How to Save Money on Your Monthly Utility Expenses

In today's world, with the economy spiraling out of control, the one thing in life that we never get a reprieve from are bills. Some of us may be facing debt due to job loss, salary cuts or loss of homes, or you maybe you're just trying to stay ahead of the game. To combat all the negative impact, we need to make changes of our own to stay afloat. The easiest way to start, is to make small changes to conserve, which will have a synergistic effect on the overall cost of our expenses, and you will see big results in your wallet. A great place to start is here, with a Do-it-Yourself Energy Audit to see where you could be be saving money in your home. Check out this article from Energy.gov - DIY Home Audit that explains the steps. Here are additional tips to help you cut costs.

1. Electric and Heating

 No doubt, these are the largest bills besides your mortgage, but there are still ways to make your home energy efficient, yet still comfortable. Lets delve into Electricity. While turning off lights when you leave a room is great, there is another consumer of energy that may not be so obvious. The hidden costs are often associated with Energy Vampires. All those electronics and appliances that remain plugged in while not in use, are in "standby mode"; power that is still consumed even though the appliance is turned in the off position.
The first mode is called "Passive Standby Mode". Items such as clock radios, cordless phones, computers, laptops, electric toothbrushes and such, can add a few extra dollars to your bill every month. It is kind of like a leaky faucet, although it's turned off, it still drips. 
The second mode is called "Active Standby Mode". Larger items like TVs, DVD players, game consoles, etc., use a considerable amount more than the passive standby appliances. Considering how many appliances we use on a daily basis, this can add up to anywhere from $100 to $200 per year. Try some of these tips to help you combat those vampires.

• Try placing a power strip in a place where you can charge all your cell phones, ipods, etc. in one place. Once they're done charging, turn off the power strip. This is also an easy way to turn off small kitchen appliances when not in use. 
• Use timers to control indoor and outdoor lights and VCR's.
• Put all home computers on surge protecting power strip. They range anywhere from $15-$50. If you have a power surge while on your computer, it will be protected and you can attach all the computer accessories to it as well and just turn the switch off when your finished.
• Other ways to save energy is to install energy efficient light bulbs. They make cost a few pennies more, but in the long run you will replace far fewer light bulbs, bringing the overall cost down even more.
• Try to run your dishwasher, washer and dryer when they are full, they will run much more efficiently. For an even bigger savings, run them only on off-peak hours. According to PSE&G Off-Peak hours are considered to be the hours between 9pm and 7am, and the cost of electricity is cut almost in half between those hours. So the next time you have insomnia, throw in a load of laundry and save some money.
• Hang a clothesline and dry your clothes outside in warmer weather.
• When it's time to turn on the AC, don't forget to clean your filter to assure that it is running at optimal efficiency, and of coarse always use the energy saver switch, so that your unit is not running constantly. Check your filter once a month to check for dust and debris, and more often if you have pets. Before putting them away for the winter, make sure that you give them a thorough final cleaning including the filter, coils and buttons. Check to see if any of the fins are bent, which can block air flow. Consider covering it before storing to prevent it from collecting dust. 
• If your AC units are older, you may want to think about replacing them with newer energy efficient models.
• Always check your bill to make sure that it is correct. Since meters are read by people and not by computers, there can be errors. I have included a link to PSE&G that shows you the correct way to read your meter. To fix this problem, take your own reading the day before your scheduled for the utility company to come.If you would like to take the task into your own hands, you can actually read your own meter and either submit the reading online or by phone one day before your scheduled meter reading. Here is the link to their page: PSE&G Do-it-yourself Meter Readings

Lets move on to heating, which is usually the more costly of the two. Before we discuss anything else, we need to discuss your furnace or oil burner. Make sure that the equipment supplying the heat is in proper working order. Be sure to change filters regularly, your oil or gas company should be able to tell you how often to change it for your model. Many of the problems associated these machines is a result of poor maintenance. It is worth obtaining a service contract with your carrier to avoid problems. If you have oil delivered, turn off the furnace or boiler just before the delivery. This will help to prevent sediment from the bottom of the tank,that can cause a clog in the line, from being sucked up as the oil is being pumped. After about an hour, the sediment will have settled back to the bottom and you can turn it back on. There is an anti-sludge treatment that you can add to the oil to help avoid this. 

