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In today's tough economy, people are exploring every money-saving avenue they can. Cutting down on utility bills is one way to save a few bucks. There are simple, cost-effective ways to save money with minimal investment.
Several of us have lived or are living in an apartment or rented house that may be a little outdated. Older apartment buildings and houses still have original windows, doors, and electrical outlets that are older than you. Many of these fixtures are leaking your money right out their cracks. There are simple things tenants can do to cut down their utility bills and be green at the same time. You may not have solar panels on your roof, but your power bill could drop so much you'll think you did.
Older windows aren't insulated well and work great as mini fridges in the colder months. One cost-effective way to cut down the heat bill is to head to the local hardware store and pick up a window insulation kit.
You use the kit, basically a large sheet of clear plastic, to cover the window entirely and then seal all the seams around the window with a hair dryer.
There are many different types of kits that range from $4 to $35. Some snap in place with magnets and can be easily removed in warmer months.
When the sun is delivering boiling heat, install light-colored blinds so you can keep the cool air in without attracting heat at the same time. Blankets from a thrift store work great as an alternative to professionally installed blinds.
Doors have gaps around the edges and bottom that allow cold air to get in and suck your money out. Fixing this can be cheap and easy too. There's the trick of putting a towel at the bottom of the door and squeezing it into the gaps. It's a cheap fix and a great use for old towels, but it has to be replaced every time the door is opened.
A less maintenance-intensive solution is to install weather stripping using self-stick foam and installing a door sweep for the bottom. The self-sticking foam sells on average for $15 for a large roll, where cheap door sweeps can cost about $20.
Even if your apartment's front door is in a hallway, a door sweep is a good idea. Several older complexes have no heating vents in the halls, which lets them get quite cold.
Turning the temperature down a few degrees on a hot water heater can also help turn down your heating bill, while a blanket wrapped around the heater can cut energy consumption by reducing recovery time. Most hardware stores sell water heater insulation blankets that you can cut to the size of your heater for $22. Again, a thrift store may supply a cheaper substitute.
If you don't mind spending a few more bucks or can convince your landlord to shell out for it, you can have an energy audit done. Depending on the depth of the audit, Xcel Energy charges $90 to $120 for their service. In turn, they give you coupons and incentives to fix the energy leaks.
Xcel will also refer you to companies that will install foam around the electrical outlets, another avenue for escaping heat and cool air.
An online energy calculator is also available at www.xcelenergy.com, as is a list of 60 ways to save money on your energy bill.
You can always go the really lazy way and just use Energy Star compliant light bulbs in all your lamps. They come off expensive, costing on average $9 for a four-pack, but there's usually a coupon in the Sunday paper for a dollar or more off.
A 14 watt spiral uses 75 percent less energy than a 60 watt light bulb and will last 10 times longer. So you can and should take your light bulbs with you when you move.
All of those gaps, cracks, and poorly insulated areas allow the bills to add up quickly if ignored. But with a small investment of less than $100, you can save hundreds and feel good about conserving energy.
So as much as you might like to install your own solar panel grid on the roof, or rig up a wind turbine to power your PC, settling for small, temporary improvements can lower your strain on both your wallet and your planet.
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