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Go Green-Save Green: Save $180 On Your Heating and Cooling Bill

January 20, 2009 in Go Green, Save Energy, Saving Money by susan | No comments

By Susan Seliger

The headlines in newspapers and blogs from coast to coast confirm what we can all feel in our pockets – Americans are digging deep to save money.

Well, dig no more — going green can save some green, too.

The key to cutting your energy bills is to keep the heat down in winter and the AC on low in summer. For every degree you lower your thermostat in winter and raise it in summer, you save at least 1% or more on your bills. And if you cut it down 10 percent all those hours you are away from the house or on vacation, the savings for the average consumer whose yearly energy bill is $2,000, can easily range from $150 to $180.

Trouble is, who remembers to do it?

Probably the only sure-fire, idiot-proof way to do keep temperatures optimal for money-savings, day and night, is to use a programmable thermostat. If you haven’t got one, the $30 to $100 it costs will easily pay for itself before the first year is up.

Here’s the big payoff. If you actually take advantage of the thermostat’s ability to change heat and AC temperatures six or more times in the course of a day and especially when you are away from the house (yes, you can’t just buy it, you have to use it – there’s always a catch, right?) you can easily save $150 per year, according to the U.S. Department of Energy, without dramatic changes. More if you’re willing to pull out the woolies and layer up this winter. .

You can lower carbon emissions, lower your heating and cooling bill, and still stay toasty warm or cool as a cucumber when you’re home – not bad.

Furthermore, if you get too hot or cold while you’re home, you can easily manually override the settings (I didn’t say hot flashes, did you?) without having to program it all over again.

Make sure to look for a thermostat with an Energy Star rating – and you’ll keep those savings coming.

FOR MORE on Thermostats from your government and mine at DOE:

Energy efficiency and thermostats, go to the U.S. Dept. of Energy:

DOE info on temperature settings to use:

Winter Tip, Summer Tip

Photo credit: Susan Seliger (those are her bills, too)

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Host a Winter Party — Save Heat and Save Money!

November 17, 2008 in Go Green, Save Energy, Saving Money by susan | No comments

There’s nothing that warms the cockles of my heart more (and if you can locate those, I hope you’ll keep the info to yourself) than combining the two things I love best — hanging out with friends and saving money. So here’s a tip for you to go green and save some, too: Invite friends over and turn down your thermostat.

Just let everybody’s body heat ramp up the room temperature. According to one estimate I read, in an enclosed room (not Gauguin’s porch above), each human being’s sweet 98.6 degree F. body generates heat equivalent to a 175-watt heater. SO imagine what 10 friends can do! Things could get downright steamy.

OK– but what about the money side of entertaining? Friends don’t let friends starve, right. So it can cost more than you’ve saved in heat to wine and dine your buddies. Problem solved. Declare the party an eco-friendly pot luck. Ask each guest to bring one dish of food, so you ALL can save.

And instead of lots of wine and beer and an open bar, make one huge batch of punch — going easy on the alcohol, not because you’re chintzy — OK, maybe a little — but really because you care about your friends’ health. It’s lots cheaper and oh so fun. For the non-alcoholic fare, forget bottled water and soft drinks — way too pricey. Whip up a batch of lemonade. If you need the exercise, start squeezing lemons. But if you want to save even more money and time, just spring for a big can of powdered lemonade (you’d be surprised at how authentic it tastes. Slice up a real lemon and add it to the pitcher for a little tang and a natural touch.

Cheers! Here’s to good friends, good fun and green savings.

And send me your favorite tips for saving money and going green.

– For some more short tips on going green and saving money, check out this post from The Frugalist

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Go Green-Save Green: Turn Your Computer Off and Save $75

October 14, 2008 in Go Green, Save Energy, Saving Money, Uncategorized by susan | No comments

By Susan Seliger

OK, turning your computer on may take a minute longer than just tapping the mouse each time you sit down at your desk. (And the cat may have to find another warm place to loll about. ) But ask yourself this: if somebody offered you $75 just to add two mouse clicks to your daily routine (click Start; click Turn Off Computer, done) wouldn’t you take it?

Throw in the fact that you’ll also be reducing carbon emissions and letting your computer catch up on its beauty sleep, and it becomes a no-brainer green move. Save even more if you turn the entire power strip off that feeds the printer, your phone and ipod charger, desk lamp all the other appliances that suck energy just be being plugged in.

Need more incentive? Use that minute of warm-up time to stand up at your desk, and do a few body stretches (reach your hands up to the ceiling) and neck turns (shake your head gently Yes and then No) to keep from getting so stiff once you do sit down. That’ll save you another $75-$125 in chiropractic fees.

And that’s just for one household with one computer — imagine if you’re a small business with 100 computers — that’s $7,500 in savings. I bet you can think of a few things you’d like to do with that chunk of change.

Photo credit: www.lacyloos.com/about/cats.php

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