4 Easy Ways To Save Money…

When my roommates and I found a 2-story house for rent in San Francisco, we thought we hit the jackpot. We had unbelievable views of Twin Peaks from our bedroom windows, hardwood floors, a patio, and even a washer-dryer in the garage. We thought we were SO lucky… until we got our first electric bill. It was $500.

This house was old. So old, that cranking up the central heat barely made a difference. After a long house meeting, my roommates and I went into red-alert energy conservation mode and thankfully saw our bill drop to a more appropriate level. Here’s what we did—and what you can do—to save energy, money, and coincidentally, the environment. Go karma!

Rinse your clothes in COLD water.
Go to your washing machine, and turn the wash/rinse temperature dial to always rinse on the COLD setting. Just do it. You can wash them in WARM or COLD, but a COLD rinse is perfectly fine for all types of clothes. Turn the dial, let the family know, and you’re done. Money in your pocket!

Savings: 5%

Turn off your computer every night.
A few years ago, a U.K. study by Fujitsu Siemens revealed that $217 million is wasted every year in energy costs, simply because employees did not turn off their computers before they left the office. And you thought your computer was idle! It’s simple. Every night, make sure that all computers in the house are shut down. Don’t forget to turn off your monitor, too.

USE your dishwasher!
Modern advancements haven’t totally screwed us. Studies show that dishwashers actually use LESS water than washing dishes by hand. So load that puppy up! BUT, make sure it’s filled to the maximum, and let the dishes air-dry. This last tip is a big saver, so don’t skip it.

Brush your teeth with your clothes on.
You probably already know that taking shorter showers is a big energy and water saver. Bathing is the biggest hot-water user in the average home. So, good work on minimizing your time in the tub, opting for shorter showers. But also keep in mind that brushing your teeth in the shower has shown to result in longer showers, which leads to more water usage/wastage. Separate the two morning rituals. It’s better that way.

When it comes to making a significant impact, it’s always the small things that count. So, don’t underestimate simple changes like the ones above.

If you’d like to learn more about energy-saving tips that also save you money, visit Consumerenergysaver.org. Or, tune in next week for more money-saving tips at home.
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