Saving in small ways… but it all adds up in your Savings Accounts.

• Turn the heat down a few degrees if no one is at home.  When you return, turn it back up, or put on a sweater.  It can also be turned down while you’re sleeping, you have blankets on.
• Turn the water heater thermostat down a few degrees, leaving it hot enough for showers and washing dishes.  When you’re going to use hot water, turn on the cold first, and then turn on the hot, adding the hot to it….you’ll use less hot water, but with the same comfort.
• Turn the AC up a few degrees when you’re not at home.  Close blinds on the sunny side.
• Follow the sun….In Winter, leave blinds open on the sunny side, close when the sun goes down.  In Summer, close the blinds to the hot sun, and open when the sun goes down.
• Use cold water for washing laundry.  Don’t overfill either the washer or dryer.  Overfilling the washer may mean clothes won’t get clean.  Overfilling the dryer takes clothing longer to dry – there’s no room for air to circulate between the clothing, resulting in more wrinkles. As soon as clothing is dry, sometimes sooner than you think, take dry items out and immediately fold or hang – less ironing, and the rest of the clothes can toss and dry quicker.
• Turn off lights when not in use.  To avoid falls, night lights give off plenty of light to see.
• Don’t waste food.  Leftovers can be contained and frozen for a later date, or used for lunch the next day or two.  Use your freezer – if ‘best by’ dates are coming up, freeze the item.
• Actually, use by/best by dates are only a guide….. if it looks fine, and smells fine, it usually is.
• Leftover coffee in the coffeepot?  Either reheat it, or put it in the fridge, and enjoy iced coffee later.  Milk almost outdated?…make pudding, corn chowder, or cream sauce.
• How many cable channels do you actually watch?  Scrutinize your bill and shave it down.
• With so many movies streaming on TV, make movie night happen at home…. include some treats like popcorn.  Perks = no travel, stay in PJ’s, comfy seating, treats, and it saves $$$$.

These are only some things that are easy to do and are all money savers…..money you have been spending, and can now save!!!  You’ll think of lots more.  Put what you save in the bank.