Dangerous Scenarios

House fires are more common than you may realize, with potential fire starters like light bulbs, laptops, and lint traps hiding in plain sight throughout your home, disguised as harmless, everyday necessities. Are you guilty of one of these bad habits that could burn your house down? Read on to find out.

Misusing Electric Blankets

A warm and cozy electric blanket is a welcome comfort in the cold of winter, but it also poses a potential fire hazard if used improperly. Never allow pets to snuggle up on top, and don’t pile extra covers over the electric blanket, because excessive heat buildup may lead to fire. Keep your electric blanket at its lowest setting, never bend the coils, and always turn it off in the morning.

Neglecting Appliance Recalls

During the last decade, home appliances caused an estimated 150,000 fires each year, and a significant number of these were caused by defective appliances. 

Lingering Dryer Lint

We all know that emptying the lint screen increases your dryer’s efficiency, but did you know that lint is also flammable? Mixing excessive heat with lint buildup is a recipe for disaster. Clean the dryer vent and exhaust duct regularly, as well as the interior of the dryer frame, to clear away lint and clogs, and reduce the risk of fire.

Letting Your Laptop Overheat

If you own a laptop, you know how hot it can get. When you leave your computer on your bed, couch, rug, or other soft, flammable surface, you run the risk of restricting airflow through the cooling vents, which can cause your laptop to overheat and possibly catch fire. To prevent fires, keep your laptop on a desk or table instead.

Choosing the Wrong Wattage

If you’ve ever thought to yourself, “It’s probably OK to use this 60-watt bulb in a 40-watt socket,” you’re not alone. You are, however, putting your home at risk. Installing a light bulb with a wattage that is too high for a lamp or light fixture is a leading cause of electrical fires. Always check the light fixture’s maximum wattage, and never go over the recommended rating.

Disregarding Dust

Believe it or not, built-up dust can be a fire hazard if it collects in and around electronics, electrical sockets, and even floor heaters. By vacuuming on a regular basis, especially behind your electronics, you’ll significantly reduce the likelihood that particles of dust will catch fire due to prolonged exposure to heat sources.

Leaving Candles Unattended

Candles add ambiance and aroma to any interior, but their soft glow can grow into a blaze far bigger than you planned for if left to burn unsupervised. While you’re away, Fido could knock the votive over, or a draft could cause the flame to flare up and ignite nearby flammable items. Always keep lit candles in sight and out of reach of pets, children, or flammables like drapes. Before leaving the room, use a snuffer to completely extinguish candles.

Stepping Away from the Stove

You may think you have enough time to get the laundry out before the onions on the stove brown, but resist the urge to leave the kitchen with the stove still on. A small flame can turn into a conflagration in less than 30 seconds, so keep your feet in the kitchen and your eyes on the stove whether you’re sautéing vegetables or searing meat. If you must step away, turn off the stove before doing so; it won’t take as long as you think to reheat!

Ignoring Loose-Fitting Plugs

If no plug seems to stay put in one of your electrical outlets, it’s likely because the metal contact points in the receptacle have deteriorated and no longer allow for a secure connection. Continue plugging into the shoddy outlet and the missed connection could ignite a spark and cause a house fire as the current moves across air gaps, a phenomenon known as “arcing.” For peace of mind when plugging in, call an electrician to replace the at-risk receptacle right away.

Leaving Traces in the Toaster

Every time you brown bread or a bagel in the toaster, they shed crumbs that fall into the bottom of the appliance. During the next toasting cycle, these same crumbs can heat up and catch fire, and your toaster, along with the kitchen, could, well, be toast. If your toaster has a removable crumb tray, regularly unplug and cool down the toaster, take out and empty the tray, and wash it with warm soapy water to prevent crumb build-up. If the unit doesn’t have a crumb tray, unplug it and then gently tip over and shake it to get rid of most of the crumbs.

Piling Up Dirty Rags

A wood stain can bestow the perfect finishing touch on a DIY furniture project. But later on, that pile of oil-soaked rags you tossed in the corner could trigger the perfect storm: Left unattended, those rags are a very real fire hazard, as they could oxidize and spontaneously combust, causing a house fire. To dispose of oily rags properly, place them in a metal can that’s been filled with water, and cover it with a tight-fitting lid, or lay them flat outside to dry.

Consider Your Needs

Moving beyond appearance, keeping your lifestyle and culinary needs in mind when shopping for appliances can help save some bucks. If most of your meal preparation consists of plating takeout or heating prepared foods, a multi-burner, high-BTU cooktop or double oven will likely offer way more firepower then required. This could be a good place to scale back.

Keep an eye out for appliance options and extras, and skip the ones you won’t use or don’t need. For example, a lot of refrigerators come equipped with external water dispensers—some even offer a choice of cubed or crushed ice. It’s a neat feature, but one that wouldn’t get a daily or even weekly workout in some households. Finding a model without these goodies would benefit your bottom line.

