Back to Blogging
Hi, Ive been away for a while working on other projects. I hope to be back now and will try to enter on a more regular basis. I've been busy with E-bay and have a listing there. If you are interested in getting good buys and save gas from not having to go to the store, this is the place for you. I will go into more detail later. You can find books, magazines, toys, cds, dvds, and a lot more at very reasonable prices, delivered right to your door. My ebay listing is under wagerton52 so please make me a "favorite seller" and look and bid often. Ok, it's good to be back and I will be entering often. Telling of my experiences on e-bay and also money-saving tips to help in todays tough economy. Be back soon. Bill
Friday, June 27, 2008
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
Save Money--3 Simple Steps
Three steps to save money and save the world...
1) Use fewer paper napkins--everywhere. There's no need to grab a huge stack of napkins from the concession stand when you know you'll only use one or two. Each American consumes an average of 2,200 standard two-ply napkins per year, or the equivalent of just over six of these napkins a day. If everyone in the United States used an average of one fewer napkin a day, more than a billion pounds of napkins could be saved from landfills each year. A stack of napkins this size could fill the entire Empire State Building.
2) Buy rechargeable batteries. You'll save money over the long term. A single rechargeable battery can replace up to one thousand single-use alkaline batteries over its lifetime. Americans throw out approximately 179,000 tons of batteries per year.
3) Drink tap water when dining out. You can save as much as $7 for a bottle of water, and it may be safer to drink. Tap water is more strictly regulated than bottled water. If everyone drank tap instead of bottled water in the United States, it would save about $8 billion-- about as much as the United States spends each year in drought response. It also would help prevent palstic waste. Sixty million water bottles are tossed each day in the United States.
Hope these hints are helpful. The come from "the green book" .Buy the greenbook and go to www.readthegreenbook.com.
Personal note:
Shopping last week: Food Lion total before savings- $19.22 in store savings-$6.10 total grocery bill-$13.12
Bilo's total before savings-76.82 in store savings-14.08 coupons-7.60 total grocery bill-$54.07
Savings before last week $192.42
Savings last week $ 27.78
Savings year to date $220.20
Happy savings!!! and remember..save a penny save the world!!!
1) Use fewer paper napkins--everywhere. There's no need to grab a huge stack of napkins from the concession stand when you know you'll only use one or two. Each American consumes an average of 2,200 standard two-ply napkins per year, or the equivalent of just over six of these napkins a day. If everyone in the United States used an average of one fewer napkin a day, more than a billion pounds of napkins could be saved from landfills each year. A stack of napkins this size could fill the entire Empire State Building.
2) Buy rechargeable batteries. You'll save money over the long term. A single rechargeable battery can replace up to one thousand single-use alkaline batteries over its lifetime. Americans throw out approximately 179,000 tons of batteries per year.
3) Drink tap water when dining out. You can save as much as $7 for a bottle of water, and it may be safer to drink. Tap water is more strictly regulated than bottled water. If everyone drank tap instead of bottled water in the United States, it would save about $8 billion-- about as much as the United States spends each year in drought response. It also would help prevent palstic waste. Sixty million water bottles are tossed each day in the United States.
Hope these hints are helpful. The come from "the green book" .Buy the greenbook and go to www.readthegreenbook.com.
Personal note:
Shopping last week: Food Lion total before savings- $19.22 in store savings-$6.10 total grocery bill-$13.12
Bilo's total before savings-76.82 in store savings-14.08 coupons-7.60 total grocery bill-$54.07
Savings before last week $192.42
Savings last week $ 27.78
Savings year to date $220.20
Happy savings!!! and remember..save a penny save the world!!!
Friday, February 1, 2008
In My Own Words...
CAN WE BE HEALED????
A great sickness has swept across our beloved land my freinds. We've become a nation of hearers not thinkers. We have become complacent and we have "settled" for something less than what our forefathers put forth as our certain inalienable rights. And in this time of letting go of reason itself we have lost our way. And the ones leading us back to the path through the forest of indecision, inactivity and the passing off of pretty words for true beliefs, lead us even further into the dark forest.
