The Paradox of Having to Spend Money to Save It

I found this really great article in Parade Magazine and thought it had some useful tips. This is a case of spending money to make money but none of outlays are really expensive except for maybe replacing your toilet. Each of the appliances they want you to consider all wind up paying for themselves over a fairly short period of time.

Programmable thermostat - Buy a thermostat with a “brain” that lowers the temperature when you’re snuggled in bed or not at home. Prices range from $20.00 for a basic Energy Star component to 100.00 for a top-of-the-line model. Any smart thermostat will lower your heating and cooling bills. Depending on how often you’re away from home – it may make sense to send a bit more on one that can keep tabs on your schedule and even switch between heating and cooling on its own.

Spend $20 – $100
Save: an average of $180 a year

Water-filtration systems for faucets – Pick a $20 system that gives you 900 cups of water filtered of 99% of contaminants. Or, for closer to $50, get a high-tech filter that tells you when to change it. Both will help you spend less on purified water. If you buy only two 20 oz. bottles of water a day at $1 each, that’s $60 a month leaving your wallet, not to mention a big pile of plastic to recycle.

Spend: $20 to $50 every 3 to 4 months

Save: $100 to $500 a year

Low-flow shower heads and toilet tanks – Save hundreds of gallons of hot water with aerating low-flow shower heads. Basic models cost $5. Replace your toilet with an EPA WaterSense-ladled model ($100 to $300) that uses only 1.3 gallons for a regular toilet. That’s a savings of up to 4000 gallons of water a year. If you can’t afford a new toilet, try this: Place a water-filled bottle in your toilet tank to reduce the amount of water used per flush.

Spend: Shower head plus toilet, from $5 (aerating head and a bottle in the bowl) to $350

Save $90+ a year

Compact fluorescent bulbs - These bulbs may be pricey – anywhere from $70 to $100 for a pack of 12 – but they’ll pay for themselves in six months, and each will save half a ton of carbon emissions over the life of the bulb. Be careful of the mercury inside the bulb. If you accidentally break one, be sure to open the windows and use gloves to pick up the pieces.

Here is a video with a guy showing you how to put in a CFL bulb and he gives you more statistics on savings

Spend $70 to $100 for a moderately sized home

Save: 5% to 25% on you monthly electricity bill

Coffeemaker and thermos - Skip the local coffee shop and start your own java joint in your kitchen. When it comes to a sturdy coffeemaker, spending $40 to $50 will get you the best bang for your buck. For $15 to $20, get a thermos that keeps your coffee hot and has a close-able spout to avoid spills. You can buy first-rate coffee beans (ground or whole) for about $6 to $7 a pound.

Spend: $45+ for maker and thermos, plus coffee ($24+ a month)

Save: $20 + a month

Lower Your Utility Bills

Here is one of those two-for deals. You can conserve water, save energy and save money on your utility bills at the same time.

Save on your water heating bill:

1.  Don’t heat the water so hot

Lower the temperature setting on the water heater to 120 degrees— that temperature will prevent bacteria from building up and will still be sufficient to generate enough hot water for most uses.

Add an insulation “jacket” to the tank and wrap any exposed pipes to save up to 15 percent of hot water cost.

Every 3 months drain one quart of water from the tank to remove any sediment that impedes heat transfer and lowers the efficiency of the hot water heater.

When you replace the heater look for the Energy Star and EnergyGuide labels.

2. Use less hot water

Bathroom – Fix leaky faucets and plumbing joints -save 20 gallons a day per leak.

Install low-flow shower head – save 800 gallons a month.

Install aerators on faucets – if added to bathrooms and kitchen sinks save 1000 gallons a year.

Take shorter showers – one or two minute reduction saves 700 gallons a month.

Laundry room -

With many choices of cold water detergents, “warm” or “hot” water settings can be reserved for only really dirty clothes.

Run full loads.

Wash bulky bedding and/or towels separately from lighter-weight clothing items. This will help dryer work more efficiently. While the dryer doesn’t use water directly, maximizing its performance is key to cutting energy cost.

When purchasing a new washing machine look for Energy Start and EnergyGuide labels. Also, front-loading horizontal axis types save energy and water.

Kitchen -

Install 7 gallon per load dishwasher to replace older model (9.5 to 12 gallon). You can save 940 kWh per year.

Make setting adjustments to conserve water and energy. Check manufacturer’s instructions for your options.  For example, choose no-heat drying option.

Scrap don’t pre-wash dishes.

Wash only full loads.

Select light-wash option. Experts say that it is rarely necessary to use the normal setting on a dishwasher.

Don’t let water for cooking run until it’s hot that’s heating it twice.

Use the disposal less, and the garbage can more — even better COMPOST!

See our related post Cheap Air Purifier Filters

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