Here are a few new tips that I came across recently:
- Keep a pitcher of water in your fridge. This keeps the food in there cooler and will use less energy. Another benefit is that you'll always have some cool water available and you won't need to use the disposable plastic water bottles as much.
- If you are leaving town for vacation, unplug your appliances and electronics before you go. Unplugging cell phone chargers, DVD players and other electronics will save you some money. These electronics draw power even when they ar not turned on. For even greater savings, you can plug some of these items into a power strip and turn on the power only when you are using these items.
- Now is a terrific time to invest in energy efficient home improvements because Uncle Sam is providing tax credits for improvements made in 1009 and 2010. So if you are considering new windows, doors, insulation, roofs, water heaters, heating or air conditioning, click here for more information. (NOTE: A tax credit is better than a tax deduction because it comes right off of the amount of taxes you owe.)
- Chicagoland Natural Gas Savings Program - This program is offering rebates of up to $750 on insulation, $600 on boilers, $450 on furnaces, $400 on water heaters, and $100 on clothes washers. These tend to be items that you purchase when the one you have "dies." So if you need to replace any of these items, check out the rebate program with your gas provider. For residents on Chicago's North Shore, visit this site for details, or call 866-964-7345.
Thank you for reading - if you have any tips or ideas that I can share with my readers, please let me know.
nsk
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