We have in this election year, a chance to change direction, to pull ourself out of the quagmire of a war started "just to be doing something" it now seems ..looking back in hindsight. When the towers in New York went down we felt a certain sense of outrage and loss. That was a very understandable emotion. But our course of action was as if, the town bully punched our sister, so we in turn punch the town bullies distant cousin, once removed. And this at the cost of the lives of our young men. For what, to try to bring democracy to a land that has no innate desire of it? Peace must be wanted, craved, needed even. The people of Iraq have shown little inclination towards anything like that.
And our candidates, for president, what a lot this is. Would any one dare utter a single sentence that didnt follow party lines and thinking.? Do any have a thought of thier own?
Is there a single good idea among the lot of them? Oh I've heard a snitch of a genuine idea here, a glimpse of one there. But by and large, it's the same almost robotic drivel we've heard so many times before. And the problem with it is this. On the morning after the grand inauguration of our next leader of our beloved country, no matter how much fire and zest we have supported our candidate with, we will wake up to ... high gas prices, crime in the streets, rising prices at the grocery, a health care system so flawed it is almost beyond fixing, social security in jeopardy, the diserespect and inward loathing of almost every non english speaking nation in the world..and even some that do speak english, and like the bear who slept through Christmas wonder...what happened? Will we see real change? We can only hope. Do i doubt we'll see true change? Yes... i do. Come on Obama, Hillary, McCain....Mitt. Prove me wrong... I dare you .
I've used a lot of space here promoting the ideas of others. For a change...this is me... my forum.. my stump. Tomorrow I'll be at my patriotic best again. But just for today...let me whine......
Happy Savings!!!!!
A great sickness has swept across our beloved land my freinds. We've become a nation of hearers not thinkers. We have become complacent and we have "settled" for something less than what our forefathers put forth as our certain inalienable rights. And in this time of letting go of reason itself we have lost our way. And the ones leading us back to the path through the forest of indecision, inactivity and the passing off of pretty words for true beliefs, lead us even further into the dark forest.
We have in this election year, a chance to change direction, to pull ourself out of the quagmire of a war started "just to be doing something" it now seems ..looking back in hindsight. When the towers in New York went down we felt a certain sense of outrage and loss. That was a very understandable emotion. But our course of action was as if, the town bully punched our sister, so we in turn punch the town bullies distant cousin, once removed. And this at the cost of the lives of our young men. For what, to try to bring democracy to a land that has no innate desire of it? Peace must be wanted, craved, needed even. The people of Iraq have shown little inclination towards anything like that.
And our candidates, for president, what a lot this is. Would any one dare utter a single sentence that didnt follow party lines and thinking.? Do any have a thought of thier own?
Is there a single good idea among the lot of them? Oh I've heard a snitch of a genuine idea here, a glimpse of one there. But by and large, it's the same almost robotic drivel we've heard so many times before. And the problem with it is this. On the morning after the grand inauguration of our next leader of our beloved country, no matter how much fire and zest we have supported our candidate with, we will wake up to ... high gas prices, crime in the streets, rising prices at the grocery, a health care system so flawed it is almost beyond fixing, social security in jeopardy, the diserespect and inward loathing of almost every non english speaking nation in the world..and even some that do speak english, and like the bear who slept through Christmas wonder...what happened? Will we see real change? We can only hope. Do i doubt we'll see true change? Yes... i do. Come on Obama, Hillary, McCain....Mitt. Prove me wrong... I dare you .
I've used a lot of space here promoting the ideas of others. For a change...this is me... my forum.. my stump. Tomorrow I'll be at my patriotic best again. But just for today...let me whine......
Happy Savings!!!!!
