With the price of electricity on the rise, we all could use a little help reducing our heating bills.  Here are some tips to help you get started.
 1)  Check with your local utility company to see if they offer a free energy use assessment.  Some companies provide inspectors to poke around your home from top to bottom, looking for ways it can be made more efficient.
 2)  Install a programmable thermostat.  Have your thermostat drop down a few degrees while you’re away at work.
 3)  Keep your thermostat at 68 or below.  Put on a sweatshirt if you have to.
 4)  Open blinds during the winter.  …read more

Happy 20 weeks of Frugal Fridays.  Wow!  I can’t believe it’s been 20 weeks.  It seems like only 5. 
Well, it’s blazing hot outside.  If you’re like me, you try not to turn on the stove if you can help it.  Here are some tips to keep you out of the kitchen and keep your house cooler.

 1.  When it’s time to cook something that will freeze well (such as lasagnas, spaghetti sauce, casseroles, chili, etc.) make a double or triple batch for future meals.  These are also great for days when you’re in a hurry.  It will prevent you from spending …read more

According to the Centers for Disease Control, about 318 Americans die each year of heat-related illnesses.  People at highest risk include older adults, young children, people with chronic illness, and people with weight or alcohol problems.
The recent heat wave has me thinking of ways to keep us cool.  Here are some thrifty tips to help stay cool and safe:
 1.  Avoid the hottest times of the day.  If at all possible, work, exercise, or play outside in the early morning or evening.
 2.  Wear light-weight white or lighter colored clothing.  Avoid darker colors that tend to absorb heat.
 3.  Move at a slower …read more

Dawn at Frugal for Life has some information about cutting down your energy consumption.  Emme has a goal to cut her energy consumption 90% below the average American.  (This goal is to bring it down 90% below the average American, not 90% below her total normal usage.)
Anyone is free to join in and try this.  You can view the rules, join a support group, and review FAQ.  For more information, go on over to Frugal for Life.

Do you feel like the guy in this picture?  Do you feel like you’re wasting energy and throwing money out the window?  Below are some things you can try to reduce your winter heating bill.  Some of these ideas can save you 20%. 
1.  Open blinds during the winter.  This allows the heat from the sun to come in and warm up your house. Close blinds or curtains at night.
2.  Change filters every month.  Dirty filters can increase your bills by 20% each month.  Ouch!  Also, get a “tune up” for your furnace.  You will save money if it is working properly.
3.  Try to keep your …read more

Wow!  Did it get hot all of a sudden or what!  In the area of Virginia where I live, it has been nice and in the 70’s most of May.  Now, all of a sudden, it’s 90-some degrees.  I feel like I’m back in Texas.  Not really since I can walk to my car without getting soaked from the humidity.  I am reminded of the vacation my husband and I took to Arizona a few years ago.  It was 110 and I wasn’t dieing of heat.  They had cool mist sprayers everywhere and lots of white and light, loose fitting …read more