A Few Easy Tips to Get You Started

Saving money is easiest when you don't spend it in the first place. There are many things you can do around the house that will help you conserve energy and lower your utility bills that cost little to nothing to implement. The long term potential savings are HUGE! Here are some easy ideas that will save you money.

• If your water pipes are accessible in your basement, insulate them. Most home improvement stores sell foam sleeves that easily slide over the pipes for less than $3 per eight foot sleeve. At the very least, insulate the exposed pipes that are attached to your hot water tank. This will make your hot water tank use less energy, saving you money over time.
• Do you have a toilet that runs water occasionally when no one is using it? You can pick up a toilet repair kit for less than $20 and fix the leak easily, reducing your water bill. It's not difficult and if you can use a screwdriver and pliers you can do it yourself. We saved approximately $6 - $7 a month off our water bill by repairing a running toilet in our basement.
• To water your garden and yard collect rainfall in rainbarrels from the downspouts of your house. A good 15 minute downpour can fill two 50 gallon rainbarrels and you have free water to use outside the house. You can use the water by filling a watering can for plants, attaching a regular garden hose, or soaker hose (which has small holes in it and you lay it in the garden beds.)
• If you think your water bill is too high, ask your local water company to perform a status check of your home. They can't tell you where your leak is but they can tell you if you have one.
• Maintain your appliances so they operate at peak efficiency. Pull your refrigerator out once a year and clean the coils on the back and under the front of it to keep it operating as good as new. Be sure to clean the lint trap of your dryer with a lint brush to keep it working efficiently every six months. When your appliances are well maintained they use less energy and cost less to run, saving you money. If your appliances are ten years old or older you should upgrade, if possible. Even a well maintained older appliance will use two to three times as much energy as brand new high energy efficient appliance.

These ideas are all easy to do and do not cost a lot of money to implement. If you take the time to learn about more cost efficient ideas you will save money with minimal effort. If you'd like to learn more ideas to save money and conserving energy around the house go to http://www.greentipsforyou.com and learn more!

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