Category — Cost Saving Tips and Tipoffs

Seeing the price of heating your home can be a chilling moment. But there are inexpensive ways to rein in those soaring costs, even as the temperatures drop to record lows. The key lies in choosing a solution that will give you long-term results, thus recouping your investment in both short-term utility savings and long-term resale value.

Utility savings for your budget

Whether you have a budget that allows for no wiggle room at all or the means to handle window replacement cost, there are ways to make your home cozier this year.

If money is really tight, try these tips:

1. Turn down the thermostat. If you lower your thermostat by a few degrees, chances are you won’t notice the difference in the way the house feels, but you will see a difference in the utility bills. Turn it down a few more degrees at night, when you are tucked under the warm blankets.
2. Weatherstrip and caulk. Inexpensive weather stripping and caulk can go a long way toward keeping drafts down, and that makes your heating unit work more efficiently. When the wind starts to blow outside, that’s the best time to detect drafts and block them.
3. Make smart use of the sun. Open curtains during the day to let the sunlight in, allowing for natural warmth. Close the curtains as the sun goes down, to trap that heat inside.

If you have a small to medium budget, go for these solutions:

1. Insulate your water heater. Though it might seem like a small thing to do, insulating your water heater can save on utility bills year-round. It matters more during the winter, when the cold air in the room around the water heater makes it work much harder than usual.
2. Buy a programmable thermostat. If you really want to get serious about turning down the thermostat, choose a programmable one. That can allow you to turn the heat down during the day while you are gone, and turn it up right before you get home.
3. Install radiant flooring. Radiant flooring does more than keep your toes warm when you get up in the morning. Since heat rises, radiant flooring can heat a room faster and with less energy than other methods.

Want to invest in savings? Try this:

1. Go for replacement windows and doors. Door and window replacement can take care of drafts and provide better insulation. Besides that, the resale value those replacements offer can make you feel quite warm inside.
2. Insulate your attic and walls. Insulation on the attic floor can keep the heat inside your house, where it belongs. New insulation in the walls, especially between the main body of your house and unheated additions like garages and porches, can provide a barrier against the cold air.
3. Consider a new furnace. A geothermal unit, solar units and other technologically-advanced options can replace that old clunker with a sleek model that brings down your utility bills by a considerable amount.

Whether you opt for a complete renovation of your heating system or simply purchase some weatherstripping and caulk to get you through this season, there is a heating solution for every budget.

Do you ever get annoyed when you unplug the cables off your devices like your mobile phone and laptop and the cables just fall right off the table because there’s no more weight attached to it? Tired of bending down to keep picking the cables up whenever you need to use them to charge your devices? Well, here’s a simple solution using binder clips

Simply ingenious, isn’t it? Just anchor a couple of binder clips by the edge of your table and hook all your cables through it. When you unplug the cables from your devices, it’ll be caught by the binder clip when it slides off the table! No need for expensive cable management products.

via osxdaily

Those of you who constantly scour Etsy will no doubt agree that it is a treasure trove of little gems you could use to do up your home. Johnny & Stacie is a little Etsy store that sells really cool and playful print art posters printed on French paper.

What I absolutely like about it is the clever use of bright colours on white to augment the object. Where would these look really good in in a home? Try:

• stairway walls
• study room
• wall behind couch/sofa in small living space
• corridors – you can keep the corridors dimly lit with focus spots on the posters

Here are two of my picks from Johnny & Stacie’s store

Johnny & Stacie also has a blog at www.johnnyandstacie.com

You can also follow them on twitter @johnnyandstacie

LCD televisions are an extremely popular choice but as they have a wide range of features, picking the right one for you can be tricky and always remember to hunt out those LCD TV deals.

Here are some tips so that when your shiny new TV arrives at your doorstep, it’s the one that will serve all your needs and will take pride of place in the living room.

More and more TV channels are being produced in high definition formats which gives a much higher quality image.

Once you start to watch HD television it’s very noticeable when you select a channel that is not in this format.

So make sure when you buy an LCD TV it has an “HD-Ready logo” somewhere on it, which will allow you to watch that stunning high definition programming, whether it’s the latest film or watching your favourite sports team.

With TVs size matters, and it’s important to get one that will work well inside your living room.

There is no point opting for a 42 inch screen unless you have at least 10 feet of room to sit back from it and enjoy the view.

If you don’t have the luxury of space, why not try a smaller screen, for example a 32 inch TV will only require you to sit six feet back.

Make sure that your new TV has a high contrast ratio and brightness to ensure you are getting the best viewing experience.

Some LCD TV have a contrast ratio of up to 2000000:1, while brightness (measured in Cd/m²) should be no less than 400 Cd/m².

Ensure that your TV has plenty of HDMI ports, as this will allow you to plug in more devices such as Blu-Ray players or games consoles.

By making sure you tick all these boxes you won’t go far wrong in buying the new LCD TV of your dreams.

There is so much choice available out there when it comes to widescreen televisions but you will be hard pressed to find much better around today than LED TVs. Not only is this better for your bills and carbon footprint but it’s also competitive against other types of TV for the best image.

