Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Today on Money Matters:
With the economy in a recession, everyone is looking for ways to save money and cut costs. Here are some ways to cut your home utility expenses.
Go low-flow. Replacing even one pre-1994 shower head and one faucet with flow-conserving parts can make a big difference in water usage, saving as much as $47 per year.
Plug a leaky toilet. A leaky toile can waste up to 200 gallons of water daily, of 73,000 gallons per year. To test, put a drop of food coloring in the tank. If it shows up in the bowl, you have a leak.
Flush frugally. Replace a toilet made between 1980 and 1994 with one certified by the EPA’s Water Sense program that uses less than 1.3 gallons per flush. This could save you $90 per year.
Buy better bulbs. At $7 each, compact fluorescent light bulbs aren’t cheap, but they use 75% less energy, last 10 times longer and by replacing 20 of your bulbs with CFLs, you could save $166 per year.
Ditch the old fridge. The biggest energy user in your kitchen is the refrigerator. A new Energy Star rated model will consume 40% less energy than one made eight years ago, which could save you $100 per year.
Install a smart thermostat. With a programmable thermostat, you can heat and cool your home when you’re there and cut it way back while you’re away. Using a programmable thermostat could save up to $180 per year.
By combining these six ideas, you could save almost $730 per year on utility bills.
