Cut down your electricity bills this winter!

You have always wanted to be energy efficient. You have always wanted to go green. Did you know you have reasons that are all the more pressing, right now?
1. The average cost of heating an American home this year is $2300, which is 7% more than last year and 12% more than 2006.When people are more financially stretched these days, energy efficiency is not just reasonable but indispensable.
2. Did you know about the federal income credits to those who make energy efficient changes to their homes in 2009?
3. Global warming is real. And it is impending.
Here are some meaningful, no nonsense tips to slash down your electricity bills this winter. And believe me it works, as soon as you start applying them, that is right now.
HEATING:
1.Heat only those rooms that you are now using rather than a central heating system that heats the entire house It is also unsafe to turn off the registers in homes using central heating because it may damage your ducts or sometimes the furnace)
2. If your living room is large, arrange seating near the radiant heater , where you spend most of the time. This will prevent energy getting wasted to heat unused corners of the room.
3.Use a rug or carpet, to make yourself warm. This will prevent you from rising the temperature.
4. Use minimal temperature needed to keep yourself warm and cosy.(Your heater must not make you take off your shirt and fan yourself)
5.Cover yourself with warm clothes. Don't wear sleeveless and shorts at home in winter months.
6. Switch off the heater overnight. The temperature that you need to keep yourself warm and cosy when you are under the covers/quilt is far less than what you need in the living room in the day. Also it does not take more energy to heat the room in the morning than to leave it heated through the night.
7.Insulate your home: Weather strip doors and windows. Watch out for leaks along the doors and repair them if necessary.
8. If you are having forced air system in your house, change the filter at least once in three months.
9. Look for leaks in the ducts and seal them promptly.
10. Allow air to flow free. By making the rooms relatively airtight can actually damage your heater, in forced air system.
11. Open up the drapes and blinds in day to allow sun to naturally heat up your house. Draw them at night to retain warm air.
12.Check your attic insulation and consider improving the “R-value” to R-38.

WATER HEATER:
1. Decide on the method of water heater you will find economical (if your family is small, if the room where your heater is located is cold and the endless supply of hot water doesn't tempt you to use more, you can go for tank less models to save money and energy).
2. If you are using tank heaters, make sure the room is relatively warm, by keeping the door closed. Or you can tr wrapping your tank to avoid stand by losses, but make sure you don't cover the thermostat as well.
3.Turn the heater off when you are going out of town.
4.Run the water heater for only few hours if the water heated this way is sufficient for your daily use.
5.Fix leaking taps to prevent water and energy going down the drain.
6. Use solar water heater.
7.Use a low flow shower head.
8.Conserve water. Don't take too long showers, wash dishes when the get stacked up not with every single cup, plate or spoon.

REFRIGERATOR:
1.When you are buying a new refrigerator, you must know that
1. The latest models are more energy efficient and easier on pockets.
2. Freezer on top models are more efficient than freezer on side / below.
3.Water dispensers in doors and ice makers use more energy.
4. Resist temptation to buy a bigger fridge. Most households need only 25 cubic feet. Models bigger than that use significantly more energy.
5.It is usually more energy conserving to use one big refrigerator than two small ones. So recycle your old refrigerator.

2.Energy saving with your existing refrigerator:
1.Review the location of your refrigerator. If your refrigerator is too close to
your oven or heater try moving it to a warmer place.
2. If possible, place your refrigerator against an external wall that will help to conduct away the heat.
3.Let your fridge have space at least 2 inch all around for free air circulation.
4. Do not open the fridge too often or for too long. (you will be surprised how much you can cut down on the number of times you open the door if you are thoughtful).
5.Avoid putting hot food inside.
6.Arrange the food in such a way that air could flow freely around the containers.Too compact and too sparse arrangement uses more energy.
7. Defrost the fridge frequently and promptly.
8. Check for the seal along the door and repair any leak.
9.Use only optimum temperature you need by adjusting the thermostat.
10.Brush up or vacuum up the coils behind the fridge regularly to keep it running efficiently.

WASHING MACHINES:
1. Front loading washing machines generally use less energy, less water and is faster than top loading machines.
2. Buy a machine with several options as you can minimise water use and energy use as per your need.
3.Buy a machine with high MEF (modified energy factor) and low WF( water factor).
4. Buy a size that is optimum for your household needs.
5. Always run your machine on full load.
6. Use warm water or cold water for Wash cycle.
7. Always use cold water for RINSE cycle.
8. Check if you are charged less for using electricity at night, then you may want to run the machine only at nights.
9. Do not use a drier- your drier can use as much energy as that of 200 to 500 ceiling fans. Dry the clothes in a clothesline outside or using a laundry rack inside your house.
10. Mechanical water extraction by spinning is more energy efficient than thermal drying.Faster spin speed results in better and rapid water extraction.

DISH WASHING:
1.Use a dish washer that is of correct size for your household needs.
2.Consider buying a dish washer that has an energy factor(EF) of at least 0.65, water efficient, several wash cycle options and has an energy saving no heat dry feature.
3. Wash only full load using energy saving options. Arrange the dishes as instructed to have free air flow around the dishes.
4. Turn down your water heater thermostat.
5. Avoid hand washing(Modern dish washers use much less water than most hand washers)
6. Do not get in to the habit of rinsing your dishes before putting them in the dish washer. If you want to rinse the soiled ones, just in case use cold water.