This technology is a development on the impressive Liquid Crystal Displays or LCD TVs that have become so popular in households around the globe.

With a standard LCD model the light which creates the quality picture on your screen is emitted from cold cathode fluorescent lamps.

However an LED TV uses Light Emitting Diodes (hence the name LED) to create the backlighting.

Ultimately this gives the viewer a much brighter picture which will bring the colours to life on the screen.

Contrast is also improved greatly by using this technology, as it gives you deeper blacks and brighter whites on screen so you get one of the best viewing experiences possible in your own living room.

With an ordinary TV, blacks can appear almost dark grey and lighter colour can often appear gloomy, but this is not the case with new LED technology because of its innovative backlighting system.

Not only do you get the best picture quality but you will also be doing your bit for the environment.

LED are not cheap televisions but depending on the make and model, LED technology uses up to 40% less energy than your standard LCD TV set and can help save money on your electric bill.

This not only helps the planet by reducing your carbon footprint but will also make that scary energy bill at the end of the month seem less frightening.

By taking all these factors into account LED TV’s seem to be the future of home viewing with its stunning picture quality and more environmentally friendly technology.

So you’ve got windows that are drafty, cranky when you try to open them, and maybe even plastered with layers of paint that make it impossible to open them in the first place. Maybe you’ve got old casement windows that moan and groan when you try to crank them open, or single pane windows that rattle in their frames every time the wind blows. Sounds like replacement window time is dawning.

Window replacement costs can be–well, let’s just call them interesting. Why? Because they are all over the map. Figuring out what replacement windows cost requires multiple measurements, serious research into materials, a wide variety of choices in window styles, and even more attention paid to the energy-efficiency of those windows. It’s enough to make a homeowner cry uncle before the first pane is installed!

What Do Replacement Windows Cost?

Here are the basics of what you can expect when you go shopping for replacement windows. Keep in mind that when it comes to costs, your mileage may vary, so we’re giving you a range to work with.

If your window frames are intact and the windows you are installing are the same size as the old ones, you can expect to pay an average of $300-$700 per window. However, bells and whistles can drive the cost up to $1,000 per window, sometimes more. In a home with ten windows, you are looking at $3,000 on the low end, and at least $10,000 on the high end.

Expect to pay more for more glass. That means double-pane windows are more expensive than single pane, and triple-pane are more expensive than double-pane. Though you reap the benefits in energy efficiency over the years, the initial cost can be higher.

If you have a damaged window frame or if you are choosing windows that require a larger opening than what you currently have, that’s called new construction–and that’s expensive. Depending upon the window types, the size of the window and the complexity of the project, your costs per window could double.

Window replacement with single pane windows can hold your project to a lower bottom-line budget, The replacement windows cost can go up with high-end products, so if you choose to drop that kind of cash, make sure you are getting a good return on investment in energy efficiency and longevity.

How can brown, yellow, white, or blue be green? That sounds like a silly kid’s riddle, but the answer relates to vinyl siding colors. The virtues of vinyl siding are extolled far and wide–inexpensive to purchase, homeowners can install it themselves, great warranties, and choices of vinyl siding styles from lapboard to board-and-batten to shingles, shakes and logs. This siding is also unfriendly to woodpeckers, termites, dry rot and other woodavores.

Well, if you’re one of the tens of millions who can hardly wait for another five years to roll by so you can get out the ladders, drop cloths, wire brushes, caulking, sandpaper, gloves, and your rattiest old clothes to repaint your house, you’re going to hate vinyl siding. Not breaking your neck to clean and paint the soffits will lose you lots of sympathy and down time. Yes, it’s sadly true that vinyl siding colors are part and parcel of the siding material itself. It simply doesn’t need painting. In fact, it often voids the warranty to paint it. And today’s advanced vinyl siding keeps the colors fresh and beautiful. Horrors!

There are consolations. Part of the “greenness” of vinyl siding starts with the cost and carbon footprint of transporting the siding to your home, as it is lighter than any other home siding except a family-sized dome tent. Ditto for heavy paint cans every five years for fifty or sixty years per home. That can add up to sixty gallons of paint over a lifetime for a one-story house with 1800 square feet of surface. The paints themselves, even those with minimum volatile organic compounds are, after all, pretty chemical soups. Cleanup, runoff, and disposal of drop cloths, brushes, caulking tubes, and other memorabilia from repainting wood siding fouls your lungs, yard, wastewater, landfills and fingernails.

If you’ve looked forward to vacations so you can spend your free time painting, you’ll have to find something else to do. How about using the savings for family Red Sox tickets? Yes, the permanence of vinyl siding colors makes it green monetarily, too. Consolation prize: Getting out a ladder and hose once or twice a year to hose down your vinyl siding can serve a dual purpose as a family emergency evacuation drill. What’s not to love?

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It’s not always easy to be green and now in modern times when we try to be as green as possible we have multiple things to remember about recycling and composting etc.

To stay green it doesn’t just have to be your way of that you change. Simple one time decisions on what materials and features you use around your home could make a difference and the perfect place to start is redesigning our kitchens.

