Conservation of earth’s resources is good stewardship and makes great financial sense. It can be very costly to change from electricity to solar, but it’s not that hard to cut some of your dependence on the Water Company. Right now, there are even rebates available for people who want to reduce their water usage, cut their water bill, and make their home a greener place. Read on for the top 5 ways to cut living expenses by focusing on your water resources.

1. Replace Your Showerheads

Old showerheads can use up as much as 5 gallons of water a minute. Newer, low-flow showerheads are rated at 2 gpm or less. That’s cutting your usage in half, without even reducing the number of showers you take. A good low-flow showerhead can range from $15 to $30, and many can be installed on your own. If you want to be sure not to damage other piping as you twist and turn the showerhead to secure it, hire a plumber to finish the job.

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Thrifts stores have more going for them these days than just second hand clothes for sale. You can get toys, furniture and jewelry in a variety of different thrift stores. Goodwill stores even offer reconditioned computers in some areas for only $150 each. With so many people out of work or having trouble making ends meet, a trip to the thrift store can help put a little shopping fun back in their day without the guilt.

What You Can Find

More and more consumers are finding some great deals at their local thrift store. Depending on the store’s policy, you can find either costume or real gold and silver jewelry. In many cases, the jewelry was stuck into clothing by mistake and donated. Most thrift stores make it a point to notify owners when that happens, and the jewelry is returned. Otherwise, if no contact can be made and no one claims it, after a few months it is assumed to be donated and put up for sale. This gives the buying public the opportunity to buy nice jewelry pieces for far less than at retail prices.

Other great finds include antiques. You can find antique dishes and furniture, and sometimes lamps. If you’re not into antiques, people often donate brand new items, still in the box or with tags, because they simply don’t like the purchase, received it as a gift, or are unable to return it to a store. Just because it’s brand new doesn’t mean it’s priced higher. New clothes go for the same as used, and only do some household items get priced a little higher. Yet, you can still get a great deal sometimes for as little as 5 bucks.

Thrift Store Shopping Increased By 35%

Thrift store owners have reported on average a 35% increase in sales. You can blame the economy and the fact that thrift store shopping is now seen as a smart option, rather than only for those with a low-income. Even pawn shops, another place that used to be stigmatized by public opinion, have become more popular too. As people continue to look for ways to save money, thrift store shopping will continue to increase in demand for the foreseeable future.

Electricity is a modern blessing, but it can come attached to a bill. If you didn’t get a 2009 cost of living raise, you’re probably seeking out ideas on how to reduce your living expenses. Rather than seeking to detach from the grid, which can cost thousands, here are a few simple ways to lower the cost of your electric bill.

Disengage When Not In Use

This can mean shutting off the lights when you’re not in a room, or unplugging appliances. Appliances like computers, TVs, and kitchen gadgets have ghost loads that continue to draw energy when plugged in. By getting into the habit of only using items when you need them, you can reduce your electric bill. Get a surge suppressor and plug your appliances into it, then shut them all off at night with one click.

Replace Bulbs With Compact Fluorescents

These bulbs can reduce your energy usage for lights up to 75%. They last 10 times longer than regular incandescent bulbs, keeping you from replacing bulbs as often. They cost more but will end up paying for themselves in as little as six months. They come in small and large sizes, so that you can replace even modern chandelier bulbs with tiny compact fluorescents. Each bulb you replace can save you as much as $30 dollars during the lifetime use. Multiply that by the number of bulbs you replace and you can see that savings really add up.

Replace Your Refrigerator

If your refrigerator was bought in 2001, you can benefit from a newer refrigerator. Newer models are up to 40% more efficient with energy demands, as long as they are labeled “Energy Star.” It can save, on average, about $50 per year as a refrigerator accounts for 15% of your total electric bill. Even though it costs several hundred dollars to replace your refrigerator, check with your state to see what rebates are available for people upgrading their refrigerators to obtain further savings.

Weatherize Your Home

Electric heat can be expensive if your home isn’t properly insulated. It’s an easy thing to determine whether you need more insulation in the attic or the walls. Your windows should be checked for drafts and leaks. Caulk areas that need it. If you can’t replace your windows with energy efficient ones, you can always use plastic thermal window coverings during the winter to reduce the electric bill for as little as $15 for four windows.

Check Your Vents

The number of vents that are open or needed changes from winter to summer. You can shut off an entire room that is not in use in the winter, and save that energy for where it is most needed. If you don’t mind a cold bathroom or basement, shut those vents off and leave the warmth for the rest of the house. Keep vents free from obstruction from furniture and your heating system and filters clean for maximum performance.

