Technically for the best money saving battery options, I suggest reusable, rechargeable batteries. However, if you’ve got some regular batteries you can try some things that may make them work better and last longer.

• Store batteries at the right temperature. The fridge is NOT the place for batteries, no matter what silly rumors you’ve heard. This can actually ruin your batteries. Read this battery storage guide for tips.
• Use batteries that match. If you put batteries in some item, and they fail to work, make sure the brands match.
• Don’t mix old and new batteries - not only is this a way to perform less efficiently but it can actually cause the older battery to leak and burst - DANGER!
• Clean batteries that seem grungy. Read this easy battery cleaning guide.
• Finally, if your batteries seem dead, check to make sure you actually put them in right. I’ve made this mistake before (silly right) but you may as well check before you toss a battery.

[image via stock.xchng]

Today, yet another way that green can save you money and in just two words no less…

Rechargeable batteries.

Gaiam NiMH Batteries & Chargers - shown above

If you haven’t jumped on board with rechargeable batteries, you really should. The benefits are huge, both on a planet and money saving level. According to the Daily Green, “More than 15 billion batteries are thrown away each year.” WOW. Batteries not only NEVER biodegrade but they contain toxic gunk that can leak out of said batteries and contaminate soil and water. Now, if the planet is your only concern, you can recycle batteries - check Earth 911 for a recycling center near you.

However, if part of your game plan is also to save money (I know it is) get some rechargeable batteries.

Do they really save you that much money?:

Yes, they actually do. It may seem overwhelming because start up costs can be high, especially if you own many electronics that require batteries, but in the long run, you will save $. Grinning Planet offers a good rundown of just how rechargeable save you money and also note when they don’t. For example GP says that, “There are some uses where rechargeable batteries simply do not make economic sense… [such as for] low-draw devices like battery-powered wall clocks, smoke detectors, and remote controls, or devices that have long idle times (measured in months), like emergency flashlights.“

Which rechargeable to buy?:

Aim for quality at the get-go. If you’re paying for them, you may as well get decent ones. Check out Gaiam NiMH Batteries & Chargers which are good in my opinion or read, The Best Rechargeable Batteries and Chargers Of 2009.

Ok so recently my dishwasher has been flooding all over the damn kitchen. Did I just curse? Sorry, but well, it’s super annoying. I’m talking soap and water ALL over my kitchen. I was thinking I’d need a new one, but read up on it first, and found out…

If you have a disposal, you need to run it for about 30 seconds before you run your dishwasher or debris left in the disposal can be pulled into the dishwasher drain line and clog it - which of course can lead to my issues. Do I always run the disposal 30 seconds? NO. From now on I will though, and hopefully it solves my problem.

Other ways to keep you dishwasher in tip-top shape (and save you from repairs and new washers) include:

• Use less detergent. Dish wash detergent companies say to add a certain amount of dish soap to your load of dishes, BUT if you actually read your manual, it likely says ONLY add a teaspoon. The soap people want you to buy more soap, but more, doesn’t always equal cleaner and better. Too much detergent can clog your washer and leave icky residue on dishes. All this means you need to waste more water and energy running your washer again and you waste soap.
• Periodically check the holes in the spray arm of your dishwasher. Small bits of paper and other junk can get stuck in there and then your machine won’t work as well.
• You need to clean your dishwasher filter out once in a while. Check your manual for instructions.
• Keep the exterior clean as well which can help avoid soap buildup and rust. Plain old hot water and a little soap work fine.
• Always read your specific manual. There’s a section with upkeep and cleaning - actually follow this. It may seem like a small thing, but having to buy a new washer can be pricey when you’re not expecting it.

Got any other cool dishwasher tips?

[image via stock.xchng]

I was at Lowe’s Foods the other day and noticed they have Earth Saver bags for .99 or you can get them for free by spending your green points.  I think the cost of each bag (with green points) was 1200 points.

I purchased one bag with my green points and then I found out that for each bag you use, Lowe’s Foods will give you 50 points per bag each time you use it!!!! 

I was surprised with how big and sturdy the green bag was.  It wasn’t one of those cheap bags where the seams come apart after you’ve used it a few times.  I was really impressed with how large this bag was, in comparison with other bags I’ve seen.  This one stands up on it’s own and it holds 2-3 times the amount of plastic grocery bags.

