what are your money saving tips??

[Semidevil]

I was reading around and someone said that they had good results in reducing their bills by turning off the water heater everyday, and only turning it on when they actually need it(before shower, etc etc).

anybody tried it? does it work?

what type of money saving tricks do you guys have??

 

[OverVolt]

Um, Unplug all DC -> AC converters for battery chargers and the like, since they still draw current while charging nothing.

Turning on and off the water heater seems like it would be insignifigant savings.

The water stored in the tank will dissapate energy. However turning it on and off means when it is shut down, all the heat is 100% lost, and it has to re-heat the entire thing again. Seems like minor payoff for the effort.

 

[Engineer]

If you're going to turn your water heater on and off, you would be better off just buying a tankless water heater to begin with.

Ideas that come to mind that I do:

Replaced almost every light bulb in the house with CFL's (60 of them so far).

Lowered water heater temperature down to 120 degrees (still plenty hot).

Buy everything on a rewards card including phone bills, insurance bills, gas, groceries, etc. Minimum 1.25% back with up to 5% back (gas, grocery stores, and pharmacies).

Use fans at night instead of running constant AC.


Set all PC's in the house to hybernate or at least go on standby when not used for more than 1 hour.

Replaced all monitors in house with LCDs'.

Turn pilot light off in furnace from Spring until late Fall.


(Of course, some of the above items cost money up front and you might now ever make it up. If you're going to be replacing something anyway, might as well replace it with money saving versions if possible).

 

[Twista]

turn off the furnace fan when its not in use.

 

[MiniDoom]

dont get a girlfriend. You will save lots of $$$.

 

[Semidevil]

I'm wondering....do the CFL save you a lot per month?? is it better to just replace them now, or wait till the regular lightbulbs die?

also, doCFl's emit light the same as the regular 'long' flourescent lighbulbs(more white then yellow), or are they still yellow?

I like the white color......

 

[TallBill]

Originally posted by: Engineer

Set all PC's in the house to hybernate or at least go on standby when not used for more than 1 hour.

Gah, but then how do you run DC projects

 

[BigJ]

Originally posted by: Semidevil
I'm wondering....do the CFL save you a lot per month?? is it better to just replace them now, or wait till the regular lightbulbs die?

There's typically a 47w different between "60w" replacement CFLs (actual 13w usage) and a 60w bulb.

Assuming you run the light for 8 hours a day, for 365 days a year, you get ~137 kwHs. Assume about 10cents for the cost per kwH and you get a savings of $13 per year for a single 60w bulb.

The cost for the better CFLs (such as nvision) is either 4 or 6 of them for $10 at HD. So you have an initial cost of either $2.50 or $1.67 per bulb. If you replace 4 bulbs, you save ($52 - $10) $42 per year. If it's 6, you save ($78 - $10) $68/year.

As far as the color goes for them, you have your typical Cool White CFLs (those are the cheapest) which are more yellow, you have a Soft/Bright White which is going to be more of a pure white, and you have Daylight/Sunshine bulbs which is almost going to be like a sky blue type of light. Anything except for the Cool White is going to be more expensive than the CW.

Also, anything besides the 40w/60w bulbs you're going to see get considerably more expensive. If you need different types of bulbs (such as BR/R and PAR bulbs), expect to pay around $5/bulb. Dimmable CFLs are even more expensive. Your best bet is to either get them in multi-packs (where the cost/bulb goes down considerably) or wait till your local place has Energy Star rebate coupons.

 

[IHateMyJob2004]

Saving money is for suckers.

Invest in your house. Invest in real estate. Invest in sotcks. INVEST INVEST INVEST.

I'm 31 and probably better off than most 40 year old in my field (enginring). Hell, I think I'm doing better than two couples I know. One is two engineers and another is an engineer and a lawyer couple. I honestly think at 31 I am in better financial shape than they are.

Why?
I don't have a savings account
I invest ALL MY MONEY in stocks (unless used in real estate adventures)
I don't buy $40K cars (yet, maybe when I'm a millionaire)
I am on my 3rd home which is my 2nd total remodel.

