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To add to this, I believe some manufacturers make different types of CF bulb light, for example, the ones they sell at The Home Depot (don't know the manufacturer's name off the top of my head) come in a soft light, or a bright white light. I put the bright white in the kitchen and damn, the place looks like Grand Central Station after they warm up, and I use the soft light ones for the living room, den and basement. the bright white one is great for an outdoor flood light too, it is super bright, and I believe a 21W bulb puts out about 125W light.
Yes, they have expanded greatly in the options available. I laughed at your Grand Central comparison -- it's dead on!
Yes, they have expanded greatly in the options available. I laughed at your Grand Central comparison -- it's dead on!
It actually was a bit shocking how much brighter it was, the ones I put in my basement are just ridiculous, I mean it's almost too bright.
Other ways to save:
Get 4 cylinder cars as opposed to 6.
Properly insulate your home in the attic and around windows and doors. Of course, if you have an older home, there is probably around 0 insulation in the walls, so if you don't want to pay to rip out walls or have the blown in insulation, at the least make sure your windows are sealed tight and doors seal tight.
Open all shades or curtains to let sunlight in, it has to warm the rooms ever so slightly in the winter, and use the curtains to block out the sun in the summer time (I know no one wants to do this, but it does make a difference if you can live without seeing the sun)
Make sure you turn off lights in rooms you aren't in.
Use a hot water heater on your heating system. Has to save gas/oil as opposed to having your boiler/burner fire up every time you need hot water.
The list goes on and on...it really isn't too difficult, you just need to be mindful and diligent in what you do.
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I literally never eat lunch during the week. Colleagues order about $10.00 in lunches every single day. That's $200.00 a week. I just eat a Fiber Plus candy bar which I have become addicted to.
Since I work in the office & have to wear business attire, I have quite a lot of dry cleaning to do.
-I do my dry cleaning at the laundromat (you can save about upwards of 70% off)
-I try to buy pants that do not req. dry cleaning
I would iron my own shirts but its way too much work imo
I find that most restaurant portions are way too large. We tend to order one apps and one entree and split it between us. This system seems to work well with us
to further on the Starbucks comment. 7-11 is 50 cents cheaper than starbucks for coffee, not much of a savings. You want to save.... make your own coffee saves about 1.80 on a 2.00 cup, i use disposables so I can take in car to work.
4CYL honda accord uses less gas than a 6cyl couple that with buying the honda instead of leasing the 6cyl BMW and you are really saving.
Not eatting out is another way to save.... although I do eat out. To me Sbarro is not the same as olive garden, definate drop in the out to dinner experience, although I'd rather go local than chain. Big way to save, DON"t DRINK. I'm not criticizing, but it really drops your check. My wife and I aren't big drinkers so when we go out to dinner, we order water, that more than pays for an appitizer and desert.
Dinner for two at Panera or the Food court at the mall is about $25.
Great place for kids clothing is The Children's Place Outlet at the Source Mall.
Don't get Dessert at the restaurant. Apple Pies or Sundaes at McDonald's are a buck. Or pick up a tub of Choc Chip cookie dough next time you're at Costco or BJ's.
I pack lunches for my husband, this alone must save us $70-100 a week. He works in Southampton where you can't get a bologna and cheese for under $10. Cooking at home in general saves you tons of money. We try not to dine out on something that I could cook at home, so we generally only order sushi and ethnic stuff that I can't figure out how to cook myself
Matinees are a great way to see movies for cheaper, plus theaters are usually less crowded in the daytime.
Use your savings card at the supermarket and don't forget to use the coupons that come out with your receipt. Every time I buy organic milk or baby food, the machine spits out coupons for $1-1.50. It adds up.
I will have to try the GE helical light bulbs. I loathe most energy-saving bulbs because of that dressing-room effect mentioned by OhBeeHave. I prefer Reveal bulbs, I don't know if those suck up energy or not.
to further on the Starbucks comment. 7-11 is 50 cents cheaper than starbucks for coffee, not much of a savings. You want to save.... make your own coffee saves about 1.80 on a 2.00 cup, i use disposables so I can take in car to work.
The usual beverage I buy at Starbucks is $3.50. I buy coffee and a Newsday at 7-11 for $2.09. My 7-11 coffee without the paper is $1.59. That's $1.91 savings w/o the paper, $1.41 with the paper.
7-11 is 1 mile away, Starbucks 3. 2 miles RT to 7-11, 6 miles RT to Starbucks in a car which gets 15mpg
2.5 trips to Starbucks = 1 gal gas at $3.19/gal
7.5 trips to 7-11 = 1 gal gas @ 3.19/gal
By going to 7-11 (in my case by virtue of location) I am saving on both the coffee and gas.
I also brew at home.
Quote:
i use disposables so I can take in car to work.
Buy a travel mug that can be reused. It's a one time expense and much better for the environment. (Also reuse your coffee grounds in garden beds. If in Starbucks, ask, they give their grounds away free.)
I haven't done this as I use a travel mug, but my friend gets 5 or 10 cents off a cup of coffee at 7-11 when he reuses his 7-11 cup. He usually gets a few refills before he has to get a new cup.
Other ways to save:
Get 4 cylinder cars as opposed to 6.
Make sure you turn off lights in rooms you aren't in.
.
I literally spend every waking moment when I am home slapping off light switches...drives my wife nuts....bam, bam, BAM...all over the house. Pet peeve of mine.
I also drive a hybrid...more expensive of a car investment of course...but after 4.7 years I will start to get back on my investment as a net financial gain due to the gas savings; plus the "family capital" I save by zooming home in the HOV is worth more than a few bucks...more minutes with the kids are worth a lot as well (most of the time )
Last edited by Jrprofess; 02-01-2008 at 10:36 PM..
To add to this, I believe some manufacturers make different types of CF bulb light, for example, the ones they sell at The Home Depot (don't know the manufacturer's name off the top of my head) come in a soft light, or a bright white light. I put the bright white in the kitchen and damn, the place looks like Grand Central Station after they warm up, and I use the soft light ones for the living room, den and basement. the bright white one is great for an outdoor flood light too, it is super bright, and I believe a 21W bulb puts out about 125W light.
This one is huge. Everyone should get used to these bulbs because incandescent bulbs are being phased out in the next few years. They really are fantastic. Wal-Mart sells 6 packs for under $10. I'm a little psychotic about it...but I took about a dozen CF bulbs with me when I moved from Utah. I've had them for 4 years already.
Opening the blinds in the morning...then closing them again at night is also a great way to warm the house up in the morning.
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It actually was a bit shocking how much brighter it was, the ones I put in my basement are just ridiculous, I mean it's almost too bright.