LIGHTING:
1.Replace all your incandescent lamps with CFL(Compact flourescent lamps). Remember that CFL use 70% less energy, lot cheaper, lasts longer and are as brighter.
2. While buying CFL check their quality (cheaper ones burn out quickly), are compatible with dimmers( if you intend to use dimmers), contains a tiny amount of mercury that you may have to take care if you break them or when you dispose them.
3. Switch off lights as you leave the room. If you keep forgetting you may want to install occupancy sensor (that switches light on and off as you enter or leave a room).
4. Use motion sensor in corridors and hallways, light sensors(for outdoor fixtures), timers and dimmers.
5. Switch to LED holiday lights. They are more durable and use much less energy.
6. Make the most of sunlight. Install skylight id possible, open the curtain and blind to let in sunlight. Put your chair by the window for daytime reading/ working.
7. Use task lighting and avoid bright uniform lighting of the entire room.

COOKING:
1. Do simple, organised and bulk cooking.
2. When you heat water in a kettle for tea, use only as much as you need/ Store the extra hot water in a vacuum flask.
3. Use microwave, although it uses more energy the time needed for cooking is much less that you actually end up conserving energy.
4. Keep stove tops and ovens clean.
5. Do not open the oven doors frequently.
6. Do not put aluminium foil at the bottom of a gas oven to catch drippings.
7. Use appropriate pan/ burner size.(a 6" pan on a 8" burner will waste around 40% of heat produced by the burner).
8.Use sturdy, flat bottomed cookware of high conductive material. material.

ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT:
1. Switch them off whenever not in use.
2. Unplug them when not in use.
3. Allow computers to go to standby mode when not used for around 15 minutes.
4. Plug home equipments(except those that need reprogramming like TVs, satellite boxes etc) in to a single power strip with on /off switch. This will help you to turn off power supply to all devices in a single step.

Frugality tips - babies

Babies bring happiness to our lives. But they need not necessarily bring expenses as well. Tips to cut down expenses when you bring home your bundle of joy.
1.Make a list of what you will need when baby comes home, well in advance.
2. Discuss the list with friends who have already had babies and see if you can cut down anything from the list.
3. Accept hand down offers from well meaning friends.
4. Shop online in ebay to see if you can get bargain prices.
5. Sign up in all baby store's websites. Most websites offer brochures, discounts and free gifts.
6. Shop few items in advance because you will not be in a hurry and hence can look for good prices.
7. Think over the option of cloth diapers, they are easy on the pocket.
8. Instead of branded items, try supermarket brands. Most of the times, they are cheaper and equally good.
9. Whenever possible buy things in unicolour, dont stick to pink or blue, particularly prams- thereby you can maximise their use for a long time either by the next child or by selling.
10. Buy in bulk- If you have decided on formula feeding, but bottles, steriliser and other accessories in bulk from same brand for which you often get discount.
11. Dont buy expensive push button toys, babies tend to like simple, basic toys(rattle, balls)
12. Weaning the baby on simple home made foods are often easy, cheap and healthy.

Cookery tips: frozen diced veggies

When are you back from your weekend grocery and vegetable shopping, take take a portion of the carrots and beans, dice them finely and cook/pressure cook them with potatoes and peas. Once they are cooked, store them in a freezer compartment.
This vegetable mix can be used for many quick dishes.

Tips to survive recession: Job

Recession hits everyone, particularly the poor, weak ...and the unprepared. Learn to recession proof yourself.
If you are employed
1. Know that nobody is immune to layoff.
2. Try to improve your chances of remaining employed by improving your skills, working harder and maintaining an amiable relationship with employer and colleagues.
3. Do not change jobs unless necessary.
4. As people get laid off, the rest get overworked. Be prepared for that.
5. Look for other jobs or pursue hobbies that will bring money in weekends.
6. Know your limits. Avoid burnout.
7. Communicate wih others. Listen to other people's ideas.
8. Use public transortation to commute.
9. Use car pool with your colleagues.
10. Try to move closer/ farther from your office depending on the situation (cost of commuting, cost of living, if the time saved can be used for another job)
If you are unemployed
1. Look for jobs in industries that are least affected by recession- health care, food and stale goods companies, defense, tobacco and alcohol industry.
2. Look for ways to improve your skill that does not need hefty investment.
3. Dont hesitate to take up a job for which you are overqualified , it will give you breathing space to look for appropriate jobs.
4. Seek unemployment benefit , if available.
5. Be optimistic.

Birthday theme ideas.

Colors
One easy, simple and good idea for birthday party theme is "Colors".
1. You can select few bright primary colors and decorate the party hall with those colors.
2. Make a big rainbow on the wall.
3. Rainbow looks good on the cake too.
4. Make the cake colorful.
5. The party hats can be of different colors with the color name writen on them.
6. Suggest that the kids come dressed up in solid colors.
7. A lucky draw of colors can be done. The kids can be made to select a color each. The birthday kid then selects the winning color.
8. Age appropriate scrabble game can be played with the names of colors.
9. This can be used as an opportunity for little kids to learn colors.
10. You can also select a single color as theme. (example: blue for boys, pink for girls)

Have a colorful birthday party!!