CuttingCosts101.com – Learn How to Save Money!

These random ways come from me from time to time, then I write them down and wait until I have enough ideas to make a post about them.  Here’s my latest group of ideas to save money at home.

Install a naural gas dryer.  Based on rates from April 2009, a natural gas dryer could save your up to $80 a year compared to electric models.  I know that doesn’t sound like a lot, but when you couple that with other cost cutting strategies it does add up!  Unlike older natural gas dryers, newer versions have adapted from a coninuously burning pilot light to a electronically controlled ignition, which in turn uses less gas.  Additonally, you will be helping out the environment by using 60% less carbon dioxide emissions compared to electric models.  Ask your natural gas service provider for installation services and where to purchase.

Use low flow fixtures.  There are many ways to take advantage of this to reduce your water consumption.  For starters, make sure you have an aerator on all your faucets.  By installing aerators, you are cutting the water flowing through your faucets by up to 30%.  You should also replace all of your shower heads with low flow units.  The average shower would use roughly 10-15 gallons of water.  Depending on how many people in your house take showers, low flow shower heads could make a significant impact in the amount of water that you can use.  Lastly, if you’ve already installed faucet aerators and low flow shower heads, you should consider low flow toilets.  This is by far the most expensive of the three options, but you could save 1-2 gallons per flush with a new unit…which will add up over time.  Keep in mind that all of these upgrades are covered under the Energy Retrofit Program and the Home Renovation Tax Credit (for Canadian Residents).  Go back and read my post on Government grants for going green if this is new to you.

Put water barrels under evestrough drain spouts.  There’s no sense letting all that rain water go to waste when you can use it for watering your flowers or washing your car.  Many hardware stores sell fancy (and expenisve) water barrels, but if you don’t really care what it looks like you could use a garbage can or any old bucket really.  Take advantage of free water whenever you can!

You may have noticed the ‘FREE EBOOK’ link at the top of the page.  Well, I have just finished writing an 11-page ebook and I thought I would give it away for FREE to my readers.

Just click here or above to get it now!

Usually when you see a post like this I was day dreaming and needed to get the ideas in writing before I forgot them….so this could happen a lot!

If you have a bit of a green thumb and like working on your yard and garden you might find this tip useful.  In the area I live there are endless amounts of limestone rock in quarries and shorelines.  My money saving tip for you is to go to your nearest rocky shoreline or quarry and pick up some nice flat rocks to line your gardens instead of paying hundreds or even thousands for engineered landscaping stones.  I helped my parents do the same thing last summer and I think it looks great…a real rustic look.  I’ll take a picture of one of their gardens the next time i’m over there and i’ll post it.  I plan on doing the same thing around my gardens this summer.

Next, instead of buying bottled water all the time purchase a filter that connects directly to your faucet.  I know we’re probably talking about savings in cents here, but hopefully this will make ’sense’ to you (I had to do it….and I am aware that it was corny!).  Just remember that it all adds up over time.  As an added bonus, you will also be reducing your carbon footprint by using less plastic.

This next one is nothing new, but everyone could use a reminder about it….Carpooling.  If a bunch of your fellow collegues live in reletively close proximity why not all go to work toghether?  It makes a whole lot of sense considering you’ll be using less fuel and putting less wear on your vehicle because you won’t be driving as often.  And again you’ll be reducing your carbon footprint by getting a few vehicles off the road.  This is a tip that is definitely under utilized but is simple to do.  Think about it, and talk to some of your co-workers about it tomorrow around the water cooler or lunch room.