Tips on saving money around the house
»Play Video
Despite signs that our economy is in recovery, a lot of people are still doing all they can to save as much as possible. But sometimes we miss the little things that can really add up.
Here are five ways to help you stop wasti g money. And chances are at least one will strike a chord at your house.
Twin draft guards: Double-sided insulation device made from fabric and two hard-foam tubes. You simply slide the 2 foam tubes into the two pockets of cloth, then slide the draft guard under the door. One tube stays inside. One tube stays on the outside. No more draft. The double-sided draft guards are also available for certain windows. The door draft guard sells for around $10 at Bed Bath & Beyond, Lowe's, Home Depot, and other stores that carry "as seen on TV" products. And if you can sew, you can even make your own.
Programmable thermostats: You'd be surprised how much expensive energy you can waste heating a house when no one's home. Someone always forgets to turn down the heat. One easy solution is a programmable thermostat.
Set the controls to lower and raise the temperature automatically. You can find them at hardware stores for as little as $20 and up. Just make sure programmable units are compatible with your heating system.
Turn down the water heater: Next time you leave the house for more than a few days, don't overlook the water heater. Turn that big knob down to the low, vacation setting. That way you're not burning up your money, heating up water that no one's going to use.
Low-flow shower heads and faucet aerators: Still using an old water guzzling shower head? Get rid of it. And replace it with a low flow shower head, you can find all kinds of these on the market now, in fact some utilities may even give them out for free." While you're at it, switch out the old aerators in your faucets.
Toiletry products: Only use the amount of toiletry products needed to do the job. Ever notice how toothpaste ads show the toothbrush covered with toothpaste? If you do that, you're wasting money. Experts say in most cases you only need the size of a pea, which makes that tube of paste last thee or four times longer. Other toiletry products commonly used in excess include shampoos and conditioners.
Here are five ways to help you stop wasti g money. And chances are at least one will strike a chord at your house.
Twin draft guards: Double-sided insulation device made from fabric and two hard-foam tubes. You simply slide the 2 foam tubes into the two pockets of cloth, then slide the draft guard under the door. One tube stays inside. One tube stays on the outside. No more draft. The double-sided draft guards are also available for certain windows. The door draft guard sells for around $10 at Bed Bath & Beyond, Lowe's, Home Depot, and other stores that carry "as seen on TV" products. And if you can sew, you can even make your own.
Programmable thermostats: You'd be surprised how much expensive energy you can waste heating a house when no one's home. Someone always forgets to turn down the heat. One easy solution is a programmable thermostat.
Set the controls to lower and raise the temperature automatically. You can find them at hardware stores for as little as $20 and up. Just make sure programmable units are compatible with your heating system.
Turn down the water heater: Next time you leave the house for more than a few days, don't overlook the water heater. Turn that big knob down to the low, vacation setting. That way you're not burning up your money, heating up water that no one's going to use.
Low-flow shower heads and faucet aerators: Still using an old water guzzling shower head? Get rid of it. And replace it with a low flow shower head, you can find all kinds of these on the market now, in fact some utilities may even give them out for free." While you're at it, switch out the old aerators in your faucets.
Toiletry products: Only use the amount of toiletry products needed to do the job. Ever notice how toothpaste ads show the toothbrush covered with toothpaste? If you do that, you're wasting money. Experts say in most cases you only need the size of a pea, which makes that tube of paste last thee or four times longer. Other toiletry products commonly used in excess include shampoos and conditioners.