Monday, January 28, 2008
Save Money--4 Tips --In the Back Yard
Lawn Care:
Cut your grass so it's two inches high, and leave he clippings on the lawn. You'll spend less time mowing and raking, and you won't have to water your lawn so much. Forty percent of water in summer is allocated to outdoor usage when rates are highest. Also, less lawn care usually means using fewer chemicals that will leach into runoff water and damage local fish and bird habitats.
Pool:
Cover your pool when you aren't using it and you'll cut water lost to evaporation by 90 percent and therefore the cost of replenishing it. An average-size pool with average sun and wind exposure loses approximately one thousand gallons of water per month--enough to meet the drinking water needs of a family of four for nearly a year and a half.
Outdoor Lighting:
Turn off your outside lights when they're not needed. If possible, use timers or motion sensors. The average household spends about $13 per year per 100-watt bulb on electricity.
Sprinklers:
Try to use your sprinklers in early morning or evening. The average lawn needs only about one hour of watering per week. In summer, outdoor water usage accounts for 40 percent of household water bills. The irrigation of U.S. lawns and landscapes claims an estimated 7.9 billion gallons of water a day-- a volume that would fill fourteen billion six-packs of beer.
These tips come from "the green book" . Buy "the green book" . And for more tips go to www.readthegreenbook.com.
personal note: gas savings over the weekend from using regular instead of next grade $.70. From drinking water instead of a soft drink$1.50. Made a quick stop at Food Lion today in-store savings $.30. Total $2.50.
Savings as of 1-27-08 $192.42
Savings this weekend $ 2.50
Savings year to date $194.92
Happy savings!!!
Cut your grass so it's two inches high, and leave he clippings on the lawn. You'll spend less time mowing and raking, and you won't have to water your lawn so much. Forty percent of water in summer is allocated to outdoor usage when rates are highest. Also, less lawn care usually means using fewer chemicals that will leach into runoff water and damage local fish and bird habitats.
Pool:
Cover your pool when you aren't using it and you'll cut water lost to evaporation by 90 percent and therefore the cost of replenishing it. An average-size pool with average sun and wind exposure loses approximately one thousand gallons of water per month--enough to meet the drinking water needs of a family of four for nearly a year and a half.
Outdoor Lighting:
Turn off your outside lights when they're not needed. If possible, use timers or motion sensors. The average household spends about $13 per year per 100-watt bulb on electricity.
Sprinklers:
Try to use your sprinklers in early morning or evening. The average lawn needs only about one hour of watering per week. In summer, outdoor water usage accounts for 40 percent of household water bills. The irrigation of U.S. lawns and landscapes claims an estimated 7.9 billion gallons of water a day-- a volume that would fill fourteen billion six-packs of beer.
These tips come from "the green book" . Buy "the green book" . And for more tips go to www.readthegreenbook.com.
personal note: gas savings over the weekend from using regular instead of next grade $.70. From drinking water instead of a soft drink$1.50. Made a quick stop at Food Lion today in-store savings $.30. Total $2.50.
Savings as of 1-27-08 $192.42
Savings this weekend $ 2.50
Savings year to date $194.92
Happy savings!!!
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
3 Tips--Save Money--in the Backyard
Backyard Saving:
Drip Irrigation: For flower beds and gardens, use drip irrigation or soaker hoses instead of regular sprinklers. You can save up to 70 percent of the water you would typically use because evaporation will be minimal and only the base of the plants will be receiving water as opposed to the leaves and foliage.
Existing Lawn Irrigation: Consider installing a rain sensor to override your automatic sprinkler cycle during and after rain events. Depending on the local climate, your water consumption (and your water bill) could drop up to 30 percent per year.
Hoses: Fit your garden hose with an automatic shut-off nozzle in order to prevent waste when the water is turned on and the hose is not being used. You'll save up to 6.5 gallons per minute. If just 10 percent of U.S. households attached shut-off to their hoses and the average reduction in hose usage was just thirty seconds per week, the water saved would fill over 128,000 bathtubs every day.