Mix it Up with High-Low

When it comes to cabinetry, home remodelers can learn a lesson from clothes-conscious fashionistas, who have always found ways of making a statement with a kind-to-the-budget blend of high and low. Just as the well dressed and the beautiful can make headlines by pairing a Gap T-shirt with a couture skirt, savvy kitchen remodelers can create a stir at home by mixing and matching items from big box stores and boutiques.

Architect Mark R. LePage, AIA, president and partner in charge of operations at Fivecat Studio in Pleasantville, NY, recommends dressing up simple, budget-conscious IKEA cabinets with decorative high-end knobs and pulls.

Pairing IKEA cabinet boxes with custom wood doors and drawers is another of his money-saving strategies, as is using open wooden shelving in place of the lower cabinets. LePage likes to shop at commercial kitchen supply houses for open stainless steel shelving and rolling carts, which make versatile and smart-looking storage units. Though low cost, they tend to play nicely with upscale kitchen elements.

Plywood Can Be Beautiful

Sealed plywood cabinets are an affordable option, according to LePage. Made of wood veneer layers from trees like spruce, birch, or tropical hardwood, plywood often has a bold, distinctive grain and can be decorative as well as durable.

Cabinet savings can go more than skin deep. Instead of ordering units equipped with built-in rollouts and dividers, consider retrofitting them from the array of less-expensive ready-made items available through storage specialty shops, catalogs, and big box stores. It’s also fun to improvise your own in-cabinet storage solutions: Stamp your kitchen with personal style by combining storage bins, boxes, and baskets in a mix of sizes, colors, textures and materials.Photo: formica.com

Resist Temptations

Cutting cabinetry costs may make it tempting, and possible, to splurge on an extravagant countertop. Resist the temptation. There are lots of ways to get good-looking and well-functioning counters at a smart price, especially by aiming for that high-low blend. Use pricey materials such as stone or wood sparingly; focus them on specific workstations for tasks like baking or chopping. Topping the remainder of your counter space with less expensive surfaces (e.g., laminates).

LePage suggests dressing up laminate countertops with wood or stainless steel edging for a custom look. He also likes to create counters by repurposing salvaged materials such as stone, stainless steel or wood.

Consider Tiles over Slabs

For those who love the look of natural stone like granite, marble, and even alabaster, tiles are typically more affordable than the bigger, thicker slabs that must be custom cut to fit. Ranging in size from petite mosaics to 12-inch squares to even larger rectangles, and available in a seemingly unlimited variety of colors and patterns, stone tiles are a versatile option for counters, floors, backsplashes and elsewhere. Again, there are almost endless mixing and matching options, with the luxe-looking natural stone employed sparingly as accents, borders, or to create a pattern in a surface otherwise dominated by wood, ceramic tile, or another less expensive material.

DIY Your Backsplash

The backsplash can be a place to let your imagination—and your do-it-yourself chops—run wild. Applied to the walls, sheet metal such as copper, galvanized aluminum, stainless steel or traditional tin ceiling panels can add a touch of bling to the room. LePage likes using broken colored glass for a lively and nontraditional backsplash mosaic. Or recycle your broken pottery shards, tile scraps, and other ceramic odds and ends into a pique assiette pattern, reminiscent of the playful works of the Catalan architect Antoni Gaudi.

With a combination of careful shopping, imagination, flexibility and creativity, you can plan your way to an affordable new kitchen.

Round up receipts

Dedicate a box near your front door as the spot where you stash your everyday receipts from the grocery store, fuel fill-ups, clothing purchases, and more. Then, if you need to return something, say that pair of shoes you wore once before the trim started fraying or the bread that went moldy after one day, you’ll be able to easily locate the receipt for a full refund. On a weekly basis, separate out the ones you’ll need for your taxes or expense reports in labeled envelopes inside the box. Estimates show about 50 percent of employees never turn in receipts for reimbursements for personal money spent on business expenses.

Rearrange the refrigerator

You won’t eat the food you can’t readily see – and worldwide an astonishing 30% of food that gets produced is not eaten, the retail equivalent of $1 trillion every year. Organizing your fridge smartly is key. Keep the food that will spoil first or that lunch you want to remember to bring to the office tomorrow at eye level. Store leftovers and snacks, like pasta salad or cut-up fruits and veggies, in clear containers, so they’re easy to spot.

Purge the pantry

Have dinner at home more and you could save $3,000+ a year, reports the Bureau of Labour Statistics; that’s the amount the average household spends annually on eating out and ordering in. An organized pantry is the first step toward making cooking at home a whole lot easier. First, toss out the old cans of soup that have been sitting there forever and donate the will-not-use items – this will not only make more space for your favorites, it saves you the time and effort of hunting around. Next, group like foods together so you can quickly scan your available ingredients and be able to whip up a meal – and some savings – in minutes.

