20 Ways to Increase Your Budget

One thing that can make your head pound to it's highest extent is an extremely high energy bill. I can think of thousands of ways to increase your budget and decrease your energy bill right now without reaching for your wallet, but since I don't have an enourmous amount of time, I'm going to give you 20 ways right now.

1. Wash clothes in cold water. About 90% of energy that goes into washing your clothes is spent on heating the water for the load. Cold-water detergents will work effectively for just about everything.
2. Hang it up. If there is decent weather, use a clothes line! You will spare the energy a dryer would use and your clothes will smell like the great outdoors without all those dryer sheet perfumes.
3. Don't over-dry your laundry. Clothes will need less ironing if you remove them from the dryer when they are still a little damp. Your clothes will also have a bigger lifespan, dryer lint is the outcome of your clothes warring away.
4. Let the dishwasher do the work. Don't bother pre-rinsing, studies show that this can waste up to 20 gallons of your heated water a day. All you need to do is scrape off the old food.
5. Put your pc to sleep! Keep your computer and monitor in sleep mode, you stand to use 80% less electricity.
6. Turn down the heat in the winter/cool in the summer. Lower the thermostat 5 degrees to 10 degrees when sleeping or when you are away from the house. A 10 degree decrease can cut your bill by as much as 20%.
7. A cold hearth for a warmer house. Fireplaces. Assume the indoor air has been warmed by your central heating system, that means your energy bill dollars are going straight out the chimney. Consider a direct vent, or a sealed-combustion gas fireplace.
8. Lower the shades and open the windows. Not at the same time of course. Shades tend to block out the suns direct light and heat, lowering them could help keep your house cooler. Open up some windows when you're sleeping to let the cool night air flow throughout the house. Do this without having the A/C on and you can save more money.
9. Put a spin on home cooling. You can operate a couple of fans with a fraction of the electricity needed for A/C.
10. Take care of your A/C and it will take care of you. Your air conditioner will run more efficient if you clean or replace the filter every other week.
11. Spend less for hot water. Set the hot water heater on low (125 degrees F). Insulate the plumbing with pipe sleeves to conserve heat as it travels to your faucet.
12. Think twice before turning on the oven. Heating food in the microwave uses only 20% of the energy required for a full-sized oven.
13. Use the right pan. Use pans that are roughly the same size as the burner, it doesn't take as long to heat it up and do the job.
14. Read the label-Energy guide label. When shopping for new appliances, your given an estimate of annual energy consumption.
15. Crock-pot. Slow cooking uses a lot less energy than simmering on the stove.
16. Clean coils on your fridge using tapered appliance brushes. The motor won't have to run as long or as often-it also prolongs the life span of your appliances.
17. Drive steadily, and a bit slower. Hard acceleration and abrupt braking will use more fuel than if you start and slow moderately.
18. Roof racks SUCK. Loading on a roof rack can decrease the SUV's fuel efficiency by 5%-aerodynamic= 15%.
19. Regular. If your car manufacturers specify regular gas, don't buy premium.
20. No more loitering. Don't let your engine run on idle any more than necessary. Don't let it "sit and warm up." Start your car and start driving immediately, wear a coat.

Now as an added bonus, I'm going to give you 10 ways to decrease your energy bill by do it yourself handy jobs that are inexpensive.

1. Replace your windowpanes. They tend to crack or get loose over time, this lets airflow go in and out.
2. Replace your threshold gaskets.
3. Replace your old thermostat with a programmable one.
4. Replace your old weatherstrips regularly with v-strip weather strips.
5. Apply caulk around your windows and doors.
6. Replace your doorsweeps.
7. Plug holes.
8. Install some ceiling fans.
9. Buy a couple of inexpensive heaters and heating blankets.
10. Seal your outlets and switches.

If you follow these simple tips and advice, then you should definitely be successful in decreasing your energy bill and increasing your budget.