These tips come from "the green book" . Buy the green book and visit www.readthegreenbook.com .
Personal note:
Grocery shopping today. Food lion purchase: $62.88. Store savings and coupons $13.52. Total after savings $49.36. % Savings; 21.5 percent.
Bilo's: purchased $113.23. Store savings and coupons $39.62. Total after savings $75.29. % Savings. 35.0 percent.
Savings as of 1-22-08: $139.28
Savings today $ 53.14
Savings year to date $192.42
Happy Savings!!!!
Drip Irrigation: For flower beds and gardens, use drip irrigation or soaker hoses instead of regular sprinklers. You can save up to 70 percent of the water you would typically use because evaporation will be minimal and only the base of the plants will be receiving water as opposed to the leaves and foliage.
Existing Lawn Irrigation: Consider installing a rain sensor to override your automatic sprinkler cycle during and after rain events. Depending on the local climate, your water consumption (and your water bill) could drop up to 30 percent per year.
Hoses: Fit your garden hose with an automatic shut-off nozzle in order to prevent waste when the water is turned on and the hose is not being used. You'll save up to 6.5 gallons per minute. If just 10 percent of U.S. households attached shut-off to their hoses and the average reduction in hose usage was just thirty seconds per week, the water saved would fill over 128,000 bathtubs every day.
These tips come from "the green book" . Buy the green book and visit www.readthegreenbook.com .
Personal note:
Grocery shopping today. Food lion purchase: $62.88. Store savings and coupons $13.52. Total after savings $49.36. % Savings; 21.5 percent.
Bilo's: purchased $113.23. Store savings and coupons $39.62. Total after savings $75.29. % Savings. 35.0 percent.
Savings as of 1-22-08: $139.28
Savings today $ 53.14
Savings year to date $192.42
Happy Savings!!!!
5 Tips--Save Money--Utility Room and Garage
Utility Room:
Washers: Set warm wash and cold rinse cycles, and save 90 percent over the energy used when machine washing in hot water only. Together, all U.S. households could save the energy equivalent of one hundred thousand barrels of oil a day by switching from hot-hot to warm-cold cycles.
Water Heaters: Wrap your water heater in an insulating blanket to store heat. Then set the thermostat no higher than 120 degrees to conserve energy. You could save 25 percent of the energy used in your home by making these changes. If everyone did this, U.S. households would save more than $32 billion per year in energy costs.
In the Garage:
Car Idling: Limit the amount of time you let your vehicle's engine run in the garage, and keep the garage door open. An idling vehicle emits twenty times more pollution than one traveling thirty-two miles per hour. There are sixty-five million garage owners in the United States. If 10 percent of garage owners were to idle their cars for just five fewer minutes per day, the total savings would be 84.5 million gallons of gas a year, enough for a million people to drive an average-size car across the country.
Car Wash: Washing your car in a commercial car wash is better for the environment than doing it yourself. Commercial car washes not only use significantly less water per wash--up to 100 gallons less-- but they often recycle and reuse rinse water. If every American who currently washes a vehicle at home chose instead to go to a professional car wash-- just once--up to 8.7 billion gallons of water could be saved, and some 12 billion gallons of soapy polluted water could be diverted from the country's rivers lakes and streams.
Hope these tips help save money and save the world. They are from "the green book" . Buy the green book and go to http://www.readthegreenbook.com/ .
Personal Note:
Saved $1.30 today by using regular gas instead of middle grade...13 gallons*10cents=$1.30.
Savings as of 1-19-08 $137.98
Savings today $ 1.30
Total savings this year$139.28
Happy Savings!!!!
Washers: Set warm wash and cold rinse cycles, and save 90 percent over the energy used when machine washing in hot water only. Together, all U.S. households could save the energy equivalent of one hundred thousand barrels of oil a day by switching from hot-hot to warm-cold cycles.