Set reminders

Stay on top of deadlines to avoid rush charges with this simple trick: add “deadline approaching” reminders to your calendar. For example, make a note to “mail birthday gift” a week before the recipient’s birthday and you’ll have enough time to shop, wrap it, and ship it without needing to pay extra for costly overnight shipping. You can save even more money by reminding yourself to cancel subscriptions, auto-shipments you don’t need, and free trial memberships. You can set up alerts a set amount of days before an event on many electronic calendars, including Outlook and Google. Or if you’re using a paper calendar, simply write it in.

Create a “drop zone”

At the start of each week, look over your calendar to see what’s on tap. Then, gather the items you’ll need – say your daughter’s soccer cleats or a bottle of wine for a hostess gift – and place these in a designated “drop zone” by the door. (This can be a table, shelving unit, or bags on hooks.) This will save you from having to buy new items at the last minute because you forgot to grab the ones you already have at home. You should also check the weather and prepare for it too – this way you’ll never have to spring for a costly new umbrella when there’s a sudden downpour.

Safely store “like cash”

You wouldn’t haphazardly toss a $20 bill in a junk drawer, so why are you doing exactly that with that store gift card? An astounding $1 billion in gift cards go unused every year. To avoid misplacing yours and to make sure its handy the next time you’re at its designated store, start keeping them in a single spot in your wallet. Or if you know you’ll be redeeming them online, go ahead and create an account on the site and enter the gift card info; the credit will automatically be there the next time you shop.

Free up space

Finding extra space in your home pays off in multiple ways. First and foremost, you won’t have to keep shelling out for that self-storage unit each month. Second, you’ll be able to hit up bulk-buying stores (and easily store them) for big savings. Lastly, you might even make enough space to get your car back in the garage, which fewer than 25 percent of us can do. Parking your car in a garage helps protect it from the elements to better preserve its exterior and interior, is better for the engine in colder months, and may even knock a few dollars off your insurance.

Put things away

The average person spends a total of 153 days of their life looking for misplaced items, research has shown. That averages out to ten minutes a day; ten minutes you could be answering emails, cooking dinner, exercising, etc. Then there are the added costs of buying replacement items for things you already own but just can’t find. Phones, keys, sunglasses, and charger cords top the list of regularly misplaced items. Invest in a clear over-the-door organizer for the exterior door you use the most often – and use it. It will pay dividends in extra minutes and money.

Prep for shopping trips

If you’re not already, you should always shop from a grocery list; not only does this help prevent you from spending extra on gas on a return trip for that forgotten item, you won’t pick up those little extras that you don’t really need, like that chocolate bar or bottle of ice coffee, on a subsequent trip. You should also check store catalogs to see what’s on sale before you go – virtually all grocery stores share these online – and search for digital coupons. Having a plan helps curb those impulse purchases, which can cost you an average of $5,400 a year, according to Slickdeals.net.

1. How to make the paint last longer

When a paint can is stored upside down, the paint creates an absolutely airtight seal, which will make your paint last longer. The obvious caveat to this tip is to make sure the lids are sealed tightly.

2. How to repair scratched glasses

Scratched eyeglasses are a real nuisance and make it hard to see. If your glasses don’t have antiglare or scratch coating on them, here’s how to get minor scratches out. Put a drop of Brasso on a 100 percent cotton cloth (the softer the better). Apply the product to the lenses, let it dry completely, and then polish out the scratches.

3. How to make an outdoor faucet last longer

When you turn off a frost-proof faucet, water continues to trickle out of the long pipe even after the valve is closed. When people see that water, they often assume the valve didn’t close, so they crank down harder, which over-compresses the washer, greatly reducing its life. Patience is the key. Wait a second or two after closing the valve. The water should eventually stop (unless you’ve already destroyed the washer).

Myth: Frost-proof faucets cannot freeze.

Fact: Leaving a hose attached throughout the winter could leave water in the line to freeze and cause the faucet to burst. Also, if the faucet slopes slightly toward the house, the long pipe will also hold water that can freeze.

4. How to re-use a vacuum cleaner bag

“In a pinch, a vacuum cleaner bag is actually reusable. The bottom end of the bag is usually folded over a few times and glued shut. To reuse a bag, unroll its end, being careful not to tear it, and then empty the contents into the trash. Refold the end and staple it back together. This hint definitely deserves a cheapskate award, but it works when you need it to.” —Travis Larson

5. How to make a band saw blades last longer

The band saw blades that are always under pressure can break prematurely from metal fatigue. Extend the life of your blades by releasing the blade tension whenever your saw will sit idle for three days or longer. Some saws have a quick-release mechanism, which makes this a cinch. Otherwise, make your saw blades last longer by rotating the tensioning knob two or three complete turns.