The next time I went to Lowe’s, I purchased another reusable bag.  Since I used both bags, I earned another 100 points.  I think I will purchase another bag or two the next time I shop there.  I probably need 5-6 bags so that I can quit using these silly plastic bags.  Speaking of which, I have another huge load of them to recycle.  I’m so sick of these thin plastic bags.  Hopefully, I won’t have to use them much longer.

Another great thing about these bags is that you can use them for other things besides groceries.  I’m using mine this week on a trip to my parent’s house.  They’re holding dvds, snacks, toys, and other things we need.  As I said before, I like them because they stand up on their own.  No more digging through tote bags in the car that are all flopped over.  I can put these in the seat or the floor and we can see what we need.

Have you tried these bags?  What do you think of them?

For more Works-for-Me Wednesday ideas, check out Rocks in My Dryer.

I have told you before about my curtain dilemma? I wanted blackout curtains and couldn’t believe how expensive they were.  So I talked my girlfriend in to making her curtains.  We found the material at Wal-Mart and also some great black out liners to add to the pattern.  I loved how dark they made Turkey Butt’s room when they are down.  But what I didn’t realize until this weekend was how energy efficient they made her room.  This weekend was chilly cold at 29 degrees.  Her room is always a little colder than everyone else’s.  But I opened her curtains this weekend and within 5 minutes, the temperature in her room dropped at least 5 degrees.  I was amazed at how well the black out liners insulate her room.  I am sure these liners would rock out your electric bill in the lower direction if you use them everywhere in your home.  I am in the process of working on curtains for the main rooms in the house and I will most definitely include these panels in the design.

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.  This allows the heat from the sun to come in and warm up your house. Close blinds or curtains at night.

 5)  Change filters every month.  Dirty filters can increase your bills by 20% each month. 

 6)  Don’t block vents or radiators with furniture or window coverings.

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It’s that time of year again.  Don’t forget to set your clocks back tonight before going to bed.  Or if you’re normally late to church, maybe you should wait until tomorrow.  lol

This article gives more information about why we set our clocks back each year.

It finally happened.  This summer’s drought has caused our county and many other surrounding areas have mandatory water restrictions.  Do I have neighbors that snitch?  I don’t know, and I don’t want to find out.  Using too much water could cost people a $200 fine!  Yikes!

Due to our current water shortage, I thought we could all use a reminder of ways to conserve.

25 Ways to Reduce Your Water Bill

Picture from oakharbor.org.

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 money on eating out.  Check out my 25 freezing tips.

 2. Prepare larger quantities of meat in advance for future meals and freeze it.  I’ve done this before with hamburger.  When hamburger or ground chuck goes on sale, cook it and drain the fat, then freeze it into the portion sizes you need.  These will come in handy when making spaghetti, lasagna, tacos, shepherd’s pie, etc. 

 3.  Put the crock pot to use.  Toss the ingredients in the crock pot and come back in 6-8 hours for a nice hot meal.  Here are my favorite crock pot recipes or here’s a link to a carnival of crock pot recipes.

 4.  Try simple meals.  Eggs, omelets, cottage cheese with fruit, etc.  You don’t have to spend an hour cooking to enjoy dinner.

 5.  Turn on the grill (or get the charcoal started).  You can prepare your entire meal on the grill.  Grill chicken, potatoes, and vegetables all at once.  Here is the carnival of the recipes, grill edition that I hosted.  You’ll probably find some good recipe ideas there.  Sometimes I grill extra food for lunch the next day.  I also like to grill extra chicken so that we can have salads the next night.  Grilled chicken is yummy on salad! 

 6.  Take time to try new recipes for salads and sandwiches.  Salads and sandwiches don’t have to be boring.  Try this one for oriental ramen noodle salad.  It’s a great side dish and has been a top read at Thrifty Mommy for a while. 

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A few weeks ago, I gave you some tips on saving money on your summer electric bill.  There are more ways to save throughout the year that you might want to consider.  Here are some ways to cut back on the expense of water usage.

1.  Put an approved insulation jacket/blanket on your electric hot water heater.

2.  Insulate hot water pipes.

3.  Wash clothes in cold water, if possible.  Always rinse clothes in cold water.

4.  Clean and maintain hot water heater.  Drain water from bottom of water heater to remove sediment, at least once a year.  This one definitely needs to be done at my house.

5.  Take showers instead of baths.

6.  Make sure your shower head is one that is designed to reduce water usage.

7.  Try not to stay in the shower more than 5 minutes.

8.  Fix leaky faucets.

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