• Be sure to get rid of any drafts. Fill holes in exterior walls with spray foam insulation. Replace old weather stripping if needed and purchase draft guards to attach to your exterior doors. If your windows are older and drafty all around, you can buy plastic to cover them to stop the draft. Don't forget to check switch plates and the entryway to your attic. 
•  Purchase a programmable thermostat. One of the newest ones on the market is Nest, a thermostat that learns. Once installed you use it like any other thermostat, but after a certain amount of time, it will actually remember your schedule and adjust itself accordingly. It can also be controlled from any smart phone. Nest shows you a green leaf on the thermostat when adjusting, to show you that you are conserving. Also check out My Energy Tips & Rebates, to get rebates on the Nest thermostat and money saving tips. Be sure to check out their tips on wrapping your water heater to reduce standby heat loss.
• Consider adding more insulation around your windows, doors, attic and walls. A great way to see if and wear you are loosing heat in your attic, is to look at your roof. Unless you've gotten a heat wave after the snow storm, you'll be able to see exactly where you need more insulation. If your snow is melting faster that everyone else, that may mean that you are loosing heat and are in need of some additional insulation. I owe that one to my father. He used to redo old homes and every time we got in the truck during winter, he'd say, "see that, there's no snow on that one, they need insulation!". So thanks dad :) 
• Portable heaters and electric fireplaces are also an easy solution to slash heating costs. This will allow you to turn down the thermostat and only heat the rooms that your are using. By purchasing an energy efficient model, the cost to run one of these appliances for a few hours a day, is between $10-$30 per month, depending on the model. 
• Close the vents in room that are not frequently used.
• Go to Energy.gov - Tax Credits, to see if you are eligible for a tax credit for installing items to make your home more energy efficient such as: additional insulation, replacement windows, water heaters, HVAC systems, roofing and green improvements.

2. Cell Phones

If your phone plan is almost up, then we have a great option for you. Before you pick a carrier, check out  My Rate Plan to compare usage, data rates, phones and termination fees of different carriers. But if your not quite at that point, then you may want to check out some other ways to save.

• Make sure that you have a data plan that fits your needs. Go through your cell phone bills for the last six months, have you been way over or way under your current data plan? Either way, here are some things you can change.
•  If you're only using about half of your data plan, then you may want to look at downgrading your plan. This has the possibility of saving you anywhere from $15- $35 per month, depending on the carrier. Seeing as how most carriers have a two year contract, that is roughly $800 every two years, just by cutting your data plan in half. 
• On the other hand, if you are going way over your data plan each month, then it may be time for you to upgrade. Check out this example from AT&T's Mobile Share Plans: 

1. 300MB plan: $20 per 300MB.
2. For customers on a new 1GB ($25/mo.) plan: $20 per 500MB.
3. For customers on an original 1GB ($45/mo.) plan: $15 per 1GB.
4. All Mobile Share plans 2GB or higher: $15 per 1GB.

This is just an example of the what you may be charged for going over your data allowance. Just figure in an extra $15 to $20 per month in data charges. That adds up to between $180 and $200 a year. By using these tips, you should be able to trim some fat from your phone bill. 

• If you have an android phone, check out Text Free. This app will actually give you a phone number where you can send and receive free texts. This may enable you to downgrade you texting plan to the lowest level or lose it completely. Iphone has the same type of app called Text Free Ultra. Both of these applications are free.
• One more option we thought you may want to check out is Google Voice or VoIP. You can make phone calls and text with this product, definitely worth a look to see if can help you lower you phone and data plan. They feature unlimited calls and SMS within U.S. AND Canada, for up to three hours in individual length. They will also assign you a phone number, much like the Text Free App. 

3. Water

There are some fairly quick and easy ways to save money on water in your own home. If you are a renter, you may not have as much control as a homeowner does, but there are still ways to lower your water bill without a major overhaul of your plumbing. 