6. How to make a paint roller last longer

“Washing a paint roller cover between coats of paint is a waste of time—and paint. So one of my painting necessities is a can of chips; preferably plastic cans. Before I start painting, I eat the chips and then clean out the can. I don’t want any unintended texture on my walls! Between coats, I slip the wet roller cover in the empty chip can and pop on the lid to keep it from drying out.” —Thomas Nolan

7. How to make a garden hose last longer

UV light from the sun slowly destroys plastics, so if you can’t keep your garden hose out of the sun, wipe it down with some Armor All or similar protectant in the spring and again midsummer. Set the hose on plastic or cardboard, spray the whole thing down and then wipe it with a rag.

8. How to make a pair of spectacles last longer

Got screws that won’t stay put in your favorite spectacles? Paint a thin coat of nail polish on screws to keep them from coming loose. Remove the screw, paint it with the nail polish and screw it back in. The nail polish keeps it in place as it gets in all the cracks and spaces.

9. How to make your roof last longer

Leaves and moss can trap water and cause your roof to deteriorate prematurely. You can blow the leaves off a low-pitched roof with a leaf blower. On steeper roofs, you can pull them off with a broom on an extension pole. And it’s wise to trim back all branches that are close to or touching the shingles.

Chemically treat mold, then sweep it off with a soft broom. A diluted bleach solution will kill mold but could also kill the plants on the ground below, so be careful to spray just enough to soak the mold itself. Specific roof cleaners containing fungicide are also available. Installing zinc strips at the peak of the roof can help keep mold at bay.

10. How to breathe new life into old sneakers

All you need is an old toothbrush and a little toothpaste to get your old sneakers looking like new! Non-gel white toothpaste works great for cleaning white-soled sneakers (colored toothpaste may stain rather than clean sneakers). Apply toothpaste to an old toothbrush and then work the paste into the dirty spots. Leave the toothpaste on the shoes for about ten minutes, and then wipe it off with a damp towel. Repeat the process if necessary.

11. How to make your work boots last longer

Extend the life of your work boots or shoes by coating the toes with a rubbery protective shell. The product shown here is called Tuff Toe and can be found at shoe stores or online.

12. How to make windshield wipers last longer

“When you’re behind the wheel, nothing is more crucial than good visibility. But like most other drivers, I usually procrastinate cleaning my windshield wipers or even replacing wiper blades if necessary. Windshield wipers are notorious for drying out and cracking in a short time. To help prolong their life and clean them, soak a clean white rag with your favorite glass cleaner. Wipe the rag up and down the length of your wiper blades. You’ll see the results on the rag, and you’ll see out your windshield much better in the rain.” —Jim Nobilione

13. How to make permanent markers last longer

To bring your permanent marker back to life, begin by removing the back from the maker. (This will be different for each brand of permanent marker—for Sharpies simply remove the back nib.) Next, deposit a few drops of isopropyl “rubbing” alcohol onto the felt material inside. Shake the marker a bit to ensure the rubbing alcohol is absorbed. It’s the solvent that the ink is mixed with that dries out first, making the pigment unable to flow. Once the felt absorbs the rubbing alcohol for a couple of minutes the marker will be practically good as new!

14. How to make a spreader last longer

Chemicals from fertilizers speed up the corrosion of the metal parts of your spreader, so rinse it out every time you use it. After it dries, coat all the moving parts with a light lubricant spray like WD-40.

15. How to make your winter boots last longer

Your shoes can take a beating during the winter months. The salt used to melt ice and snow on driveways, sidewalks, parking lots, etc., can help to keep you safe from falling, but it can also leave a nasty white residue on your footwear that doesn’t look great. You can clean off the residue quickly with a simple solution that you can make at home. Fill a spray bottle with water and add a couple of tablespoons of white vinegar. Shake it up a bit and spritz the mixture onto a clean paper towel. Gently wipe your shoes, and watch the salt residue disappear. Keep the spray bottle near your shoe collection, so you can clean off your shoes as the season goes.

16. How to make drill bits last longer

Use Boelube to make your drill bits last longer. Whenever you drill multiple holes in metal, stick the bit into the lube before starting each one. It also works on metal-cutting reciprocating and band saw blades. It reduces friction, which makes the cutting edge last longer. The product number is 70200-13, and it is available from multiple online retailers.

17. How to make a sawhorse last longer

The rough, saw-chewed top rails of most sawhorses can scratch finished wood or the painted surfaces on your projects. To provide a non-marring surface, cover the tops of your sawhorses with scraps of old carpet or rugs.

