Reduce Utility Bills

There are a few super simple ways to save on your utility bills that will have a bonus savings in other areas.

1. Reduce amount of shampoo and conditioner. Using the right amount of shampoo and conditioner will reduce the amount of water and the amount of energy used to heat the water in the shower. Excess shampoo and conditioner will take longer to rinse, especially if you have long or thick hair. Higher priced brands are usually less concentrated so you can use less per shower.
2. Minimize hand washing. Using hand disinfectants (especially the ones with lotion that don’t dry) will be less expensive than running and heating water. Regular towels and paper towels are not needed for drying either so that reduces laundry and paper waste (bad for the environment).
3. Know your employee benefits and any discounts that come with it. (Wal-Mart employees get discounts on selected cell phone service each month). If your company matches any contributions, participate and take that free money to use for paying utility bills.
4. Diet. If you need to loose weight, less weight in the car will save money on gas and wear and tear on the vehicle. Changing your diet to include a fresh food night that requires no cooking and no driving to fast food will benefit your health, your environment, and reduce the utility bill (and your gas bill).

Cell phone batteries can be easily fooled. If you always charge it when it is 1/2 way down, then it will think that it is needs to be recharged when it is near 1/2 way down. This will cause added electrical use because it will be charged more frequently. It may also give you the false impression that your battery doesn’t hold a charge.

To “reset” the battery, when it shows you need to recharge your battery, turn yourphone off for a few seconds and turn back on. See if it changes the battery charge indicator position. Also, when you are home and can easily plug in your phone, use the phone until your battery is nearly dead. Having a second battery that is available and fully charged will prevent charging when it’s not needed “just to be safe”

Reminder-unplug the charger when not in use! Anything that is plugged in will draw some electricity. Individual items may not draw much alone, but combine it with all the items in your home, it can add up.

I figured out 2 ways to save on a cell phone bill:

1. Add another line
2. Take off extra services

Add another line

Do you have someone that you really trust that you can share a phone account with? A second line will be cheaper for someone than to have their own single line. Make prior arrangements how many minutes each person has. In the event of overage, each person will be responsible for their portion of going over. That way if cell phone “A” goes over in minutes and it effects cell phone “B”, they won’t have to pay extra if they stay within their allotted minute.Have the person who has the second line contribute to the main account. Both users will have a lower bill.

Take off extra services

See if you can add roadside assistance cheaper with your current auto insurance as a benefit with a current membership (like Sam’s Club, Costco, etc)

See how long until you can renew your contract. If it is at one year, take off the product guard/protection. When you renew your contract there will be the opportunity to buy a new phone cheap or even get one for free. This option is usually available at one year. So if your phone breaks, just renew the contract and get a new and updated phone! Contact your phone company for the details of your plan and contract.