Saving Big with Little Changes
Worried that going frugal might change things too much for you? Why not ease into things by learning to save big with just a few small changes?
Here are a few simple ways that you can save quite a bit of money over the course of a year by altering your lifestyle and behaviors only slightly and with a minimal impact on how you already live your life.
1. Make absolutely sure that you pay each and every bill you receive by the date it is due. Late fees and other associated penalties not only suck, they add up. Would you not rather spend that extra five, ten or twenty dollars on groceries or put it into your savings account? I know I would!
2. If you have a dishwasher, you should probably use it. I know that is possibly not what you would expect a frugal guy like me to say, but the majority of people waste a ton of water when they wash dishes. If you aren’t the type who fills both sinks once and washes everything that way you are better off using the dishwasher and only then when it is full.
3. Fix the damn sink! Even a slow drip on a faucet can cause you to lose as much as a gallon of water every hour – most often it is even more than that! Do I really need to do the math for you?
4. If you are not using it, turn it off. That goes not only for lights, but televisions, radios and even that precious home computer. Electronics that are not in use can be unplugged for even more savings.
5. If you have central air conditioning, get a programmable thermostat! They don’t cost that much but you could save quite a bit by setting the temperature a little higher when the house is empty. By raising the temperature a few degrees while you are at work you can realize a power bill savings as high as 10 percent or more!
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