Well now it"s time to to look at your home and we've got some simple steps that will pay rewards immediately. What rewards? Your electric bill. Start these now and you will see some reduction on your next bill. BUT, the following month will definately be lower. Let's begin.
1. Change your light bulbs. EVERY ONE OF THEM! That's right. Change ALL of your bulbs to the money saving flourescent bulbs that you can find just about everywhere now. The energy usage on flourescent bulbs is from 60 to 75 % less than incondescent bulbs.
For us, we found that our electric consumption was an immediate 10% reduction. Not much you say considering flourescent bulbs cost more. Well, 20 bucks is 20 bucks. After 2 full months of flourescent usage, what we saved on our electric bill paid for the new bulbs plus we were ahead a few cents. Also, the new bulbs last 10 times longer.
2. Turn your "on stand by" electric items off. What are these? It's any electrical item that you believe is off but it's not - your coffee maker, your microwave, your computer. Look around. You turned your computer off but you can see a small light on the speakers or on the monitor. There's a clock on the microwave and on the coffee maker. Each of these is drawing electric ALL THE TIME!
But, how can you since they don't have on and off switches? Simple. Put power strips with on/off switches on your outlets and then plug your electric items into the strips. You can get a pack of 2 simple strips for under $7.00. You could go a little higher in price and get strips with surge protectors which will provide protection for your items especially your computer and microwave. Another benefit of strips is that they expand the number of outlets you have (but don't get carried away in plugging in to much to one strip as this will blow a circuit breaker.)
3. The last simple step we wish to mention is to keep your thermostat at a temperature that will be cost effective and what you can bare. In the winter, about 70 degrees in the day time and 66 at night. In the summer, no lower than 78 degrees but better at 80 (day and night).
Using these steps as outlined above will save you money. We know they work because we use them ALL THE TIME religiously! We started these ideas last summer and have reduced our electric usage (and our bill) substantually. We can't give you an exact figure because we have applied a few more advanced steps which we will cover in the next post.
We might also add that a cooler house in the winter is better for your health since germs don't do well in the cool areas. That's why hospitals and your doctor's office seems cooler. They keep the temperature lower to prevent the spread of germs. Now, go start saving on electric.
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Your Energy Diet - Driving Habits That Work
We're on a role. The car has been checked and now it's time to drive. Let's begin with a little exaggeration (but not much) on how "a real Texan" drives. If you are from Texas, you can relate to this. If you're not from Texas, you can laugh along with us.
The young (less than 60), macho Texan swaggers out to his fully loaded, gas guzzling, chrome plated, mega-big, exceptionally clean (never used bed), very expensive pick up truck. Without a thought, he starts the engine and reves it up a couple of times (usually less than 10), jerks it into reverse, and peels out of the driveway. Then slams on the brakes (laying rubber), shifts to drive, peels out again, and slams on the brakes to stop at the stop sign just 10 feet away. Then, of course, he peels out again. (Bet his tire dealer loves him.)
OK, the humor is over, but the lessons are there for all of us to see. Yup, we have had a laugh at the expense of "our Texan"; and, if you think about it, we've just hit the mark on some very poor driving habits. We won't go into why some men need the "maximum" pick up truck which is never used as it should be; or why, after a couple of years of high gas prices, he still drives it; or...
No, let's just look at driving habits.
First, when you start the engine, let it idle for a few seconds. Warming it up for a few moments helps performance.
Second, put it in gear and begin in a slow speed. Probably, you are in reverse to back out of your driveway and will need to stop shortly to change gears, so keep the speeed low.
Now, after changing gears, start out at a reasonable speed. Excessive speed to begin your forward motion eats gas. Sudden stops eats rubber (tires). Both will eat up your pocketbook. We won't talk about gravity, or physics, etc. Just remember, there are natural forces working against you, so take it easy.
From the moment you got into the car, you must be alert. There are more cars and trucks on the roads now and not everyone is paying attention. The worst distraction when driving is the cell phone. It takes your mind away from alert driving. DON'T USE IT WHILE DRIVING!
An important reminder -do not shave, apply makeup, or anything else while driving. Just drive!