When I sell my current home (probably for $600K), I'll buy another $400-$500K home. I'll probably remodel it and live in it for a while. THing is, I'll have a $600-$700K home at that point and a $50K mortgage.

Save all you want. If you don't know what to do with those savings, it won't matter. If you know what you need to do, saving turns out to not be that important. You have to spend money to make money. PERIOD. Just don't spend it on crap like cars, stereos nd the coolest TV.

 

[IrishBells86]

This might be kind of silly...
I tend to go to Starbucks a lot.. but I don't realize how much until I balance my checkbook. To keep it under control I figure out how much I'd be "okay" with spending on coffee per paycheck, then get a gift card for myself in that amount.

 

[psixninja]

Originally posted by: IHateMyJob2004
Saving money is for suckers.

Invest in your house. Invest in real estate. Invest in sotcks. INVEST INVEST INVEST.

I'm 31 and probably better off than most 40 year old in my field (enginring). Hell, I think I'm doing better than two couples I know. One is two engineers and another is an engineer and a lawyer couple. I honestly think at 31 I am in better financial shape than they are.

Why?
I don't have a savings account
I invest ALL MY MONEY in stocks (unless used in real estate adventures)
I don't buy $40K cars (yet, maybe when I'm a millionaire)
I am on my 3rd home which is my 2nd total remodel.

When I sell my current home (probably for $600K), I'll buy another $400-$500K home. I'll probably remodel it and live in it for a while. THing is, I'll have a $600-$700K home at that point and a $50K mortgage.

Save all you want. If you don't know what to do with those savings, it won't matter. If you know what you need to do, saving turns out to not be that important. You have to spend money to make money. PERIOD. Just don't spend it on crap like cars, stereos nd the coolest TV.

How do you know what to invest in? Do you just buy houses, remodel them and then sell it for profit?

I assume you do a lot of research into stocks and whatnot if you put a great chunk of your money into them.

 

[Brainonska511]

Originally posted by: Engineer
Use fans at night instead of running constant AC.

You could set the ACs to a lower setting (so it is slightly warmer) and put them on a timer so they turn on and off every half hour or something if they don't have a built in energy saving timer.

 

[intogamer]

Originally posted by: IHateMyJob2004
Saving money is for suckers.

Invest in your house. Invest in real estate. Invest in sotcks. INVEST INVEST INVEST.

I'm 31 and probably better off than most 40 year old in my field (enginring). Hell, I think I'm doing better than two couples I know. One is two engineers and another is an engineer and a lawyer couple. I honestly think at 31 I am in better financial shape than they are.

Why?
I don't have a savings account
I invest ALL MY MONEY in stocks (unless used in real estate adventures)
I don't buy $40K cars (yet, maybe when I'm a millionaire)
I am on my 3rd home which is my 2nd total remodel.

When I sell my current home (probably for $600K), I'll buy another $400-$500K home. I'll probably remodel it and live in it for a while. THing is, I'll have a $600-$700K home at that point and a $50K mortgage.

Save all you want. If you don't know what to do with those savings, it won't matter. If you know what you need to do, saving turns out to not be that important. You have to spend money to make money. PERIOD. Just don't spend it on crap like cars, stereos nd the coolest TV.

Yet you hate your job

 

[Engineer]

Originally posted by: Brainonska511

Originally posted by: Engineer
Use fans at night instead of running constant AC.

You could set the ACs to a lower setting (so it is slightly warmer) and put them on a timer so they turn on and off every half hour or something if they don't have a built in energy saving timer.

I really like it cool when I sleep. If I were to run the AC, I would need to set it down to around 65 at night just to sleep. In the day 72 to 74 seems fine but at night, I just need COOLED. The constant fan blowing works great. Also have ceiling fans that tend to help.

 

[ElFenix]

Originally posted by: Engineer

Originally posted by: Brainonska511

Originally posted by: Engineer
Use fans at night instead of running constant AC.

You could set the ACs to a lower setting (so it is slightly warmer) and put them on a timer so they turn on and off every half hour or something if they don't have a built in energy saving timer.