Measure the size of carpet pieces that you need to wrap around the top rails of your sawhorses. Use a straightedge and marker to draw your cut lines on the back of the carpet. Then use a sharp utility knife to cut the carpet along the lines. It may take a few passes with the knife to get through the tough woven backing. Finally, use a staple gun to secure the carpet pieces to the sides of the top rails. Now you have a padded, non-marring work surface for all of your projects!

18. How to make carpets last longer

On carpet, dirt acts like thousands of little blades. Walking across a dirty carpet grinds sharp dirt particles against the yarn, making tiny nicks in the fibers. That dulls the sheen, which is why high-traffic areas appear duller than the rest of the carpet. Over time, grinding dirt will actually wear away the fibers themselves.

Bottom line: The less dirt in your carpet, the longer it will last. A good rule of thumb is to vacuum your carpet once a week. High-traffic areas will require more frequent vacuuming.

19. How to make wood putty last longer

“Wood putty is often a one-time use product for me. Before I even think about using it a second time, it’s dried out. The trick I found was to fill an empty paint can with water and store all my putty jars submerged so no air can get in. Now I can finally say that I have seen the bottom of a putty container.” —Kim Boley

20. How to make a battery last longer

Batteries can deteriorate and die if they go a long time without being charged. Charge the batteries for your boat, motorcycle, or riding lawn mower at least once a month in the off-season. Another option is to hook them up to a battery maintainer. A battery maintainer won’t damage your battery like a trickle charger would. A maintainer has smart monitoring circuitry that charges the battery only when it needs it. Remove the battery and store it indoors if you live in an area with severely cold winters.

Myth: Don’t store batteries on a concrete surface.

Fact: According to the folks at Interstate Battery, ‘Tremendous technological improvements have been made in the seals around the battery posts and vent systems, which have virtually eliminated electrolyte seepage and migration. So, it’s OK to set or store your battery on concrete.’

To help you detect a poor-quality item on the spot, we’ve rounded the 10 tips that will help you avoid wasting your money.

1. Check the quality of cotton by squeezing it.

Grab some fabric, and squeeze it tightly in your fist for a few seconds. If the fabric looks like crumpled paper after this, it means it has been treated with a special agent to keep its shape. Such clothes will start looking like a rug after the first wash.

2. Pull the seams to see the gaps.

Quality items have dense stitches and thick seams. Try lightly pulling stitched pieces apart. If the seams show gaps, you are looking at a piece of junk.

3. Avoid open zippers.

Make sure to buy clothes and accessories with metal zippers covered with a strap: they are the most reliable and long-lasting. Open plastic zippers often break and are a sign of poor quality in almost any item.

4. Make sure the hem is wide enough.

Pants and skirts should have a hem of up to 4 cm. Blouses and shirts can do with a smaller one of about 2 cm. If there’s no hem or this place is simply stitched, you are likely looking at a low-quality item.

5. Give the fabric a tug.

A quality item will always keep its shape. Take a stretchy part of a dress or a skirt, tug at it, and then let go. If the fabric loses its shape, you are looking at cheap and low-quality fabric.

6. Make sure the zipper matches in length.

Zippers on dresses, skirts or any other kinds of clothes should be equal in length, even, and match in color.

7. Pay attention to the label.

Natural fabrics, such as cotton, silk, and wool, are strong and more durable than synthetics. However, 100% cotton can quickly shrink after washing. That is why it is a good idea to choose clothes with an addition (5-30%) of artificial fabrics (viscose, polyester, nylon, etc). These clothes won’t stretch out and will serve you much longer.

8. Make sure the seams and threads match.

Examine fabric patterns and thread colors. If patterns do not match and stitches are made with threads of different colors, it is a clear sign that this item was made in a hurry. Quantity was probably a priority here, not quality.

9. Check buttons and buttonholes.

When manufacturers make a fake or low-quality item, they often don’t pay attention to little details. That is why you should examine buttons and buttonholes before buying an item. Make sure that buttons are secured and no threads are sticking out. The holes should be neatly overlocked and evenly cut through.

10. Look at the coloring on the folds.

If the coloring on the handles, straps, or fastenings looks faded or leaves marks on the folds, this is a sign of a low-quality item. The same goes for when one part of the item looks lighter or darker than the rest. This kind of coloring will gradually fade after several washes.

1. You Don’t Look Down

A lot of people just grab whatever option happens to be at eye level, but that might mean you’re missing out on less expensive options on the lower shelves! Many stores purposely place less expensive items below eye level, so take a few extra seconds to check those lower shelves.

2. You Make Several Small Trips

Frequent trips to the store to buy just a few items can actually cost more in the long run, and not just because you’re using more gasoline to get there. Shopping with an abstract goal in mind (like “get food for the next few days,” for instance) often results in unplanned spending, so making fewer, more goal-oriented trips to the store can help you stick to your budget.