The following tips will save you money:
1. Never accelerate quickly from a dead stop.
2. Pay attention to traffic & don't follow too close to avoid sudden stops.
3. Start any trip, short or long, with plenty of time to complete it with out speeding.
4. Use the best speed for long trips. We found that the best speed for our car was 59 mph. Try different speeds and check your mpg. We are sure you will find that 75 mph is not fuel efficient.
5. Cut your speed and up your alertness in bad weather.
6. Do nothing risky while driving. Make sure you know what is in front of you, beside you (both sides), and behind you.
We have only hit the basics in this post. But, if you apply what we have presented, you will reap the rewards by saving money AND injury. A word to the wise is sufficient.
The young (less than 60), macho Texan swaggers out to his fully loaded, gas guzzling, chrome plated, mega-big, exceptionally clean (never used bed), very expensive pick up truck. Without a thought, he starts the engine and reves it up a couple of times (usually less than 10), jerks it into reverse, and peels out of the driveway. Then slams on the brakes (laying rubber), shifts to drive, peels out again, and slams on the brakes to stop at the stop sign just 10 feet away. Then, of course, he peels out again. (Bet his tire dealer loves him.)
OK, the humor is over, but the lessons are there for all of us to see. Yup, we have had a laugh at the expense of "our Texan"; and, if you think about it, we've just hit the mark on some very poor driving habits. We won't go into why some men need the "maximum" pick up truck which is never used as it should be; or why, after a couple of years of high gas prices, he still drives it; or...
No, let's just look at driving habits.
First, when you start the engine, let it idle for a few seconds. Warming it up for a few moments helps performance.
Second, put it in gear and begin in a slow speed. Probably, you are in reverse to back out of your driveway and will need to stop shortly to change gears, so keep the speeed low.
Now, after changing gears, start out at a reasonable speed. Excessive speed to begin your forward motion eats gas. Sudden stops eats rubber (tires). Both will eat up your pocketbook. We won't talk about gravity, or physics, etc. Just remember, there are natural forces working against you, so take it easy.
From the moment you got into the car, you must be alert. There are more cars and trucks on the roads now and not everyone is paying attention. The worst distraction when driving is the cell phone. It takes your mind away from alert driving. DON'T USE IT WHILE DRIVING!
An important reminder -do not shave, apply makeup, or anything else while driving. Just drive!
The following tips will save you money:
1. Never accelerate quickly from a dead stop.
2. Pay attention to traffic & don't follow too close to avoid sudden stops.
3. Start any trip, short or long, with plenty of time to complete it with out speeding.
4. Use the best speed for long trips. We found that the best speed for our car was 59 mph. Try different speeds and check your mpg. We are sure you will find that 75 mph is not fuel efficient.
5. Cut your speed and up your alertness in bad weather.
6. Do nothing risky while driving. Make sure you know what is in front of you, beside you (both sides), and behind you.
We have only hit the basics in this post. But, if you apply what we have presented, you will reap the rewards by saving money AND injury. A word to the wise is sufficient.
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Your Energy Diet - Checking Out Your Car
Your car, that 4 wheeler that gets you from place to place, is now, today, a very big burden on your pocketbook and, to say the least, on your health and the environment. So let's check it out and make it as efficient as possible.
First, if your car is more than 3 years old, have you checked your muffler? Its the item under the car that all the engine exhausts go through before leaving the car to enter the air you breath. This item, if not checked periodically, may develope a hole allowing harmful gases to escape. You should have a trusted, certified mechanic check it on a regular basis after your car is about 3 years old.
Next, have you had your tires checked lately? Your tires should be fully inflated to the pressure specified by the manufacturer which will be found on the side of the tires. Tires lose pressure over time, and under inflated tires effects your miles per gallon. Lower MPG is money out of your pocket.
We know that todays cars, per the manufacturer, can go 6000 miles between oil changes. Well, a good friend of mine (who is an excellent auto mechanic) swears that you should change your oil every 3000 miles. Yes, its an added expense, but as my good friend said, clean oil makes your engine run more efficiently. This will lead to less repair costs and better MPG.
When you do an oil change, check out all your fluids, the hoses and belts, AND you can check your tires at the same time.
