out a low flow shower head that still gives enough pressure to rinse off, and you’ll save water and still enjoy the shower.
Often there are alternatives to what we’re doing or buying that would give us the same results for less money. You just have to take some time to find these options but the money saved is well worth it.
Trisha Wagner is a freelance writer for DepositAccounts.com, where you can compare rates from dozens of banks in one place. Trisha writes regularly on the topics of personal finance and saving money.
My electric bill spiked to $77 in December. I made a conscious effort to keep lights off when I didn’t need them and it went down to $59 in January! My computer is on ALL DAY – it’s my lifeline to the outside world while I’m here with the kids!!! 😉
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Great article! With less trips to the grocery store, you also save on gas and have fewer cold engine starts which are real pollution producers.
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Great post, Trisha . Yes there are different ways to save money. Interestingly having the television on standby consumes a lot of power. Having any appliances on the wall uses electric power.Grocery shopping is something you can easily cut down on budget. Thanks for the tips.
We agree with your comments Trisha. We have tackled many of these same issues. It’s amazing how a few changes can reduce consumption.
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This is great, thanks Trisha. It would be very interesting to see a breakdown of how much money is involved in doing everyday activities, for example… how much does it cost to take a bath? $1 maybe?
Just things that run through my mind. Maybe I’m crazy. I posted a similar post myself called 75 Everyday Ways to Save Money.
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Here’s what I did to save money. I ditched my cell phone.
Well, it wasn’t hard. I had a company phone but when I got laid off, I had the option of keeping it and start paying for it on my own.
I thought prepaid phones might be funky but did some shopping and found out that I could still get a good, no-frills phone for around 20-30 dollars and didn’t have to sign a contract or even have a credit card or credit check.
It turned out that I got a phone from net10 and I’m VERY happy with it and can really control my costs.
I don’t give the number out to everyone and that helps too, and I can control the costs up-front. Sweet!
My next move is to get rid of my phone at home and just use the cell!
I got rid of the home phone a LONG time ago and have used strictly my cellphone. I like having my cellphone because I like having a little access to the world when traveling away from home.
It great the people are trying to save money on their electrical consumption. It is sad though that it takes a severe economic downturn to really get peoples attention.
But regardless, one thing we have to do is to invest in our future for sustainability. One way, would be to install some solar panels on your roofs. Understandable, they are expensive, but the long term benefits, will out weigh the short term pinch to pocketbook.
For those that can’t afford panels, you can do indoor/outdoor lighting, solar chargers for phones, laptops, fans, etc. Just search, and you will be surprised at how many some things can be solar powered.
Really the tips you have given in the blog are really useful for those who need tips on How to Save Money Around the House.
Interesting article. Lots of good tips, to save even more water on showers, take a “Navy” shower:
1. Turn on the water and get yourself wet
2. Water off
3. Lather up
4. Rinse off
As long as you have a small shower stall, you won’t get cold.
I have Straight Talk on the Verizon network. Bought it at Walmart and it’s an amazing deal. The Samsung Finesse is a very cool smartphone and paying only $45 a month for unlimited everything is the best deal going!
Who needs an iPhone? LOL!!
One thing we are starting to do is put a bucket in the shower when we run the water until it is hot. We use that excess water to water plants or even refill the toilet faster when we flush it so it doesn’t take as much to fill the reservoir. It’s goofy, but it works!
I used to do this when I lived with my mother but we also had an external water tank and lived in an area where we always had problems with the water supply. I have not done this since moving out on my own.
outdoor lightings should be energy efficient, that is why we should use compact flurescent lamps or sodium vapor lamps’.”