About the house.
Running a household is, like aging, not for sissies. Things break and costs rise. Bradscando.com offers some ideas on how to save around your house.
Buy a programmable thermostat. This way you can set it to drop when you are away at work and rise in time for your return.
Stay ahead of the game. Before things crash and burn, call the pros in. That includes getting gutters cleaned, furnace and air conditioner filters changed, cleaning the outside of the condensing oil, keeping things oiled and running. Plan on making an annual call to the HVAC man.
Save on the AC. Turn on fans and fling open windows; they’re considerably cheaper than 24/7 air conditioning.
Get money back. Research what tax credits are available for home maintenance and improvements. Investigate The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009.
Check for energy leaks. Is your house leaking energy—and therefore, cash? Wander up into the attic and if you can see your breath, then you need more insulation. According to bradscando.com, losing heat through the roof of your house is the number one source of heat loss. Also check your windows and doors to see if air is seeping through. If so, get out the caulk or weather stripping and seal those leaks up.
Other helpful hints:
• Cover your pipes with inexpensive insulation to ward off freezing in the winter.
• Clear any vegetation from around your air conditioner.
• Drain your water heater once a year.
• Check the caulk and the grout around tub and shower tiles and if there is leakage, re-caulk to seal it up.
• Check electrical outlets to be sure they are in working order. • A leaky faucet that drips at a rate of one drop per second can waste up to 2,700 gallons a year. Fix it.
• Use an aerator on your faucets to reduce water flow. • Install a water-saving showerhead in your bathroom.
• Save water when flushing by placing a displacement device in the toilet tank will help you save on the amount of water used for each flush. Take a water bottle, put a few small rocks in the bottom, then fill it with water, replace the cap, and put it in the tank.
About that TV.
No one can imagine a day without a Bravo fix or HBO series. But according to billeater.com, there are ways to save on that ever-escalating cable bill.
Shop around. If you are going to switch from cable to satellite, research it first. “There's more than one deal out there, and this is especially true for satellite. You can buy direct from the company at dishnetwork.com or directv.com., or you can buy from third party dealers.”
Look for promotions. Companies will often extend those promotions to lure in new clients to their existing ones. It doesn’t hurt to ask for the latest deal or for advice on how to reduce you monthly fees.
Bundle up. You may be able to save significantly if you combine your cable, Internet and home phone services.
So many channels and nothing to watch. You don’t have to start warbling Bruce Springsteen’s classic. All you have to do is play with the remote and realize 500 channels doesn’t mean there are 500 wonderful things to watch. Trim down you choices—and save some money.
Run to Redbox and rent for $1 rather than pay for pay per view. Or watch it on Hulu. It’s free. Our favorite.