3. You Always Buy The Biggest Size

It’s important to know that the largest size isn’t always going to be cheaper! It all depends on the “unit price,” so it’s important to look for it on price tags and compare them closely.

Once in a while, you’ll notice that the smaller item is actually cheaper than the bulk option! Some stores do this on items like cereal and french fries anticipating that shoppers will reach for the larger size by default.

4. You Only Look In One Place

You can find certain items in multiple locations throughout the store, and the prices may vary between locations. For instance, you can often find cheese in up to four different sections, such as a section for specialty cheeses, alongside the salad toppings, shredded or block cheeses at the deli, and cheese sticks by the lunch meats.

5. You Always Choose Convenience

Stores like to display certain items together to make things convenient, but they aren’t always the most cost-effective options. For instance, there’s often a small selection of nuts and candies located in or near the ice cream aisle, but you can find a much larger selection in the baking aisle (along with a more favorable range of prices!)

6. You Don’t Check The Salad Bar

If you need a specialty food item that you don’t normally use, check the salad bar. You can often find items like olives, artichoke hearts, bacon bits, and other ingredients there, and you can save money by only getting as much as you need.

If your store doesn’t have an extensive salad bar, check near the produce or deli department for their “made fresh daily” offerings.

7. You Shop Early In The Day

If you shop first thing in the morning, you may be missing out on markdowns that may appear later in the day. Check the end caps of the aisles for special prices, along with the meat department and bakery.

8. You Don’t Double Check Receipts

Incorrect changes happen all the time, so it’s always a good idea to check your receipt! Common errors include multiple scans, sale prices not being reflected, and coupons not being applied.

Take the time to double-check that everything looks right on your receipt before you leave the store parking lot.

9. You Forget Your Bags

Don’t forget your reusable shopping bags, because most stores now either charge a few cents for each bag you use, or they offer a small discount for bringing your own. That money can add up over time, so it’s worth the extra little bit of effort!

10. You Shop For A Recipe

When you shop for a specific recipe, chances are pretty low that those ingredients will happen to be on sale. A better way to save it to check the store website or circular to find out what’s on sale, then plan your meals around the best deals available.

If you have any tips for saving money on groceries that aren’t mentioned here, feel free to share them with us in a comment at the bottom of this post so that everyone can benefit from your wisdom!

Summertime and the living are easy… Until you open the bills, that is. Between blasting the AC and overdoing water consumption, those seemingly innocent warmer-month habits have a way of adding up. Before you open another bill, though, first shift your attitude about saving, advises Prudential’s financial wellness advocate Tiffany Aliche, aka The Budgetnista. “I don’t believe in being overly restrictive when it comes to saving money, because your attitude toward money affects so many other areas of your life,” she says. “It affects your stress level, physical health, state of mind, family dynamic, and even your work performance.” When you treat money as a tool to help you achieve your goals, rather than something you need to go without or limit, you’ll be more likely to stick with cost-saving measures, she says.

Check out practical tricks below:

1. Put time on your side

You know how it is. You step into the shower for just a “quick rinse,” and ten minutes later you’re lost in thought. The average shower lasts eight minutes and uses 75 litres, but experts recommend a five-minute shower instead. The simplest shower-shortening method is to use a timer, suggests Aliche. “You might be surprised at how long your average shower lasts, and how easy it can be to save money on water, and the energy it takes to heat it, by simply shortening it a few minutes,” she says.

2. Give your AC some love

Have you changed your AC filter recently? (Don’t worry, we haven’t either.) But small swaps and maintenance checks can ensure your appliances are operating efficiently. “I get my AC filter automatically shipped to me every 90 days during the warmer months, so that way I don’t have to think about it, I just know that’s the time to swap out my filter,” shares Michael Foguth, founder of Foguth Financial Group in Brighton, Michigan.

It’s also a good idea to get your air conditioner and furnace checked every spring and fall respectively, to ensure that your units are running well and not using too much energy.

3. Channel your inner tech geek

“The easiest way to save on summer utility bills is to use digital technology to your advantage,” Foguth says. This handily eliminates all of the “did I or didn’t I?” feeling when you’re not at home, wondering if you left the AC on. Use it to be creative, too: Perhaps you can raise your programmable thermostat a few degrees overnight when you’re in REM sleep and won’t notice the difference. Same with your lights: Smart-home technological advances are making it easier these days to save energy by using timers and remote controls (often via an app on your smartphone).

4. Keep your cool

It’s perhaps the most simple—yet often, in the morning rush, overlooked—way of keeping a house cooler during the day: taking a minute to close the drapes and blinds. “You know-how, in an airplane, they want you to lower the shades on the windows to keep it cool when you’re landing in a warm destination? Well, the same principle goes for your home, and it makes such a difference,” says New York-based debt-resolution lawyer Leslie Tayne, author of Life & Debt.

