Insulate Your Outlets
Foam insulating gaskets are affordable and simple to apply on the back of electrical wall switches and outlets to stop heat loss and draught.
Make a Slow Cooker Humidifier
You’ll save a ton of money if you use a slow cooker more often to prepare meals at home. However, you may also use a slow cooker in the winter to warm your house longer and add humidity to the air. Simply maintain it at a low temperature, with the top off, and filled with water. Operating costs won’t be high, and visitors will be fascinated by the hot slow cooker in your bedroom.
Buy Granny’s Electric Teapot
Even though you may make fun of your grandmother for using an electric tea kettle, she actually has the finest advice. When compared to the microwave or stovetop, an electric teapot is the most cost-effective way for quickly boiling a small amount of water.
Use Wool Balls in the Dryer
Making your own “wool balls” from old woolen yarn and a pair of worn-out pantyhose will save you money on fabric softener and dryer sheets. For step-by-step directions, search for “wool balls” on Google. They’ll keep your clothing supple and aid in rapid drying without the use of chemicals.
Bubble-Wrap Your Windows
Spray uninsulated windows with water inside and out in the fall. Then place a sheet of bubble wrap over the window, bubble side up. The bubble wrap will adhere to the glass throughout the winter, increasing its insulating value, and it will come off in pristine condition in the spring.
Stay Away From Extended Service Plans
For the businesses offering them, the extended service agreements that appliance stores frequently promote on their consumers are a wonderful deal. Although they do give some additional protection for the majority of devices, they are rarely used because the manufacturer’s warranty usually covers most issues. In addition, consumers frequently fail to remember why they initially purchased the extended coverage package.
Choose the Store Brand
Everyone is aware that store brands or generic items are less expensive than name brands, but you might not realize how much less expensive. Purchasing store brands will save you around 25%, according to Consumer Reports.
Grow Food, Not Lawns
Growing in popularity is the idea of replacing expensive, labor-intensive lawns with vegetable-producing gardens. For advice on how to increase your grocery budget and lower your lawn care expenditures by beginning an environmentally friendly yard or community garden, search for “grow food, not lawns” online.
Check Your Refrigerator Seals
To prevent energy loss, the seals surrounding freezer and refrigerator doors should be frequently updated. Close the door on a $1 bill to check for a tight seal; if you can take the dollar out, the seal has to be replaced and your money is being squandered on an excessive energy bill.
Kill the Dust Bunnies
Take a few minutes to vacuum the dust bunnies residing below your refrigerator and clean the coils after checking the seals. A refrigerator’s energy efficiency may be increased by keeping the coils clean, which can reduce your power costs.
Plant Some Trees
Trees not only boost the value of your property but, if strategically placed to provide shade and serve as windbreaks, they may also save your energy expenses by roughly 25%. Discuss an expanding investment.
Clear That Dryer Vent
Maintain a clean, unblocked dryer vent at all times. The energy efficiency of a dryer is reduced, and a blocked vent might catch fire.
Trick Yourself Out of Online Impulse Shopping
When purchasing anything from an online store, go for the specific item (such as “DVD player”) rather than browsing the broad product category (“electronics”). According to one research, online buyers who searched by category were three times more likely to continue looking after discovering the products they were looking for.
