In this article each week I try my best to bring you money saving tips and techniques that you can really use. I try all my ideas first so I KNOW they work. But this past week I noticed that while "I" am implementing tons of money saving ideas into my day, my family is not on the same page.
For instance my husband does not see the need to turn of lights or unplug appliances that he is not using. It drives me and him nuts that I have to go behind him and turn things off.
Turning off surge protectors that I have through out the house drives my husband nuts too. An example would be our TV in the living room. We have a large TV, VCR, DVD player, Tivo/satellite box connected to one surge protector. For the past 3 weeks or so I have started turning the surge protector off at night and turning it back on in the morning.
My husband did not notice this at all until one day when he came home while I was out and tried to turn the TV on.(I forgot to flip the switch that day) He thought a fuse had blown and was checking every one when I got home. I waited a few more minutes to tell him the surge protector was off *snicker*
My husband thought I had gone to far with the penny pinching at that point. But I told him to give me until the next electric bill came. Then I would prove that turning off the TV and computer at night would save more than a few pennies.
Well the bill came a few days ago and was even better than I had hoped it would be! Our bill went from $57 last month to $46 this month! (reminder: our bill as over a $100 a month a few years ago before I unplugged an old fridge, and switched to fluorescent bulbs)AND I unplug everything that is not being used: toaster, chargers, extension cords, water cooler etc.
$46 for a 2000 square foot, 2 story and basement, house! Can you imagine how low you can get YOUR electric bill in a smaller house or apartment?
BY the way my husband says he is no longer going to argue about my conservation methods!
So the moral of my story is talk to you family about helping YOU to conserve energy in your home. Explain why you are doing it...to save money, help the planet, etc. Be prepared for some resistance from the kids...they think everything grows on trees and will always be there. But with gentle reminders and maybe a few rewards for helping to conserve energy(ice cream run with the extra 20 bucks saved off your bill?) everyone will get on the conservation train!
Mandi G. money correspondent for gather.com
Mandi Lives in Alaska(formerly northern IL. Someone moved the state when she wasn't looking)
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Comments: 32
I always try to turn lights off, or tv's before I leave a room. And, I cut down on water, by taking a shower every other day.
I bathe my two younger sons together.
And, I've begun unplugging appliances every once in a while. (Sometimes, I forget.)
The easiest way we ever saved money was by not spending dimes. Each day, we'd take all the dimes we had and put them into a container. Eventually, we needed a larger container, so we rolled up the dimes we had.
In about a year and a half, we had saved almost $1,000. There was a fantastic sale on furniture and the prices were low enough that we were able to buy a high quality sofa and two wing back chairs without spending all of our dimes. We never missed the dimes, so it was like getting the furniture free.
Try it for a month. Dimes add up quickly and not spending them becomes a habit very quickly.
I can't shut off the surge protector because all the phone and satellite hook ups are there.
I just wanted to stop by since I am finally going through what is now listed as under 4,700 pieces of gather new mail that is sitting in my inbox on here.
With that mentioned I just came across either a mailing from you yourself, or someone else brought this piece to my attention. You or they felt that your creation should be shared with the gather community, which I am very glad that it was passed on to me to view. So I wanted to say Thank you for taking the time out of your busy day to publish it here on gather for us to all view. :o)
As well before I leave you I wanted to wish you a Happy New Year... in 2009 :o)