Don't miss regular engine check ups specified by the manufacturer. In fact, do the check ups a little earlier than called for. If you should do it at 30,000 miles, make a note to do it at 25,000. Most of us are usually late, but if you make an honest effort to do it early, you will probably be on time. Why? Because these check ups will allow you to find out if your carburetor or injectors are working at an optimum level.
Going back to tires, make sure you rotate your tires every 6000 miles for better mileage. AND, don't forget to have them checked for balance also. Another thing to be checked is the alinement of your tires. All of this provides even wear and this leads to better mileage also.
Visibility is very important so you can avoid potholes and rough spots on the road. So, check your wiper blades regularily, and if you have a crack in your windshield, get it fixed. That pothole you just missed because you had good visibility just saved your tires and helped your miles per gallon.
What all of this adds up to is that you must take care of your car to keep out of pocket expenses to a minimum. The side benefit is that a well maintained car produces less pollution which helps your health and the environment.
We hope this has been helpful. Tomorrow, we'll take a look at driving habits.
First, if your car is more than 3 years old, have you checked your muffler? Its the item under the car that all the engine exhausts go through before leaving the car to enter the air you breath. This item, if not checked periodically, may develope a hole allowing harmful gases to escape. You should have a trusted, certified mechanic check it on a regular basis after your car is about 3 years old.
Next, have you had your tires checked lately? Your tires should be fully inflated to the pressure specified by the manufacturer which will be found on the side of the tires. Tires lose pressure over time, and under inflated tires effects your miles per gallon. Lower MPG is money out of your pocket.
We know that todays cars, per the manufacturer, can go 6000 miles between oil changes. Well, a good friend of mine (who is an excellent auto mechanic) swears that you should change your oil every 3000 miles. Yes, its an added expense, but as my good friend said, clean oil makes your engine run more efficiently. This will lead to less repair costs and better MPG.
When you do an oil change, check out all your fluids, the hoses and belts, AND you can check your tires at the same time.
Don't miss regular engine check ups specified by the manufacturer. In fact, do the check ups a little earlier than called for. If you should do it at 30,000 miles, make a note to do it at 25,000. Most of us are usually late, but if you make an honest effort to do it early, you will probably be on time. Why? Because these check ups will allow you to find out if your carburetor or injectors are working at an optimum level.
Going back to tires, make sure you rotate your tires every 6000 miles for better mileage. AND, don't forget to have them checked for balance also. Another thing to be checked is the alinement of your tires. All of this provides even wear and this leads to better mileage also.
Visibility is very important so you can avoid potholes and rough spots on the road. So, check your wiper blades regularily, and if you have a crack in your windshield, get it fixed. That pothole you just missed because you had good visibility just saved your tires and helped your miles per gallon.
What all of this adds up to is that you must take care of your car to keep out of pocket expenses to a minimum. The side benefit is that a well maintained car produces less pollution which helps your health and the environment.
We hope this has been helpful. Tomorrow, we'll take a look at driving habits.
Monday, January 21, 2008
YOU NEED AN ENERGY DIET
We reset our temperature in the house to 72 degrees today due to the amount of dampness on the island. The storms we've had these last 3 days have been terrific. Wind gusts have been over 40mph and rain was large enough to fill the driveway to about 2 inches. Fortunately, everything is graded so we don't get any water in the garage. And you say "So what has that got to do with an energy diet?"
Well, we're glad you asked. We usually keep our temperature at 66 degrees during the winter. But, in a situation like this, you sometimes need to reconsider the normal. Since dampness around the house causes the wind chill to be lower than the temperature on the gauge, you need to adjust for a little while to "take the chill off". That means you need to drop the temp down in a couple of hours to conserve on energy costs.
Small adjustments to any "diet" are only common sense to make life comfortable. As with weight diets, your energy diet can be "adjusted" to make life pleasant and not so structured to discourage continuation with the diet.
For you Yankees, we are sure that the temperature we keep of 66 would probably be too low. Of course a temp of 70 would be better for you and an "adjustment" to 72 on extremely cold days (outside temp below freezing) would certainly be acceptable. But remember, to drop the temp back when your days are warmer. AND, turn the temp down a few degrees at night. Extra blankets on your bed makes this possible.
