Today’s economy in becoming increasingly more difficult, with the demands on resources increasing there is a resulting  increase in costs.  This is putting more pressure on countries, businesses and individuals.

As we are not in control of country and business, we need to look at our lifestyle to live within our means and provide a happy, prosperous and fulfilling life for ourselves and our family.

With increased cost of living demand for higher wages are a consequence.

In my opinion the concept of working longer will only encroach on personal and family time. This will not improve your personal well being and too often leads to conflict and family breakup. We need to live within our means by finding ways to save money and spend wisely.

The inevitable  choice of working longer or getting into financial crises will be forced upon us or we can make life style changes to live better and cheaper.

We will explore the ways to live better and cheaper.

The cost of gasoline in already high and will continue to increase.  This is a fact of life that cannot be avoided. Tips to save on fuel cost will help keep your budget in line and reduce your carbon footprint.

Keep your tires properly inflated. The savings in fuel may not be too significant but by simply keeping your proper tire pressure your tires will last longer. Most important though is that you are much safer on the road. Keep a tie gauge handy and check when fuelling up.

Telecommute is a very cost effective way to reduce transportation time. In the right kind of job you may not need to commute to work every day. Check with your employer to see if work can be done at home and save a trip or two per week.

Vehicle  maintenance will allow your can to run smoothly which improves your gas mileage. Change your oil regularly, replace that air filter and get tune-ups when scheduled. A well maintaned vehicle will save on gas.

Avoid rush hour and busy traffic peaks as stop and go traffic , long idling time or worse a traffic jam will eat up gas.  You can change your shopping and errand schedules to match traffic patterns and maybe change your work commute time to avoid the rush hour.

Remove extra weight from your car.  Check the trunk and remove what your don’t need. Your car take more energy to get up to speed and drags with every extra pound.

Driving Slower increases your miles per gallon this saving on fuel. I find speeding will not necessarily get you there sooner with traffic light timings and/or a minute or two extra is a small price to pay for fuel economy. When driving accelerate slowly and use the brakes as little as safety permits. The cruise control is a good feature to save fuel.

Fill it up but don’t overfill or top up. Gas might spill out when filling spout is filled. Look for best gas prices. Many stations have discounts or coupons at the pump.

Park in a cool place as gas will evaporate in a hot car. Find some shade or use the garage. Park a block or two further away from work for cheaper parking fees and walking will save you.

Walk the kids to school instead of driving. A quick errand close to home might be better as a walk instead of a drive.

Consider cycling .If you live close to work, cycle the commute. The exercise will keep you healthy. When planning to relocate, consider living closer to work and save more on commuting.

Plan your driving. The best route to a from your destination can save gas and group your errand runs together to avoid extra milage.

Carpool, public transit and “Park and Ride” are great alternatives to consider for your trips to work. Less mileage.. Less Gas consumed

Go lighter on your next car purchase and get a more fuel efficent vehicle.

Love the Sun

Well it`s more economical to turnoff your air conditioning unit and get our of the house on those hot days.
( See our post on Air Conditioning Savings for ways to keep your house cool).

Rather than fleeing to the shopping centre for the air conditioned environment and be tempted to buy stuff you might not need, the best thing to do is move the activities outdoors. There are lots of great and inexpensive places to go and things to do.

Patio Furniture

Setup up a nice place in the back yard, in a shady area or under a patio umbrella.  Fire up the barbecue  and enjoy an economical day alone or with friends and family. I fondly remember playing in the sprinklers as a kid. You don`t have to spend the big bucks and take the kids out to the pool or water slide park.

Other options to save money and still have a great time is pack a lunch and go to the beach, a park or community center. Notice I said `Pack a lunch` Save by avoiding the high priced eateries while out and about.

Things needed for the back yard..

Portable BBQ – Great addition as you can take it with you to parks and beach
Cooler for drinks and food – Not too big so you can take it with you
Portable music player -  Load enough to hear and portable for trip away from Yard
Children Entertainment – Pool, slip and slide, croquet, … something to keep them occupied

Hanging at the Beach

If you live near the ocean, a lake or a river. likely your community has a park attached. It is an economical excursion as usually there are no admittance fees. Again pack a lunch in your cooler with drinks and enjoy the day out. You and the family will have a memorable and fun time with minimal expense. As a kid I remember these family outings with   fondness.

Things to bring:

Cooler for drinks and food
Sunscreen, hats and sun protective clothing
Umbrella, beach chairs
Towels and blankets

Get up and go out. Lots of places to meet and network. Join a club, participate in an activity with others and interact with people.

Why?

Learning from other people is invaluable. We  know someone who always gets the best deals when shopping, be it on major purchases like cars and homes and on smaller purchases like groceries, computer hardware and more. Ask about where to get home or auto repairs. You will find a vast knowledge out there that will save money.

When it comes to making a purchase, tell people what you need.  They can be a great source of price comparison, features you may need or not need and places to get the best deal.  As an example, I broke my watch band one day. While telling a friend, rather that suggesting where to buy a new one, he led me to a jeweller who repaired it at a fraction of the cost of replacement

Sometimes we look at alternatives when deciding to spend money. A holiday on the beach resort if that is what you have decided to do, may be in one area or country , but with a different price. Look at where you go out. Dinner out at one place might be cheaper somewhere else, yet just as satisfying. Finding a better price isn’t necessarily a sacrifice but a way you can get more for less.