I really like it cool when I sleep. If I were to run the AC, I would need to set it down to around 65 at night just to sleep. In the day 72 to 74 seems fine but at night, I just need COOLED. The constant fan blowing works great. Also have ceiling fans that tend to help.

tip: learn to live at 82 degrees.

 

[Pabster]

Originally posted by: Semidevil
I was reading around and someone said that they had good results in reducing their bills by turning off the water heater everyday, and only turning it on when they actually need it(before shower, etc etc).

anybody tried it? does it work?

what type of money saving tricks do you guys have??

Of course the water heater "trick" works. Water heaters use enormous amounts of energy (particularly electric ones) so keeping them shut off 16 hours out of the day is going to save.

My trick? Use yesterday's newspaper for toilet paper. Talk about a money saver! :laugh:

 

[Pabster]

Originally posted by: ElFenix
tip: learn to live at 82 degrees.

No thanks. My electronics don't like that temperature, and neither do I :laugh:

65F year-round here.

 

[MiniDoom]

I think I would save allot more on cutting back on the lifestyle I?ve become accustomed to (no more starbucks, eating out 7$ beers than cutting back on utilities.

 

[ponyo]

Originally posted by: Engineer

Originally posted by: Brainonska511

Originally posted by: Engineer
Use fans at night instead of running constant AC.

You could set the ACs to a lower setting (so it is slightly warmer) and put them on a timer so they turn on and off every half hour or something if they don't have a built in energy saving timer.

I really like it cool when I sleep. If I were to run the AC, I would need to set it down to around 65 at night just to sleep. In the day 72 to 74 seems fine but at night, I just need COOLED. The constant fan blowing works great. Also have ceiling fans that tend to help.

Finished basement FTW.

 

[lyssword]

Don't buy sh*t you don't really need

 

[Engineer]

Originally posted by: ElFenix

Originally posted by: Engineer

Originally posted by: Brainonska511

Originally posted by: Engineer
Use fans at night instead of running constant AC.

You could set the ACs to a lower setting (so it is slightly warmer) and put them on a timer so they turn on and off every half hour or something if they don't have a built in energy saving timer.

I really like it cool when I sleep. If I were to run the AC, I would need to set it down to around 65 at night just to sleep. In the day 72 to 74 seems fine but at night, I just need COOLED. The constant fan blowing works great. Also have ceiling fans that tend to help.

tip: learn to live at 82 degrees.

My plant has no AC and goes over 100 (as high as 115) in the summer months. After working 8 to 14 hours per day in that place, I'll gladly pay to go down to 72 degrees in the evenings!

 

[Pepsi90919]

don't spend money

 

[Gunslinger08]

Originally posted by: ElFenix

Originally posted by: Engineer

Originally posted by: Brainonska511

Originally posted by: Engineer
Use fans at night instead of running constant AC.

You could set the ACs to a lower setting (so it is slightly warmer) and put them on a timer so they turn on and off every half hour or something if they don't have a built in energy saving timer.

I really like it cool when I sleep. If I were to run the AC, I would need to set it down to around 65 at night just to sleep. In the day 72 to 74 seems fine but at night, I just need COOLED. The constant fan blowing works great. Also have ceiling fans that tend to help.

tip: learn to live at 82 degrees.

No amount of money is worth my comfort. If I could choose between being extremely wealthy yet always uncomfortable/hot and being middle class yet always comfortable, I'd definitely choose the latter. Quality of life > $$$.

 

[trOver]

Don't use stove/oven during summer. Think- every $1 you spend on heating the food, you will spend $2 w/ the airconditioner cooling off the house that was heated

Use a grill! You can make anything you would make inside outside on a grill!

 

[Engineer]

Originally posted by: trOver
Don't use stove/oven during summer. Think- every $1 you spend on heating the food, you will spend $2 w/ the airconditioner cooling off the house that was heated

Use a grill! You can make anything you would make inside outside on a grill!

That's a great point. I guess you could also dry your clothing on an outside line instead of using the clothes dryer also.