How to Save On Your Monthly Gas Expenses

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Is it possible to decrease your expenses on gas and still feel comfortable at the same time? Of course, it is!

For the most part, taking key factors into consideration will help you make adjustments as you gear towards the objective of reducing your bill. The amount of energy you use, the weather, and your home’s insulation needs are some of the aspects that will affect the overall amount you will need to pay by the month’s end.

It simply follows that the more gas you use means the higher the cost you’ll be required to pay. While the weather is totally out of your control, there are some things you can do within your home to avoid spending a fortune on gas each month.

For instance, installing a programmable thermostat is highly recommended. This makes it possible to instantly decrease heating and cooling within your home whenever appropriate.

Another effective idea is to check for air leaks in your place. Look for them in different places such as the attic or even the basement. Seal them with spray foam, caulk or other suitable material. Your goal here is to prevent uncomfortable air from getting in so that comfortable air is preserved. As much as possible, keep the doors and windows closed, too.

On the other hand, air filters should be changed on a regular basis - at least every three months. Dirty filters potentially consume more energy because continuous airflow is blocked. Check once a month to see if the filters are still clean or if replacement is already needed.  

When doing laundry, make the most of the capacity of your washers. A full-load wash often requires smaller amount of energy when compared with two small or medium-sized loads. It is also advisable to use cold water when washing your clothes. If small loads are unavoidable, adjust the level of water to the right setting. For drying tasks, lightweight clothes should be done separately with heavier items.

As for cooking, defrost frozen meat ahead of time to reduce needed time to cook it. Doing this will reduce the gas you will likely consume. Make sure that lids are placed properly on your pan to have a faster cooking experience.

These are but a few basic things you can do to ensure that your gas consumption never goes out of your control. To find more gas-saving ideas, you may check out gas companies on the web.

Related articles:

13 Ways to Save Money on Gas (financialplan.about.com)

Worried about rising energy costs? Here are 10 crafty tricks to cut your bill (thisismoney.co.uk)

Effective Ways to Reduce Your Electric Bill

If you are worried that you are spending too much money on electricity, evaluating your usage is definitely the key towards resolving the problem.

There are literally hundreds of ways to reduce your energy consumption. As long as you are willing to take a closer look at your habits and do necessary changes, it’s really not an impossible goal to save big bucks along the way.

So before trying to compare and find electricity providers online, I will share a few ideas in this article to give you some good starting points:

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Fridge and Freezer

The kitchen is often the place that takes up a huge percentage in your consumption. Just consider the fact that your fridge and freezer running the entire day.

Fortunately, there’s something you can do about it. For instance, avoid leaving the door open for a long time. Keeping the door closed makes it easier for the appliance to retain its cold temperature. Also, it is a big mistake to put warm food because that will be harder for your freezer to cool down.

Another thing you should keep in mind is to consistently keep the appliance at least ¾ full for most of the time. Do not fill it to capacity because that will require higher amounts of cooling power. Regular defrosting can be a big help, too.

Home Entertainment

Taking a closer look, you will likely find out that about half of your consumption is from home entertainment systems such as computers, televisions, and other electronic devices.


If you are planning to purchase a TV soon, you might be interested to know that LED TVs are far more energy-efficient than LCDs and plasmas. Of course, the rule still applies that bigger TVs consume more energy so take note of that as well. Check ahead if the TV comes with ambient light sensor feature. This technology makes it possible for the TV to automatically make setting adjustments based on how light or dark the room is. Take advantage of the eco mode and turn it on, too, if your TV has this feature.
 

Image credit: Aaron Peterson (flickr.com)

When it comes to computers, it makes sense to go for laptops because they consume lesser electricity than desktops. You will be surprised with how big you can save if you will consistently use your laptop instead of your PC. If using a desktop is unavoidable, ditch the old-fashioned CRT monitor and get a slimmer display. This can help you save more money in the end.  


Related Resources:
100 Ways to Save Energy at Home (progress-energy.com)
Saving Electricity (energy.gov)