subject: Several Worthwhile Recommendations For Cutting Back [print this page] Several Worthwhile Recommendations For Cutting Back
When times are difficult, like they have become lately, it is time to cut costs. This is not a well-liked move, but really, it need not be such a problem as you might envisage. The biggest single cost for most households is the energy bill and in particular the electric bill. If you do not use electricity to cook or heat your house, then the next biggest contributor to your bill is probably lighting.
Anyway, here are six tips for reducing your household expenditure.
1] Plan your meals before you go shopping. If you are able to, plan your meals for the whole week so that you can use bits and pieces from one day's meals in the next day's. It is also easier and cheaper to buy in bulk, which will also save you travelling costs. Use coupons were you can. It is an obvious idea, but one that a lot of people overlook as they peruse their magazines.
2] Replace all your traditional, incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs (CFL). These bulbs use a low quantity of energy, but still put out a high amount of light. It is a good idea to check for the 'Energy Star' rating before you buy in order to ensure that you are getting a high quality product.
3] Instead of using all the lights in a room, try to illuminate only what you need. If you are working at your desk, switch off all the other lighting except a desk top lamp and possibly a standard floor lamp. It is surprising how far light travels in a dak room. The light from two lamps such as these will be ample to see your way around too.
4] Buy stocks of light bulbs by the score. They will last a long time, but the CFL bulbs will not deteriorate, so as the price increases with inflation, you will have a stock at the old price. If you can, buy them online, because an online retailer has fewer expenses, which can convert into savings of as much as 70%. Online auctions are also a great idea, you may be able to pick up bankrupt stock.
5] Prepare your own meals and make your own food for work. Take homemade sandwiches or salads. A flask of tea or coffee will supply up to $25 of Starbucks' alternative coffee drinks
6] Put as many of your lights and appliances on timers or photosensitive switches. If you use passive infra red sensors to activate lights to deter intruders in your garden, you could be burning more electricity than you have to during the day. If you buy flood lights with photosensitive switches, then they will deactivate the lights during daylight when they are pretty useless anyway.
If you have a pond and pond lights, you can also use similar switches to turn your pond lights and pond fountain off during the nighttime..
None of these measures should have a detrimental effect on your lifestyle, although they will save you money.
