(WICHITA, Kan.)
You try to cut corners at home to save money, but that could mean some cold, drafty corners. Unless you know some secrets to saving at home.
The days get longer, and the temperature gets warmer. So to save money - you keep your windows open to let in the sunlight, warm air, and savings.
Energy-efficient windows will keep that warmth in your home, but they cost. Jeff Boone of Northstar Comfort Services has a cost-friendly alternative.
"But if you have an old, single paned window," he said, "just adding a storm window is a lot more cost effective. Have the storm window on top of it. That way you still get two panes, you still get the insulated air space."
Another way to save on your heating bill - redecorate. Keep appliances away from the thermostat. Any excess heat - like from a lamp - will heat it up, and cause the thermostat to run more to cool the area - and possibly make it colder than necessary in the rest of the house.
Try to get a programmable thermostat. It won't run when you're not home. And it'll start to regulate the temperature before you get home from work and before you go to sleep. Or, just remember to turn down yourself.
All of that saves electricity - and your electric bill.
If you've got a room that never seems to stay warm - and we all have one - try this trick. Open up the heating vents in the room under the cold room. Heat rises, so the heat from the lower level will rise to the cold room - and warm it up a bit.
Also consider insulating all your heating lines, especially those at the end of the line. A lot of your lost hot air and cold air can be lost at the end of those lines, and that will also cost you.
New appliances use less electricity. But buying one gets expensive, unless you know where to go. Washers, dryers, refrigerators, freezers - you get the idea. Try buying used.
At the Appliance Outlet on Pawnee in Wichita, you'll find hundreds of appliances on the sales floor. You don't see the many more waiting to be moved onto the floor.
Many are almost fresh out of the box. Someone just happened to drop it, or scratch it, before it got to the customer's house.
That's where Chris Salazar comes in - since it's considered "used", he buys it, fixes it, and resells it. "It could be something as easy as a knob being broken off," he said. "You know, they go into a house brand-new, customers don't want something that's broke already."
By the way - since Salazar has so many items on his floor and in storage - the price tags are more like suggested prices. He said it's fun to haggle with a customer. You could easily shave off another few dollars, provided you do it right.
Buying used could save you as much as half the cost of a new appliance. Haggle the delivery fee for starters.
Also scout your local appliance store - even the big box stores. Many have scratched or dented appliances at a discount. You may try haggling with these too.
One thing you can't bargain with - Mother Nature. Just ask the guys at Tree Top - they know their flowers and foliage. They also know where to plant them for shade - and savings.
"The most important place to plant that tree is on the southwest corner of the house," said Mark Matney of Tree Top. "Planting a tree there, or giving shade on the walls can cut our cooling costs in the summer by 50%."
Also try planting a tree to shade your A/C unit. That keeps the unit cooler, and (like the thermostat and the lamp) will keep your bills lower.
Your lawn needs an inch of water a week. If you don't want to splurge on a rain gauge, put an empty tuna can out in an open area of your lawn. If the can fills up over a week (and that's an inch of water) you just saved money on your water bill.
You can also buy a rain sensor for your sprinkler system. It'll gauge how much rain fell, and then supplement the deficit with your sprinklers.
Also consider rain barrels. Those catch the excess rain and store it - which you can then use later to water your lawn, garden, etc. (It's also handy for a water main break, and you suddenly need a few extra gallons of water for emergencies.)
- Consider plants that will repel things - like marigolds will keep pests away from your tomato plants.
- Consider making a compost pile, which will provide an excellent (free) fertilizer.
- Use your sprinklers (or water your lawn) between 4 am and 10 am. That gives the ground enough time to absorb the water before the sun's heat causes the moisture to evaporate.
- Run the fan in your furnance/air conditioner unit all year long. It regulates the temperature in the house like a ceiling fan would. Just make sure it's only the fan - not the heat or the a/c.
- Need to buy something new? Try Habitat for Humanity's Restore. Donated items at deep discount prices. And all proceeds go to helping other people get into a home.
- The following ideas and recipes come from the April Issue of Real Simple Magazine. All can be used to clean designated areas of your home.
- Lemons
- Countertops- Remove stains. Dip the cut side oa lemon in baking soda to tackle tough countertops. Wipe with a wet sponge, and dry. Do not use on delicate stone (marble, etc.) or stainless steel.
- Dishes - Cut grease. Add a teaspoon of lemon juice to dishwashing detergent.
- Faucets - Eliminate lime scale. Rub lemon juice onto taps. Let sit overnight. Wipe with a damp cloth.
- Garabage Disposal - Eliminate Odor. Halve lemon. Run both cuts through disposal.
- Grout Stains - Add lemon juice to 1 or 2 tsp. of cream of tartar. Make paste. Apply with toothbrush. Rinse.
- Neutralize Fish Odor - Apply lemon juice (like to your hands after handling fish.)
- Laundry - Brighten Whites. Add 1/2 cup lemon juice to to rinse cycle of a normal size load.
- Plastic Food Storage Containers - Bleach stains from (dishwasher-safe) containers. Rub lemon juice onto spots. Let sit in a sunny place. Wash as usual.
- Essential Oils. Use Sparingly.