With unemployment higher than it’s been in years and current salaries on a down-turn, it has been harder and harder for people to make ends meet in this particular economic climate. Many are losing their homes to job loss and balloon payments on adjustable rate mortgages. So many others have gotten sick or injured and have had to turn to government assistance to get by. Most people think that Americans are greedy and only care about themselves, but there are good Samaritans out there who genuinely want to help others and will offer assistance when available. People like Bill Gates are in good economic shape and give millions away to charities across the world, but we don’t necessarily see many normal, average people helping others financially. In many instances, helping others is just not possible, but some do manage to pull it off without much fanfare.

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Next to housing, transportation is one of the highest expenses in our monthly budget. The cost of buying a new car can range from $20,000 to $50,000. The cost to insure that car can cost hundreds of dollars a month. Gas prices are over $2 a gallon, and can easily top $4 per gallon during the summer time, adding hundreds more per month to our expense column. Then, if the car has a mechanical problem, you can easily spend thousands to get something fixed. Yet, if you were to ask the average person if the cost of owning a car is worth it, the resounding answer would be “yes.” Cars are necessary to get back and forth to our jobs, and they represent a freedom of mobility and living that most Americans value. Instead of ditching the car, here are some ways to lessen the price of owning one. (more…)

As paychecks wither in this economy, it may comes as a surprise that the simple act of eating out can cost you $2000 a year. Unfortunately, people who work outside the home have to factor in the occasional coffee, and the daily lunch costs, and many times that can significantly impact their budget, too, especially if they’re only working part time jobs. Add to that birthdays, holidays, and just the urge to eat out every now and then, and the costs of eating out quickly take a huge chunk out of what’s left of your disposable income. If you’re looking for somewhere to save big this year, consider some of these strategies to rein in those dollar munchies. (more…)

While we all know that we need to have at least six months to a year’s worth of our salary stored in savings should the unforeseeable occur, it can be quite hard to funnel our money into a savings account when the shopping bug strikes. Whether you have to have the newest fashions, or the newest electronic device that will make your neighbors green with envy, our society tends to prefer the gratification of owning a particular product to the stability of a portly savings account. A quick look at the number of American families who carry a hefty credit card balance goes to prove that material things tend to rate higher than having money in the bank.

Only recently has this trend begun to change. With the increasing number of Americans that are unemployed, we’re finally starting to realize that the stability of our jobs may be in jeopardy which is prompting many of us to start saving. Here are some simple tips to help you build you savings balance so you can be prepared no matter what unforeseeable event may occur in your life. (more…)

If we were all to sit and write out what it costs to maintain our personal grooming habits each month, it would probably be shocking. Even frugal people may not notice how a hair cut and color, nail work, and/or contacts take a big chunk out of your monthly budget. There are other alternatives, and if you don’t mind doing things yourself, you can save quite a bit of money, even if the look isn’t exactly model perfect. Or, as in the case of dental or eye work, you may want to fund the work now, while still employed, by either using cash advance loans or some other form of credit.  (more…)

You’ve heard of the big rebates being offered for changing out water boilers and heaters to energy efficient models, but who has a spare couple grand to spend right now, right? What you may not know is that there are plenty of small changes that you can implement to your house that are easily budgeted, that cost very little upfront and produce a great return on their investment over the course of a year. They can include changes in your daily habits, how you obtain a service, and/or simple household fixes that change your consumption habits without too much trouble. (more…)

If you’ve been hearing funny noises coming from your refrigerator, or you’re wondering how to reduce the energy consumption of your household, the federal government is going to make your life easier next year. Many states, in conjunction with a federal cash for appliances program, are offering rebates on energy efficient models of household systems like air conditioners, refrigerators, and clothes washers, and more. In addition, each state has other types of incentives, like utility and appliance discounts and rebates, that can be stacked together to provide an even bigger incentive to get rid of your old appliances now. The rebates will vary with each state, but all do require you to purchase an Energy Star model, which indicates that the appliance you are buying meets federal guidelines for energy efficiency. Even if you’re short of cash to front the payment for a new appliance, you can opt to borrow knowing that you will get that money back shortly from the program. A paycheck advance would work well if you can cover the the cost of appliance, and then repay the loan in the next paycheck cycle. This way, you don’t miss the opportunity to purchase these appliances while the rebate program is running. (more…)