While reading Jen’s post at Muddy Boot Dreams this morning she got me thinking about some things we are changing in our lives soon.
If all goes according to plan we will be in a new home by June 12 or 13. We have made some decisions that will save us money. This is a good thing since my commute to work will be quite long and will consume a lot of fuel for sure.
We are not keeping our home phone. We will be using our cell phones exclusively. For my BB Guy this is nothing new as he is on his phone from morning til night already for work. His is paid for by his work.
For me it will be more of a challenge since I rarely use my phone. I cannot have it on at work so for most of the day it is off. I check for messages on my lunch break. Usually anyone who wants to phone me calls the house.
My cell phone plan includes 10 free long distance numbers. Perfect. I couldn’t even fill the list and soon there will be more people living close by that I will no longer need long distance for anyways.
Monthly savings = about $50.00
Next item is our daily newspaper delivery. When I was at home full time I read the paper every day but since back in the work force I no longer take the time to read it instead getting my news online. My BB Guy does read it though. He agreed that when we move we will no longer get the paper. It is a waste of paper and a messy nuisance.
Monthly savings = $30.00
Since we are moving to a place with very little lawn to care for I will be taking this task on myself. I don’t mind mowing a small yard but could not take care of our 1/4 acre lot we are currently in. With the many garden beds to mow around an electric mower was not an option and with my short little arms I cannot start a regular pull start mower. The electric start mowers never ever work for long and like a barbecue started soon become useless. Since my BB Guy is often not here there was no other choice but to hire a lawn fairy for our big lot. We will get a small, light rechargeable mower. No electrical cords, no pull start cords, no buttons. It will also be a mulching mower so no grass to dispose of either. Good for the environment and for the wallet.
Lawn fairies do not come cheap and with the fertilizing, moss control, mowing, weedwhacking etc. the monthly bill could be in the $250.00 range most months.
We are empty nesters now as well. Our electric and gas bills will be cut in half at least. Showers, laundry and dishwasher runs will be fewer (okay we are still showering regularly but not for half an hour at a time) . I think there are enough savings here alone to justify not switching to those disgusting CFL lightbulbs which for the most part are useless for lighting.
We are also seeing the end of a few other payments that total far more than what I will be spending on gas to go back and forth to work. In the end we are coming out ahead financially even though we are upgrading in our home to a larger, 7 year old one from a home that is about 40 years old.
What have you done to keep more money in your wallets? Share your tips.
My biggest tip is a no brainer, I cook for myself. Eating out, even morning coffee, really adds up. Made me happy when that light bulb went on for my oldest son a while ago:@)
ReplyDeleteWe switched to the new LED lights - we got them on a special at Office Mex - 4.00 each - we replaced 12 in our house and our electric bill went down 20.00 the first month - nothing else changed so it had to be the light bulbs. They are so much better than those curly ones - which give out rays that are harmful to our brains. These bulbs should last years and years - they say 13 years if you burn them 3 hours a day - some are used longer - some shorter - but they are a good bargain no matter how long you use them a day. There are some that are more spendy - but look around for the sales.
ReplyDeleteWe put a timer on our hot water heater - no sense in heating water all day and all night when no one is using it. It is set to be on from 4 a.m. to 7:15 a.m. - plenty of time for the water to get hot and for our showers. If we need more hot water at another time we can manually override the timer and then hopefully remember to shut it off again when we are done needing extra.
When we have family dinners we turn the hot water heater on when people start arriving and then we have plenty of hot water for kitchen clean up.
Dishwashers heat their own water so we don't have to run the hot water heater for that.
The timer cost about 60.00 - we paid a handyman to put it in - another 60.00 - and we've had it for over 5 years and the savings are unbelievable - another 30.00 a month.
And if we go away on a trip we turn off the hot water heater at the switch box - no sense in heating water all that time - that is a big money saver.
Good for you being able to save all those bucks! We too use only one cell phone, with no data plan and Canada-wide long distance - found a plan at a good price. And don't always carry it with us (what did we do back in the day before cell phones?) Also - we are on Shaw TV/internet, so have just plugged into Shaw Go Wifi, which will allow us to check our emails at wifi hot spots when traveling in western Canada if we're not in a campground with free wifi available - we just don't think we need to be attached to internet 24/7 all the time, which allows us to forego the data plan on the phone.A number of years ago we reduced our Hydro bill by 35% just by unplugging unnecessary stuff when not in use like TV's, microwave (power bars with off-switches made this easy). We can't go much lower than that. We only run our dishwasher about once a month, we have to wash some things by hand anyway..... We started using the LCD bulbs but have since learned that they cost more to the environment than they save in electricity, so are gradually switching back. Besides that, as we get older we find we need brighter lights ('my eyes are dim, I cannot see...'). I see that Jo suggested a timer on the hot water tank, but that would only work for an electric tank, but certainly the temp can be turned down on a gas tank to minimize its running hours (and of course turning it to vacation mode when away). We're set at just above 'warm' which works for us. Looking forward to seeing pics of your new place when you get there! Congratulations!
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