As we ring in the New Year and face a slumping worldwide economy, saving money is as important as ever. Just as important is doing things to save our natural resources. The growing world population is putting an ever increasing strain on non-renewable resources like oil and natural gas. In fact, the high demand on oil and natural gas pushed prices to record levels last year and certainly influenced the financial problems many people are facing right now. An energy savings attitude is one way to combat that. This will help you save money as well as help planet Earth.
There are a lot of things you can do to help save energy and save money.
- Use high efficiency or Energy Star appliances
- Use solar powered lights
- Turn off your computer when not using it
- Use a programmable thermostat
- Turn off your TV when not watching it
- Use fluorescent light bulbs
- Turn off the lights when you leave a room
The easiest thing you can do to save energy and thus save money, is to turn things off when you are done using them. When you leave a room, get in the habit of turning the light off when you leave the room. There is no need to leave the light on for the dust mites in the carpet. When you are done watching television, turn your TV off. TV’s use a lot of energy and we often leave them when we really aren’t watching them. You should also turn your computer off when you are not using it. This is especially true if you have an older CRT that uses a lot more energy than newer LCD monitors.
Another easy thing to do to save money is to use a programmable thermostat. If you don’t have one already you can buy one for under $50 and they are pretty easy to install. You set it up so you don’t heat or cool your house when it isn’t needed. For example, there is no reason to heat or cool your house when everybody is at school or work during the day. The other nice thing about a programmable thermostat is you can set it so it is exactly the temperature you want when you get home or get up in the morning. It saves energy, saves money, and is very convenient. It is a win, win, win scenario so go get one if you don’t have one already.
Fluorescent light bulbs use a lot less energy than traditional incandescent light bulbs and they last a lot longer. It will cost a little more to start with, but you will save money because they last longer and you will save money because they use less electricity. The only downside is that they are hazardous if broken so your really need to be extra careful when handling fluorescent light bulbs.
High efficiency appliances are becoming very popular today and they come with labels that tell you how much money you are going to save right on the label. Additionally, you may be able to get a tax break for buying “Energy Star” labeled appliances. Now, this probably isn’t enough to justify replacing all your current appliances just to be more efficient, but when it is time to shop for new appliances, keep an eye out for the energy star label.
Another easy way to save energy is to look for solar powered lights. These lights have a solar cell that takes in the suns rays during the day and converts it into stored electrical power to use when it is dark out. These are commonly used as accent lights in landscaping. Not only do they save money, they are easier to use because you don’t have to run power to them. Just put them where you need them and start saving.
There are two very good reasons to save energy. First, we really need to be good stewards to our planet. To really do the most you can, you should also look into green energy plans with your power company. Many energy companies like Ambit Energy offer green energy plans that encourage the use of energy from sources like windmills. The other reason to save energy is to help yourself and save money. There are new energy companies out there like Ambit Energy that are changing the way the energy business is run by keeping prices low and giving high quality service. In fact, Ambit is giving back to people who want to start earning financial freedom. The Ambit Home Business Opportunity gives people the opportunity to start earning some of the money the big energy monopolies have been hording for years. Just as with saving energy, Ambit really is a win, win, win scenario.