Money Saving Talk » energy saving

Only use air conditioning on the high way to save gas

admin — Wed, 01 Dec 2010 03:22:06 +0000

This is a much debated topic. Is it more economical using the air conditioning or letting the window down? It all depends. If you are driving in local traffic or get stuck in a traffic, it is definitely cheaper to open the windows. But if you are on a high way and going at over 65, it is better on gas to close the window and run the air conditioning. Because doing so decreases air resistance.

But the problem is, if you got stuck in traffic and the temperature is 95, will you still leave the air conditioning off? So the best way to save gas is to carpool, and combine errands together so to reduce the chance of getting stuck in a traffic.

Simple ways to save on your utility bills in your apartment

admin — Mon, 01 Nov 2010 01:21:16 +0000

Although there’s so much you can do to winterize your apartment to save on utility bills, there are simple energy conservation measures you can use to increase the comfort of your apartment.You can caulk and weatherstrip the window and exterior doors; select and use window treatments.

Since heating and cooling use about 56% of the energy in average American home, saving on heating and cooling will significantly reduce your bills. Although your landlord or management company is ultimately responsible for your building’s energy efficiency, you can use supporting energy source such as space heaters to make your apartment more comfortable.

Source: EERE

Save money on your electric bill

admin — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 02:28:07 +0000

Many families start trimming their grocery bill before they think about other ways to save. For example, your electricity bills. The good thing about saving electricity is that you’re saving not only money, but also the environment.

Here are few simple tips that you can start right away:

Wash your clothes in cold water. You really don’t need warm or hot water for your clothes. Besides, shirts and under wears last longer if you don’t use hot water to wash them.
Turn off the lights whenever you go to bed, go to work, step out, or simply leave the room. You would think it saves very little. But if you have a 4-bedroom house, trust me, it adds up.
Change all the bulbs in the house into energy savings bulbs. You don’t have to change all of them today since it also adds up the costs. But only buy the energy efficient ones when you shop for light bulbs and switch over gradually.
Turn off the computers, TVs, and monitors.
Set your refrigerator temperature to medium or high temperature. You don’t really need to be that cold in the freezer.
Line try your clothes in sunny hot summer days.

If you think this will only save a little, surprisingly studies show that by making little changes, you can cut your bill by at least 25%. So if you’re paying $100/month now, expect to pay $75. That’s nice if you do that every month.

Alternatives to Household Products that Can Save You Money

admin — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 17:42:16 +0000

You use natural and less-toxic household products whenever possible. It’s a great way to save money and save the environment.

Instead of:	Use
Air freshener	A small dish of vinegar or lemon juice set out in a warm area
All-purpose cleaner	One quart warm water, 1 teaspoon liquid soap, 1 teaspoon borax, and 1/4 cup vinegar
Bleach	Borax
Carpet cleaner	To neutralize odors, sprinkle the carpet with a mixture of one cup borax and 2 cups cornmeal or use baking soda. Let stand 1 hour before vacuuming.
Chlorine scouring powder	Baking soda
Detergent	Simple soap or phosphate-free detergent
Disinfectant	Ammonia
Drain cleaner	Plunger, followed by a handful of baking soda and a half cup of vinegar. Cover and allow to sit for 15 minutes. Pour in 2 quarts of boiling water, and the clod should disappear.
Floor cleaner	Mop floors with a mild soap solution or 1 cup vinegar mixed with 2 gallons of water. Linoleum floors can be polished by mopping with skim milk. (No, it doesn’t smell.)
Furniture polish	On unfinished surfaces, use natural oil such as almond or olive oil. On finished surfaces, dust with a damp cloth and wipe dry.
Glass cleaner	Two tablespoons of vinegar to 1 quart of water.
Grease remover	Baking soda paste
Mildew stain remover	Vinegar solution
Mothballs	Cedar chips
Oven cleaner	Pour salt on fresh oven spills, and scrape the residue off when the oven cools. Ammonia can be applied t tough stains. A pumice stick, available at many hardware stores, will also work.
Pest control	Make chili powder packets to keep ants out of your kitchen.
Stain remover	Cornstarch paste
Surface cleaner	Use a vinegar and salt mixture
Tile cleaner	Scrub areas with baking soda and a toothbrush
Toilet bowl cleaner	Baking soda or borax
Window cleaner	Mix 1/4 cup of white vinegar or 2 tablespoons of lemon juice and a quart of warm water.

Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture

How to cut down electricity bill in Summer months

admin — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 22:13:54 +0000

The costs of running air conditioning in the summer months can be as much as half of your monthly electric bill. To cut down the cost, you need to budget your air conditioning usage.

1. Never leave the air on when you leave the house. Why run it when nobody is at home?

2. Make sure air is well circulated in your house. Install fans and ceiling fans in the rooms that you spend most time in such as living room and bedrooms. The electricity used by fans are far less than air conditioning units.

3. If you live in a hot climate, be sure the house in well insulated. Check your windows and doors.

4. Use energy saving light bulbs and air conditioning units. Replace them if you can.

By investing in energy saving devices, you can save money in the long run.

Home Electronics Saving Tips

admin — Thu, 21 May 2009 18:17:13 +0000

Look for energy-saving ENERGY STAR labeled home electronics.
Many appliances continue to draw a small amount of power when they are switched off. These “phantom” loads occur in most appliances that use electricity, such as VCRs, televisions, stereos, computers, and kitchen appliances. These phantom loads can be avoided by unplugging the appliance or using a power strip and using the switch on the power strip to cut all power to the appliance.
Unplug battery chargers when the batteries are fully charged or the chargers are not in use.
Studies have shown that using rechargeable batteries for products like cordless phones and PDAs is more cost effective than throwaway batteries. If you must use throaways, check with your trash removal company about safe disposal options.

Source: EERE, U.S. Department of Energy

Home Office Energy Saving Tips

admin — Thu, 21 May 2009 01:28:32 +0000

Selecting energy-efficient office equipment—personal computers (PCs), monitors, copiers, printers, and fax machines—and turning off machines when they are not in use can result in enormous energy savings.
An ENERGY STAR labeled computer uses 70% less electricity than computers without this designation. If left inactive, ENERGY STAR labeled desktop computers enter a sleep mode and use 4 watts or less. Spending a large portion of time in low-power mode not only saves energy, but helps equipment run cooler and last longer.
To maximize savings with a laptop, put the AC adapter on a power strip that can be turned off (or will turn off automatically); the transformer in the AC adapter draws power continuously, even when the laptop is not plugged into the adapter.
Common misconceptions sometimes account for the failure to turn off equipment. Many people believe that equipment lasts longer if it is never turned off. This incorrect perception carries over from the days of older mainframe computers.
ENERGY STAR labeled computers and monitors save energy only when the power management features are activated, so make sure power management is activated on your computer.
There is a common misconception that screen savers reduce energy use by monitors; they do not. Automatic switching to sleep mode or manually turning monitors off is always the better energy-saving strategy.

Long-Term Savings Tip

Consider buying a laptop for your next computer upgrade; they use much less energy than desktop computers.

Source: EERE, U.S. Department of Energy