It`s Hot Outside

Savings during the hot weather around the house are focused mainly on the air conditioning costs. Like your winter and heating costs, energy prices, especially electricity, have escalated dramatically over the years. Make sure you use energy efficient air conditioning equipment to reduce costs.

For a central air conditioning system, the SEER number (seasonal energy efficiency ratio) is 13 or better (14 in warmer climates). A less efficient system will cost you more to run. A high efficiency unit may cost more, but in a hot climate, it will pay for itself in a few years by reducing electricity bills.

Window Air Conditioner

In regards to a window air conditioning unit base the size of the air conditioning unit on the size of the room, the other factors , such as how many windows it has and whether it faces north, south. An air conditioning unit that is too big for the room will work harder and cost you more. Look for an EER (energy efficiency ratio) of 11 or higher for room air conditioners. Regular maintenance on your air conditioning unit is important. Replace the filter monthly during the cooling season and have a professional service it annually.

A cooling system is one of the biggest energy guzzlers in your home (second only to your heating system, depending on where you live). With an old air conditioning system with a SEER rating of less than 8, it may be more economic to consider replacing it.

Install a programmable thermostat and you can program the temperature for when you are home . When you’re home 78 degrees should be cool. If you’re out of the house for awhile a temperature of 85 degree setting will save money.

Keep your condenser located in a cool area preferably in shade and keep plants and shrubs away from condenser .

Strategically planted trees and shrubs especially on the west and south sides to shade the house will reduce your cooling costs.

Drapes and window coverings should be used on the sunny side of your house.

Keep the sun off windows and sliding patio by Installing awnings

Ceiling Fans

Energy efficient ceiling fans can be used in in place of air conditioning on simply warm days.

Ceiling fan used in conjunction with air conditioning will allow you to keep the thermostat turned up thereby saving money. Fans do not cool a room so turn them off when you’re not going to be there

During the next painting or residing project use light colors to reflect the heat and avoid dark colors which absorbs heat Ensure that your attic is properly ventilated with unobstructed vents and perhaps an attic fan. Reflective window tint on your windows can reduce the amount of heat absorbed.

Heat generated indoors from cooking , appliances, computers, dishwashers, laundry machines etc needs to be removed by your cooling system. Consider cooking is often as possible outdoors and use microwave for heating instead of stove. Turn off computers and heat generating appliances when not in use. Lights generate heat so turn them off if not needed. Dry air setting cycle on your dishwasher would also be recommended.

Close off the rooms and cooling ducts in areas such are not in use.

It`s Hot inside

Keep furniture, drapes and any other obstructions away from conditioning vents.

It's cold outside

Living in the cold parts of the world, the heating costs are becoming increasingly higher as the cost of energy seems to skyrocket every year.

Let’s discuss some saving tips that are used to cut down the expense of warming your house.

Living economically  is all about being wise with your cash.

Winter savings tips are great, because you can not only reduce what you pay out, but you make your home more thermally efficient.

By loosing less heat out of your home, you are saving on your heating bill.

Check for  drafts and insulation

caulking gun

Get our the caulking gun and check around doors and windows .  Your house may have settled and left gaps around your windows and doors that will need to be filled to prevent loss of heat from the  home.  Also check door thresholds and weather stripping and replace it necessary.

The draft  excluder might be an interesting thing to make or purchase.

Draft Excluder

Check your insulation within the home including the crawl space attic and walls.  Simply repair any areas that have been damaged or fallen down.  Consider insulating any heating ducts that are exposed to cooler temperatures.  In the long run a consultant may be necessary to advise if insulation upgrades might be warranted.

Turn down your thermostat

It may sound simplistic but simply turning down your heat will save you many dollars on heating expenses.  Many people keep their homes at a temperature higher than is necessary.  In my youth, I remember my father would turn down the thermostat whenever we were leaving the house for a few hours and never failed to turn down the thermostat before retiring for the night.

Programable Themostat

Dad was thrilled when I bought a programmable thermostat for the house as a Christmas present for him.

Check around the house and see if there’s any rooms that you don’t use and turn the heating off to them.

With the temperature in your home reduced, use a warm sweater or pull over and get yourself a nice pair of cozy slippers.  In areas that you spend a lot of time in like maybe your office or den a good space heater will make sure that you’re nice and warm.  At night a duvet or comforter will keep you warm.

Your window coverings are designed not only to keep out the light but to help insulate the windows.  On a  nice sunny day open them up and enjoy the sun but in the evenings and night close curtains and blinds to retain your heat.

Candles are fun

Candles are a nice addition too.  You would be surprised at how much heat  comes off some candles.  They are specially nice if taking a hot bath.

As a side note my father taught me that if you live in an extreme cold area of the world keep a warm blanket and some tea-light candles in the trunk of your car for emergency purposes.

Using rugs and carpets to insulate the floors is great especially under your computer desk where your feet may get cold.