A Personal finance blog for saving money and earning more and thus having a better life
I got a flyer earlier this year about using our rooftop to host solar cells. Our local energy company Florida Power and Light has a program to net meter the solar energy. That means if I produce solar energy then they’d buy back the excess from me. And if I produce less then I’ll have to pay regular bills which were underproduced.
Most of us could use a helping hand when it comes to our finances. Below, we guide you through several small ways to make big savings on your bills and help our environment.
When you leave one room for another, make sure to switch off the lights. Doing this could help you make substantial savings over the course of a year.
If you’ve asked the question, “What is my home worth?” only to end up disappointed, you should know that studies have revealed going green is a great way to boost its value, not to mention making a significant difference in lessening your impact on the environment.
You don’t have to go all out, spending thousands of dollars on solar panels and all new appliances. In fact, even if you’re on a tight budget there are lots of cheap, easy changes you can make for a more eco-friendly home.
Every day we purchase many things which come in either bottles or containers. Many of us throw away these containers or bottles after using them only once. We see these used bottles and containers as a waste. But if you think practically they are not.
Photo Courtesy http://homeguides.sfgate.com
No, I’ll not be asking you to plant trees around your town. And I will not ask you to go back to the stone-age and stop singing all modern amenities that take a toll on our environment. I am going to talk about 25 pretty easy-to-follow ways to help mother earth by saving the environment around you.
Charity begins at home, you start today, your neighbor starts tomorrow and the whole city starts doing this sooner than you realize, how about that? No, I can’t be that optimistic; but what’s the harm in throwing the idea around? Are you with me?
“The struggle to save the global environment is in one way much more difficult than the struggle to vanquish Hitler, for this time the war is with ourselves. We are the enemy, just as we have only ourselves as allies.” – Al Gore
The saving environment is one of the most-liked content here at OCAAT. I am happy to see such awareness for the environment. Also, I tend to think that social media is spreading good habits in the masses, making this planet a better place to live. Once I posted on Facebook about buying reusable shopping bags for grocery, it went viral and amidst 20 likes and 17 comments, I think at least a couple got inspired and bought reusable shopping bags.
Earlier, I posted 25 ways I am contributing towards saving the environment every day. While I am at it constantly, I tried listing the possible ways I can help save the environment. The topic is such serious that I decided to write about it again, even though OCAAT is a personal finance blog.
This guest post is geared for my Australian readers. Enjoy the post!
The below services are specific to Australian households but most developed countries have similar financial assistance through non-profits and government programs. Below is a good list to see what types of programs exist. The tips provided can be used anywhere.
If you are having trouble paying your utility bills each month, it may help to know that you are not alone. Many families across the country are dealing with the same issues, but there is help available. Not only are there several great thing you can do today to reduce your monthly fees, but there is governmental help available to help you if you have fallen behind on your bills. Below is a look some great tips and ideas for conserving water and energy, and where you can turn for help.
Spring is here and summer is just around the corner. If you’re a northerner, you might be welcoming the heat since it’s been so cold for the last few months. But, when the weather warms up, guess what also spikes? You got it – your electric bill because of your air conditioning unit.
We are beating the heat with fan
I was born and brought up in India where we grew up without AC. AC was luxury for us. Naturally summer months were not pleasant at all. Perhaps readers from Arizona, Texas or Nevada can understand how it feels like to be without AC at 110 F temperature. In India, that heat was not just a passing wave but, it was a way of life, it still is.
The image below shows our monthly energy bill. We do not have a separate gas connection for heating needs. Our bills are abnormally high during the summer months. We finally nailed it to the old air conditioning system. Our landlord will soon replace the AC system, before the summer really kicks in here in Florida. So far, we have been saving summer energy bills by few simple methods. We consume 40% less energy than the national household average of $2024 per year, a little solace! Still we feel we can save more.
One of the best ways to save money and build your savings account is to work hard at reducing your electric bill. Think about it: the lower your power bill (and other utility bills), the more money you have in your pocket that you can either save or use for other things you need. Here are some practical and important ways to save power while substantially increasing your savings.
Ninety percent of the energy used by an incandescent bulb is wasted, while only 10 percent is converted into light according to EnergySavers.gov.
The new age light bulbs save energy by turning much more electricity into light. The engineering behind the manufacturing make it possible. The Natural Resource Defense Council says by 2020 the law will reduce energy costs by $100 to $200 per household each year. That is equivalent to shutting down 20+ power plants across the world.