A few small changes around the kitchen will make a big difference.

A slow flow tap would not only help the planet but will also lower your water bill at the end of the month. This style of tap use 30% less water and the only sacrifice you have to make is waiting a few seconds longer to fill a container but by doing this it will reduce the water you waste.

Using recycled materials around the kitchen is another way to do your bit for the planet. Recycled glass or ceramic is an excellent alternative to kitchen worktops.

Not only are they durable, easy to clean and resistant to heat, they are great for an alternative look and cheaper than your classic granite or marble worktops.

When looking at a new floor for your kitchen to be at the front of modern design and very eco friendly consider cork. It is fast becoming a favourite amongst environmentally conscious consumers for a number of reasons.

Firstly cork is a great insulator so will keep your house warm and reduce energy costs and it is also a renewable source. As cork is made from bark, harvested responsibly meaning each tree does not suffer or need to be cut down and is only harvested every 10 years or so, which gives time for new bark to grow.

Cork can also be manufactured to go with any style of kitchen cabinets you have using dies and polishing methods so it would not matter what material or colours you have used for your kitchen, cork can always be made to go with the design.

While cork a green choice, it is extremely durable and can be compressed to 40% its natural size before returning to its original form which is great for coping with heavy kitchen appliances like dishwashers and tumble dryers.

If that was not enough, it will also save you money on your energy bills as cork is a good retainer of heat.

I usually pay very little attention to the constantly changing federal tax code–that’s why I pay my accountant. I really don’t mind paying my share of taxes every year, because as an American, I believe I have it pretty darn good. I just wish that the government should spend more of that money on beneficial programs that subsidize alternative energy projects and promote the use of energy efficient building products.

Green Projects Save You Money

I was disappointed to learn that the federal tax credit for energy efficient home improvements is ending this year. This $1500 tax credit was offered to homeowners who completed energy-saving upgrades to their homes, such as window replacement, adding insulation to attics, or installing new roofing and siding materials.

I qualified for this tax credit when installing new double-paned wood windows during a pretty exhaustive home remodel in 2009. Sure, I would have purchased and installed the energy efficient windows regardless of the tax credit, but I was excited that the government was helping to push our country in a better direction. Not everyone needs tax incentive to make energy efficiency home improvements, but some will do whatever they can to lower their annual tax burden. You know, the sort who purchase a Chevy Suburban to receive a commercial vehicle tax credit or claim their TV room as a “home office.” They were letting the tail wag the dog when it came to paying their taxes, and these programs at least put this practice to good use.

Do You Need a Doctor or an Accountant ?

Another perplexing tax situation that has me scratching my head is that the Federal estate tax has been suspended for 2010. This creates a particularly sinister scenario for those who will do anything to reduce their tax burden. Here’s the story: Former President Bush’s 2001 tax law increased the amount of inherited wealth a person could shelter from estate taxes by $2.5 million, but eliminated all estate taxes in 2010. In 2011, however, the rules would change so that taxpayers could only shield $1 million from taxes–the original amount. That means that some wealthy family would pay no estate taxes if their rich father died on December 31 of this year, but could face a huge tax burden if he died the next day. This bizarre situation just gets my imagination going, as I wonder how far some people will go to avoid paying their taxes.

Green is in. Everyone knows this. Sustainability and eco-friendly are the newest “it” girls. Green is chic, stylish and “now,” and no one wants to be left out of this hot trend. In fact, some even say that green is the only way to live.

But when building, repairing or remodeling a home, how does a homeowner go green and still stay within budget? How does a contractor give his clients many design options while remaining affordable? Surprisingly, the experts say, start with vinyl siding.

It’s true that vinyl siding may not be the sexiest part of the home. It’s no stainless steel refrigerator with a TV in the door. It’s no custom-designed “his” and “hers” walk-in closets. And it’s certainly no fully-loaded workbench in a tricked-out garage. It is, however, design flexibility, value and sustainability rolled up in one pretty little package.

Vinyl Siding Is the New Green

What makes vinyl siding so fashionably green is its high marks in sustainability at every step of the process. Manufacturing, installing and maintaining vinyl siding are all possible with a low impact on the environment and its resources, since up to eighty percent of the material is post-consumer and industrial recycled content. Furthermore, it is available in many varieties, including insulated, which means more energy savings and less energy waste throughout its life cycle.

Now, being eco-friendly is nice and all, but if a hot new item turns out to be ugly or too expensive, it just won’t sell. What makes vinyl siding so appealing is that the economic impact is low as well–and it’s just flat-out attractive. The selection of vinyl siding colors provides you with tons of options and also eliminates the need to paint. It can also be formed into a variety of shapes and styles for just the right look, allowing a home to fit right into a neighborhood or–like a true style icon–helping it to stand out.

While vinyl siding prices provides savings–in time, cost and headaches–at many turns, its most important feature is that it does less: contributes less to global warming, emits less dioxin, and releases fewer toxic chemicals than other types of siding and cladding. Then, at the end of its life, it can be recycled and made into new vinyl siding, proving that when it comes to being fashionably green, less really is more.