This is just an introduction to "Your Energy Diet" which we are going to be posting starting tomorrow. Each day we will add a tip so you can begin to save money and save your "world". The environment is just as important to your health as what you eat or what exercise you get. We intend to give tips on your house, your car, and your lifestyle. As we said, these are tips and whether you use these or not is your decision. We hope you do.
Please don't expect any tips this Saturday, 1/26/08, as we intend to include fun among our tips. This Saturday here in Galveston is the begining of the public parades for Mardi Gras and we will be there. This is the "family" weekend and the activity is on the Seawall with 3 parades through out the day. Of course, we will be hosting a party between parades so blogging will not be possible. Hopefully, we will take some time to take pictures (rather than just "catch beads") and will then share them with you. (We'll explain more about "our" Mardi Gras in days ahead. It's not exactly like New Orleans' Mardi Gras.)
We hope you stop by tomorrow for the begining of "Your Energy Diet". Until then, Live Well, Laugh Often, Love Much.
Well, we're glad you asked. We usually keep our temperature at 66 degrees during the winter. But, in a situation like this, you sometimes need to reconsider the normal. Since dampness around the house causes the wind chill to be lower than the temperature on the gauge, you need to adjust for a little while to "take the chill off". That means you need to drop the temp down in a couple of hours to conserve on energy costs.
Small adjustments to any "diet" are only common sense to make life comfortable. As with weight diets, your energy diet can be "adjusted" to make life pleasant and not so structured to discourage continuation with the diet.
For you Yankees, we are sure that the temperature we keep of 66 would probably be too low. Of course a temp of 70 would be better for you and an "adjustment" to 72 on extremely cold days (outside temp below freezing) would certainly be acceptable. But remember, to drop the temp back when your days are warmer. AND, turn the temp down a few degrees at night. Extra blankets on your bed makes this possible.
This is just an introduction to "Your Energy Diet" which we are going to be posting starting tomorrow. Each day we will add a tip so you can begin to save money and save your "world". The environment is just as important to your health as what you eat or what exercise you get. We intend to give tips on your house, your car, and your lifestyle. As we said, these are tips and whether you use these or not is your decision. We hope you do.
Please don't expect any tips this Saturday, 1/26/08, as we intend to include fun among our tips. This Saturday here in Galveston is the begining of the public parades for Mardi Gras and we will be there. This is the "family" weekend and the activity is on the Seawall with 3 parades through out the day. Of course, we will be hosting a party between parades so blogging will not be possible. Hopefully, we will take some time to take pictures (rather than just "catch beads") and will then share them with you. (We'll explain more about "our" Mardi Gras in days ahead. It's not exactly like New Orleans' Mardi Gras.)
We hope you stop by tomorrow for the begining of "Your Energy Diet". Until then, Live Well, Laugh Often, Love Much.
Sunday, January 13, 2008
Take A Walk
We are not "right on the beach" but are only sparated from it by a road and one row of houses. It's about a football field away which means it's very easy to get there for a nice walk each day.
Unfortunately, it's winter and for us that means about 50 degrees. So, it's a little to cool to go barefoot. I'll have to wear shoes for now which is definately not my style. I like to feel the sand with my toes. Just have to wait until March to kick off the shoes again. What's the point of this?
Taking a walk on the beach is my way to staying healthy. A brisk walk for a little while (and maybe a little jog) followed by a casual mile or two walk is a great health aide. You don't have to go to a gym and do a "killer" workout to get the exercise you need. You can just walk everyday around your neighborhood, or if you are lucky like me, on the beach.
A simple mile or two walk each day will give you the exercise you need and, believe it or not, time to think about anything you wish which, many times, leads to problem solving, planning, and simply feeling good. Give it a go. Take a walk.
Unfortunately, it's winter and for us that means about 50 degrees. So, it's a little to cool to go barefoot. I'll have to wear shoes for now which is definately not my style. I like to feel the sand with my toes. Just have to wait until March to kick off the shoes again. What's the point of this?
Taking a walk on the beach is my way to staying healthy. A brisk walk for a little while (and maybe a little jog) followed by a casual mile or two walk is a great health aide. You don't have to go to a gym and do a "killer" workout to get the exercise you need. You can just walk everyday around your neighborhood, or if you are lucky like me, on the beach.