- Combs and Brushes - Fill container with 1 1/2 cups water, 1/2 cup distilled white vinegar, 20 drops of tea tree or lavendar or eucalyptus oil. Soak combs or brushes for 20 minutes. Rinse and air-dry.
- Scuffed Floors - Apply two to four drops of tea tree oil to spots. Wipe excess oil with a cloth. Rub in distilled white vinegar.
- Gummed Fabrics - Remove gum from items. Apply orange oil with cotton ball. Launder immediately.
- Shower Doors - Remove Soap Scum. Apply a few drops of lemon oil twice a month. Will protect from grime build up.
- Toilets - Clean the Bowl. Add 2 tsp tea tree oil and two cups of water to spray bottle. Shake. Spritz along inside toilet rim. Let sit for 30 minutes. Scrub.
- Toilet Paper Roll - Fresh scent. Add a few drops to the inside of the toilet paper roll. Every time the paper is used, the scent will be released.
- WIndows - Clean and possibly repel flies. Mix two oz. water and 10 drops of lavendar or lemongrass oil. Wipe onto windows.
- Cooking Oils
- Cast-Iron Pans - Get rid of cooked on debris. Make a paste with vegetable oil and a tsp. of coarse salt. Rinse with hot water.
- Hands - Remove paint. Rub with vegetable oil, then wash thoroughly.
- Leather Shoes - Polish. Wipe dirt with damp sponge. Apply drop of vegetable oil with soft cloth. Rub surface to remove scuff marks. Buff shoes with chamois to shine.
- Rattan and Wicker Furniture - Keep it from drying and cracking. Use a cloth to lightly brush surface with vegetable or sunflower oil. Rub gently with cloth. Tip: warm oil over stove first to thin, make application easier.
- Stainless Steel Surfaces - Shine. Apply olive oil to cloth, buff.
- Wood Furniture - Homemade Polish. Mix two cups olive or vegetable oil, with juice from one lemon. Work in with a soft cloth. To smooth out scratches in light colored wood, rub with a solution of equal parts olive or vegetable oil and lemon juice.
- Liquid Castile Soap
- Car - Carwash Solution. Mix 1/4 cup liquid castile soap (lcs) with hot water in bucket. Fill to near top. Use a large sponge and rub generous amount of solution on car's exterior, windshield, hubcaps, and tires. Thoroughly hose off.
- Floors - Mop Solution. 1/4 coup lcs and two gallons of warm water. For greasy floors, add 1/4 cup distilled white vinegar to bucket.
- Leather Upholstery - Cleaning Solution. Add two drops lcs to one quart of warm water Apply small amount to leather with sponge.
- Marble Countertops - Cleaning Solution. Stir one tbsp. lcs with one quart warm water. Dampen cloth with solution. Wipe surface. Rinse, and dry with clean cloth.
- Sinks, Showers, Tubs, Ceramic Tile - Scrub Solution. Combine one tbsp. lcs with 1/3 baking soda.
- Stovetop and Vent Hoods - Grease Cutter. Add few squirts of lcs to two cups hot water. Apply to stovetop, burners, and vent hood.
- Borax
- Baseboards, Countertops, Walls - Cleaning Solution. Disolve 1/2 cup borax in one gallon hot water. Pour solution into spray bottle. Spritz generously, wipe with damp cloth. Air-dry. Solution can be stored and reused later.
- China - Cleaning Solution. Fill dishpan with warm water and 1/2 cup borax. Soak china. Rinse Well.
- Dishwasher - Odor Neutralizer. Sprinkle borax at bottom of dishwasher, let sit overnight. Wipe with damp sponge.
- Pots and Pans - Cleaning Solution. Rub borax into cookware with damp sponge. Rinse well.
- Toilet - Rust Stains. Pour borax into bowl. Let sit overnight. The next day, rub with toilet bursh a few times. Flush.
- Vinegar
- Coffeemaker - Cleaning Solution. Pour equal parts vinegar and water into machine's water chamber. Switch to brew cycle. Halfway through, turn off the coffeemaker. Let solution sit 30 minutes. Turn it on, complete cycle. Run several cycles with clean water.
- Dishwasher - Disinfect. Pour 1/2 vinegar into reservoir. Run empty cycle.
- Drains and Pipes - Cleaner. Pour vinegar down drain. Wait 30 minutes. Flush with cold water.
- Floors - Mop Solution. 1/4 cup vinegar to bucket of warm water. Do not use on marble or wood floors.
- Dishwasher - Glassware Spot Remover. Add one cup vinegar to rinse water.
- Walls - Mold Remover. Spray vinegar on mold. Let sit 15 minutes. Let dry thoroughly.
- Showerheads - Mineral Deposits Remover. Pour vinegar into plastic bag. Tie handles around neck of showerhead. Secure with rubber bands. Let soak overnight. Rinse with water.
- Steam Iron - Remove Mineral Deposits. Mix equal parts vinegar and water. Fill iron. Press steam button. Turn off. Let cool. Rinse.
- Windows - Cleaner. Mix 1/4 vinegar, two cups water, squirt of liquid Castile soap. Pour into spray bottle. Spritz windows. Wipe witih sheet of newspaper.