5. Watch out for “vampire energy”

Did you realize that your appliances are using energy simply by being plugged in? It’s called vampire—or standby—energy, whereby an appliance still uses energy when turned off. “Anything that you have plugged into an outlet could silently be seeping off energy without you realizing it,” says Aliche. To combat the vampires, she advises plugging electronics (except, obviously, appliances like your fridge) into an outlet strip, then unplugging the strip every night (turning it off isn’t enough). “One of my clients used this piece of advice and ended up saving $30 a month,” she says.

6. Use water during peak times

Peak soaking-in times, that is. “You waste water when you use it during the heat of the day because you lose a lot to evaporation,” says Foguth. Watering your grass and garden during early morning or evening ensures the water soaks in where you need it: into the soil as opposed to the air.

7. Ditch the dryer

When’s the last time you’ve actually air-dried, say, a towel? Exactly, says Tayne, who recommends the old-fashioned clothes-line technique. “Take advantage of the warmer months to take a break from the dryer now and again,” she says. Just thinking of that fresh smell should be incentive enough to keep it up all summer. According to the Saving Electricity website, line-drying can save you nearly $200 a year (cost depends on dryer and energy rate; use this chart to calculate your savings).

8. Eliminate the surprise factor

Avoid the sticker shock that comes with warm-weather bills: Did you know that many utility companies offer an Equal Pay program? “This way, you’re paying the same amount every month, based on your estimated annual expenses split in 12, so you can better plan ahead,” says Foguth.

9. Make it a group effort

“When I was a kid, my dad would leave the electric bill out so we could see the charges from last month and the current month,” says Aliche. “Then if we saved money month-to-month, he’d contribute to our family vacation pot. It was a way for him to engage the whole family with decisions we made throughout the house, like turning off the lights or taking shorter showers. And let me tell you: It worked!”

10. Try to keep up with the Joneses

Tayne laughs as she offers a unique yet always-effective motivator for saving money: competition. “My utility companies show me a comparison to my neighbors in terms of how I’m doing with energy, and I’m always like, ‘why are they more efficient than I am?’ and then it becomes this competition,” she says. “I’m sure I’ve saved money just from seeing how I rank with others!”

11. Get comfy with your credit score

“Let’s face it: Having a low credit score leads to an expensive life,” says Aliche. “Even if you’re not borrowing money, even if you’re just turning on your lights, getting new cell phone service, or getting new car insurance—any situation where you’re going to be making regular payments—credit does matter.” Depending on your score, utility companies can charge you a down payment, or even charge you more for their service.

12. Think long-term

When Aliche bought a draughty older home, a contractor suggested that she install insulation—for $2,500. “I thought, ‘Wow, that’s a lot of money,’ but he said, ‘It’s going to be worth its weight in gold,’ and he was right,” she recalls. “Before we even moved in, our heating bill was up to $500 a month. As soon as we insulated, our bill went down to $102 the next month. Now it’s under $120 monthly. Think about the lifetime savings of that simple step. That’s why I tell people not to be afraid of a big up-front cost because it will usually pay off—sometimes surprisingly so!”

You think to yourself, why is my water bill so high?

You start telling everyone in the house to stop wasting water or worst think maybe water is leaking out your house or the water company is somehow ripping you off because the bill is so ridiculous.

So what do you do now to lower your water bill?

Why is my water bill so high? Ever wonder why your water bill is so high? High water bills can be caused by a few things, check out these tips!

Why is My Water Bill So High?

How do you find out what is causing the water bill to be so high? Are you actually using that much water?

Before you start yelling at everyone in the house, timing showers and investigating the water company, you will want to make sure you don’t have a bigger issue.

I’ve heard horror stories of people getting stuck with a $2000 water bill and you don’t want to be one of them!

I started really diving into this topic when 6 months ago I received my quarterly water bill and it was an outrageous $366! That is triple what I normally pay, it showed I was using 6000 gallons of water.

After looking at my usage for the past 4 billing cycles I noticed my usage tripled. That didn’t add up to me because we have been in our home for over 12 years and have never used that many gallons.

Looking at the past 4 cycles I noticed whatever issue I was having started a few cycles ago and was progressing. I went from using just 1300 gallons of water to now 6000!

We immediately thought maybe it was the toilet because it seemed to be running a little longer than normal. After doing some research and calling my water company we were able to determine that the toilet was the issue and we needed a new flapper.

Simple cheap fix, big expensive lesson!

Even if your water bill isn’t high at the moment you will want to learn from my experience before it happens to you. I’ll have some prevention tips below as well.

So what is causing your water bill to be so high and how do you test it?

READ YOUR WATER METER

First things first and I only learned this after having an issue, learn where your water meter is and how to read it!