• Turn off the water while washing your hands and face, shaving, and also when you're brushing you teeth. 
• Low flow toilets are notoriously helpful in saving water, but there is no reason to go out and spend money on a new toilet. Displace some of the water by filling  a 2-liter bottle with water, place the cap on and sit it inside your toilet tank, Voila! You instantly have a low flow toilet. You can also do this with a brick, but make sure that you place the brick inside a Ziploc freezer bag to keep any debris from the brick from clogging the toilet. By doing this simple task, you will save approximately a half gallon of water each time you flush. Which for a family of four, could be as much as $13 per day, depending on the cost of water in your area. 
• If you need to wash dishes by hand, consider purchasing two dish pans. Dirty dishes with a bit of soap and just enough water to cover them in the first pan, and clean water for rinsing in the second pan.You use approximately 27 gallons of water washing dishes if you let the faucet constantly run. This method uses a fraction of that. 
• Check out My Energy they can also help you with tips for saving on water. 
• Use timers on sprinklers, and water during the cool part of the day, early morning or late evening. Avoid watering on windy days; heat and wind can cause the water to evaporate before your lawn ever gets to use it. Lawn and gardens only require five millimetres of water on a warm day, and less on cool days.A great way to measure how much you have watered, is to place a rain gauge in the range of your sprinkler, so you can see how much you've watered for that period of time. Since the soil cannot store unused water, try not to over water, it will only evaporate. Check out this one from Ratuken.com Rain Gauge for just under $7.00 and free shipping.
• Install adjustable flow reducers onto your shower heads and/or faucets. This simple fix will reduce water usage by approximately 25%.
• Turn down the temperature of your water heater. The higher your water temperature is, the more energy it takes to get water up to the same temperature. This is yet another "appliance" that is in standby mode. If you are going away, turn off your water heater if it's electric and down if it is gas.
• Use rain barrels to cut down on the cost of watering lawns and plants. The town of Hempstead is offering 50 gallon rain barrels and composter's for $45. Here is the link to their website Town of Hempstead - Rain Barrel and Composter

4. Cable, Internet and Phone

Keeping costs down for these three items may be as easy as bundling them together. But if that's not enough, there are ways to shave a little more off your bill. 

• Most providers will give you an introductory price for a certain time period, and then raise the price to their normal rates after that period is up. Call you carrier, ask them if they can extend the introductory rate for another year, if not, ask to speak with a supervisor. If they won't budge, you may need to ask for the cancellation department before they will consider it, but since they don't really want to loose you as a customer, it's worth a try and they will usually give in.
• Keep track of any outages, terrible connections or slow Internet with the date and the specific problem. Once a month call them with your notes and ask for a credit on your bill. You shouldn't have to pay full price for inferior service. 
• If you have a cell phone and hardly use your home phone, you may be able to ditch the home phone all together. If it makes you feel safer having a land line for emergencies, then ask your carrier for exactly that, a basic phone line. You may have to pay a few cents per call, but that's pennies compared to the average bundle bill. 
• Look for free Internet services like BlueLight.com - Totally free internet service and get rid of your paid Internet.
• As for cable, depending on which show and networks you can't do without, you may be able to switch to a provider like Hulu, Hulu Plus or Netflix for $8 per month or Amazon Prime for $6.95 per month. If the network that you frequently watch is not available, try going directly to the networks website to see if they list the episodes free for you to watch.  Lifetime is one of them. They allow you to watch full episodes of select movies. 
• Switch to basic cable. If you have 700 channels and only watch 14 of them, then you should drop the extra service which is costing you extra money. 

5. Insurance

Most people see insurance bills as a fixed price item without much wiggle room, but if you learn the ropes you can save some money.

• Take a defensive driving course. In New York State, you can receive a 10% discount on your bill after completing the course. The discount remains active for a period of three years and can also reduce points on your licence. You can go to a class in your area or take the class online. They usually run about $30-$50, unless you find a site like My Improv - Online Defensive Driving Course who offers the online class for discounted rate of $28. Depending on how much you annual insurance cost is, you may be able to save quite a chunk of change with this alone. 
• Transfer all of your insurance policies to the same insurance company for a multi-policy discount. If you are a student or are in the military, you may also qualify for additional discounts.
• Raise your deductible to lower your premium.
• Take time to access your insurance policy. If you no longer have a car payment, you are no longer required to have a full coverage policy,speak to your insurance agent about reducing your policy.
• Letting your insurance agent know about all the safety features on your car, such as traction control, air bags, anti-theft system, anti-lock brakes, etc., can also give you additional discounts.
• Let your agent know about your driving habits. If the places that you travel to each week, like grocery store, cleaners, drugstore, etc., are all within a five mile radius from your home, you don't speed and are a conscientious driver, you may qualify for a discount. Progressive Insurance Company has a device that does this for you called Snapshot, that can help you save up to 60% off your car insurance costs.
• Keep your credit in good standing by paying your bills on time. Insurance companies take your credit score into consideration when quoting a policy. The lower your credit score, the higher the premium you will need to pay. Plus, paying your bills on time helps you to avoid late fees, which can add up to hundreds every monthly.

Just changing one or two of these items may not make too much of a difference in the cost of your expenses. But the more tips you put into place, the more money you will have at the end of the year.

Send us an email and let us know how much YOU have saved by using some or all of these tips! moneysaversli@yahoo.com