Guesr Post by Israel Defeo
If you are hoping to cut down on expenses, it is always a good idea to hit two birds with one stone and try to save the planet while you save money. To give you inspiration, here are a few tips we have gathered:
1. Use energy-efficient bulbs.
– Lighting in your home takes up around 11% of your house’s total energy bill. To be able to save money, energy and ultimately the planet, try replacing your incandescent light bulbs with energy-efficient fluorescent bulbs (CFLs) or light-emitting diodes (LEDs). You may also use halogens instead. Replacing your current lighting with energy-efficient bulbs can provide you with up to 75% savings on your annual electricity bill. Energy efficient bulbs also last longer so there is less need for replacements, saving you more on money and time in the process.
2. Fix water leaks.
– Check all the faucets, toilets, and other water systems in your house and have all broken faucets and water facilities fixed. A leaking faucet can spill around 3 gallons of water per day, while leaking toilets can waste 22 gallons, and though it may not cost much, it could add up to a big cost in a year. Have your faucets and toilets fixed immediately and try to replace it with facilities that use low-flow to avoid wasting water.
3. Pack your lunch.
– Eating out everyday can also be costly, especially when you rely on restaurants and other food establishments for your breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Save big money by cooking meals at home. You could also opt to for sandwiches and salads—if you can subsist on such fare—instead of using so much energy for those times that you cook meat dishes.
4. Use power cord extensions.
– Aside from enabling more electrical devices to be plugged and lengthening the reach of electric plugging and charging, power cord extensions also allow automatic turning off of electronics, which results in saved energy and money. This is in contrast to just plugging your electrical appliances and smart phones directly onto the wall, where there are more chances of leaving the electricity plugged in, which can take up 31% of the average utility bill. Use your power cord extensions on TV, computers, and for charging your phone and turn off the power after use.
5. Turn down your water heater.
– Another cause of your electricity bill spike is too much use of the hot water from the water heater. Water heating can take up as much as 25% of the cost of electricity bill, as reported by Good Housekeeping. Reduce your energy bill expenses by turning down your water heater by several notches and switching to an energy-efficient water heater. You may also opt for a solar powered water heater to further reduce your energy bills.
6. Start your own garden.
– If you always purchase certain vegetables and fruits from the market, then it would probably benefit you to start your own garden and plant common crops such as tomatoes, potatoes, salad greens, and fruits. You can save on the price of these fruits and veggies, and at the same time, sell some of the veggies off if your garden is doing well and producing extra crops.
Do all 6 basic tips for saving the planet and you will see that not only have you helped your environment by reducing the carbon footprint, but you have also managed to wisely save money while you were at it.
This is an article contribution by Israel Defeo. He writes for Money Hero, a financial comparison website based in Hong Kong. When he is not writing for Money Hero, you can find him writing about music in Jam n Bop.
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