If you don’t know where your water meter is, call your water company. My meter is in my basement and looks like this one below but with a plastic cover over it.

The reading is right on the meter so you will want to verify those numbers against your bills and you can track it throughout the month or quarter.

Most meters also have a leak detector dial which looks like a little triangle or diamond shape but you will want to verify on yours. The dial turns when water runs, it will move every few seconds for even a drip. If you are not sure which dial it is because it isn’t moving than have someone flush a toilet or turn on a faucet and you will see it moving.

If it continues to move even when no water is on in the house or you haven’t just flushed a toilet than you know there is a leak somewhere.

A moving dial signifies water moving through.

CHECK FOR LEAKS

If the leak dial on your meter keeps turning then you know you have a leak. First, look for obvious leaks anywhere you have water, faucets, pipes, water heater etc.

Some leaks are easy to find, such as a dripping faucet or running toilet.

The most common cause for a high water bill is running water from your toilet. How much water does a running toilet waste? A lot!

A continuously running toilet can waste up to 200 gallons a day. That can double your families typical water use, so fix toilet leaks as soon as possible and I will give you a few tips below.

Most likely it will be your toilet’s flapper or fill valve, which are both inexpensive fixes. If the flapper is leaking, it will keep triggering the fill valve to refill the tank.

I found this super easy to follow video from Lowes that shows you how to test for leaks. I will also list the steps below.

To see if the flapper is leaking, here is a simple test:

• Put a few drops of food coloring in the tank.
• Let it sit for 25 minutes.
• If the color leaks into the toilet bowl, then there’s a leak.

Before you replace it, first check the flapper to see if sediment or debris has built up around it or if the chain is getting caught.

CHECK WATER SOFTENERS

If you have a water softener system you will want to check that. After the softener has regenerated, check to see if water is still running down the drain. If it is, the water softener needs to be repaired. Consider turning off and bypassing your softener for now.

CHECK FOR BROKEN or MISPROGRAMMED IRRIGATION SYSTEMS

If you have an irrigation system make sure there are no leaks or broken sprinkler heads. You will also want to make sure they are programmed properly and not watering too often or getting stuck.

The best way to prevent getting a high water bill is to be aware of the amount of water you are using. Now that you know where your water meter is, take a look at it once a week and just be aware of the numbers.

If all of a sudden your using a ton of water then you know there is an issue and can investigate BEFORE you get a huge bill.

Also, remember your water company is there to help you, my water company walked me through finding my meter, reading it, checking the leak detector and going over ideas of why it could be so high. They also offered to come out and check it for me.

Questions, comments or stories you want to share? Leave a comment below. Think this article will help someone else? Share it!

Here are three ways to save on groceries without coupons:

SHOP FOR SALES

It seems like common sense, but many people don’t shop for sales when it comes to their groceries.

Most people plan meals and then buy the ingredients they need for those meals. Meal planning is always smart but what if you planned your meals around what was on sale that week?

You don’t have just to go to the store and wing it. You can use store flyers and other methods of seeing what is discounted first, then forming meal plans around it and buying items that are on sale to save even more.

In time, you will even come to learn the sales cycles of many of your favorite items, and this will help you to know what’s coming up on sale soon. This makes it even easier to plan around the sales.

BUY GENERIC AND USE STORE LOYALTY DISCOUNTS

Most supermarkets have a store loyalty card program. If you’re not signed up, it’s fairly quick and easy to get a card and many have keyrings so you always have your card with you when you shop, or they let you use your telephone number to pull up your account.

These store loyalty programs will give you discounts and other specials without the need for any coupon clipping.

All you need to do is have the cashier scan your card or enter your number first; then the discounts will be applied to the items you are already purchasing.

You can also buy generic or store brand items whenever possible and save from a few cents to a few dollars on the things you need and want. When you combine buying generic with store loyalty benefits, you save even more.

BUY ONLY WHAT YOU NEED AND USE WHAT YOU BUY

This is a big one and one that might require some practice if you’re not used to it. Many of us overspend and also waste a lot of food.

We cook too much and don’t save leftovers. We save leftovers but then throw them out uneaten. We buy things we don’t really need and then don’t use them.

Sometimes we do the latter because it was on sale or because we had a coupon for it, but if you’re not using it, it’s really not saving, is it?

So be smart about the things you buy and also be sure that you always use what you buy. You will be surprised at how much you can save on your groceries from this step alone.

Now that you know these ways to save on your groceries without coupons, you’re ready to start shopping. One of the best things about these methods of saving is that you can use these tips along with your coupons if you have them, as well as any store discounts and savings.

This means you can double or even triple up on your savings. How awesome is that?

Do you have any tips for saving on groceries without coupons? We want to hear about it in the comments.