A simple mile or two walk each day will give you the exercise you need and, believe it or not, time to think about anything you wish which, many times, leads to problem solving, planning, and simply feeling good. Give it a go. Take a walk.
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
Sale Day Alert: Use Technology to Save Money
What if you are in a big city where shops abound and you can’t keep tabs on all those sale days that you’re dying to take advantage of? How do you make sure that you don’t get left unnotified?
Here are some ways that can help you stay informed whenever your favorite stores announce sale or discount days:
Email Alerts
Stores are now learning to market their goods and services via email. You can opt for sale day alerts through typing in your e-mail to their sites’ email alert page.
SMS Alerts
A wide variety of shops are now getting more and more comfortable with the use of technology, specifically with the mobile technology on making their business grow. As a marketing tool, cellular phones are now used to alert customers of any announcements these technology savvy shops have to communicate. Usually, customers or clients are given certain keywords and numbers to get registered or to subscribe to any alerts.
RSS Feeds
Customers that are familiar with the Internet technology can also be notified of any rummage sales, garage sales or discount days using this web tool – RSS. RSS stands for really simple syndication. It is the use of RSS readers or news aggregators to help people compile the list of websites they like to keep updated with.
How do you use RSS feeds to get sale alerts? Here are the steps to learn how to use the RSS technology.
1. Sign up for an RSS reader. RSS readers or news aggregators are like machines that will be your repository of the news feeds or alerting devices of all the websites you want to keep on reading without visiting those sites every so often. The most popular RSS readers are Bloglines and Google Reader.
2. Start collecting RSS feeds. There are a couple of ways to gather RSS feeds. Go to a website, specifically, your favorite shop’s website. Then, look for an orange block with white arcs inside, which is the universal symbol for RSS feeds. Click that graphic and you will be lead to a page to help you subscribe. Choose the reader which you use and that site’s feed will get added to your list of sites that you subscribe to on your RSS reader. Just repeat that procedure when you discover the other web sites that you want to be informed about whenever they get updated.
3. Read the feeds whenever updates are posted on your reader. That way you will only go to the site if there’s something new or if there’s a sale day that’s announced. Less hassle.
Here are some ways that can help you stay informed whenever your favorite stores announce sale or discount days:
Email Alerts
Stores are now learning to market their goods and services via email. You can opt for sale day alerts through typing in your e-mail to their sites’ email alert page.
SMS Alerts
A wide variety of shops are now getting more and more comfortable with the use of technology, specifically with the mobile technology on making their business grow. As a marketing tool, cellular phones are now used to alert customers of any announcements these technology savvy shops have to communicate. Usually, customers or clients are given certain keywords and numbers to get registered or to subscribe to any alerts.
RSS Feeds
Customers that are familiar with the Internet technology can also be notified of any rummage sales, garage sales or discount days using this web tool – RSS. RSS stands for really simple syndication. It is the use of RSS readers or news aggregators to help people compile the list of websites they like to keep updated with.
How do you use RSS feeds to get sale alerts? Here are the steps to learn how to use the RSS technology.
1. Sign up for an RSS reader. RSS readers or news aggregators are like machines that will be your repository of the news feeds or alerting devices of all the websites you want to keep on reading without visiting those sites every so often. The most popular RSS readers are Bloglines and Google Reader.
2. Start collecting RSS feeds. There are a couple of ways to gather RSS feeds. Go to a website, specifically, your favorite shop’s website. Then, look for an orange block with white arcs inside, which is the universal symbol for RSS feeds. Click that graphic and you will be lead to a page to help you subscribe. Choose the reader which you use and that site’s feed will get added to your list of sites that you subscribe to on your RSS reader. Just repeat that procedure when you discover the other web sites that you want to be informed about whenever they get updated.
3. Read the feeds whenever updates are posted on your reader. That way you will only go to the site if there’s something new or if there’s a sale day that’s announced. Less hassle.
Sunday, January 6, 2008
Check Out Our Newsletter
Just thought we would let you know that our latest issue of our newsletter is on line. Just for kicks, you should take a look. You might find it interesting and perhaps helpful. We know that some people are finding it to their liking and have expressed how helpful it has been to them.
Click here for the newsletter
Hope you enjoy it.
Click here for the newsletter
Hope you enjoy it.
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