Water Heaters: Wrap your water heater in an insulating blanket to store heat. Then set the thermostat no higher than 120 degrees to conserve energy. You could save 25 percent of the energy used in your home by making these changes. If everyone did this, U.S. households would save more than $32 billion per year in energy costs.
In the Garage:
Car Idling: Limit the amount of time you let your vehicle's engine run in the garage, and keep the garage door open. An idling vehicle emits twenty times more pollution than one traveling thirty-two miles per hour. There are sixty-five million garage owners in the United States. If 10 percent of garage owners were to idle their cars for just five fewer minutes per day, the total savings would be 84.5 million gallons of gas a year, enough for a million people to drive an average-size car across the country.
Car Wash: Washing your car in a commercial car wash is better for the environment than doing it yourself. Commercial car washes not only use significantly less water per wash--up to 100 gallons less-- but they often recycle and reuse rinse water. If every American who currently washes a vehicle at home chose instead to go to a professional car wash-- just once--up to 8.7 billion gallons of water could be saved, and some 12 billion gallons of soapy polluted water could be diverted from the country's rivers lakes and streams.
Hope these tips help save money and save the world. They are from "the green book" . Buy the green book and go to http://www.readthegreenbook.com/ .
Personal Note:
Saved $1.30 today by using regular gas instead of middle grade...13 gallons*10cents=$1.30.
Savings as of 1-19-08 $137.98
Savings today $ 1.30
Total savings this year$139.28
Happy Savings!!!!
Friday, January 18, 2008
Save Money--Five Tips for the Living Room
Save Money and Energy in the Living Room
Fireplace: Keep your fireplace damper closed unless a fire is going. An open damper can let 8 percent of the heat in your home escape. In the summer, cool air escapes. That can add up to about $100 a year-- up the chimney.
Junk Mail: Rid yourself of junk mail--or at least recycle it. The average U.S. household receives 1.5 trees' worth of junk mail each year, and many of these trees are thrown right into the trash. If you want to reduce the amount of junk mail you receive, you'll need to register with the Mail Preference Service. It costs a buck, but you can do it easily online at www.dmaconsumers.org/cgi/offmailinglist. For the junk mail you continue to receive, remember to toss it in the recycling bin instead of throwing it out with the garbage. You can even recycle plastic window envelopes. If all Americans recycled their junk mail, $370 million in landfill dumping fees could be saved each year.
Light Bulbs: Dust your light bulbs and change them-- to compact fluorescent--only when they burn out. You'll increase energy efficiency and light output, and because electricity production generates pollution, you'll also help promote cleaner air. If every American home changed out just five regular light fixtures or the bulbs in them with more energy-efficient compact fluorescent ones, we'd keep more than one trillion pounds of greenhouse gases out of the air --equal to the emissions of eight million cars. That's $6 billion in energy savings for Americans.
Matches vs. Lighters: When choosing between matches and lighters, choose matches. For lighters, both the plastic casing and the butane fuel are products made from petroleum, and since most lighters are disposable, over 1.5 billion each year end up in landfills or incinerators worldwide. And when choosing between a box of wood matches and a book of cardboard matches, choose the book. Wood matches come from trees, whereas most cardboard matches are made from recycled paper. If all of the cigarettes smoked every day around the world were to be lit with cardboard matches instead of wood matches, 5.5 million trees could be saved per year from going up in smoke.
Shades/Drapes: Close the curtains when it's sunny in the summer and when it's cold in the winter, and you could reduce your energy needs by up to 25 percent. If every house in America kept the curtains closed for additional insulation, the total energy saved annually would be as much as the entire nation of Japan uses in a year.
Hope these hints are useful. They come from "the green book". Buy the green book. Read the green book. Go to www.readthegreenbook.com .
Happy Savings!!!
Fireplace: Keep your fireplace damper closed unless a fire is going. An open damper can let 8 percent of the heat in your home escape. In the summer, cool air escapes. That can add up to about $100 a year-- up the chimney.
Junk Mail: Rid yourself of junk mail--or at least recycle it. The average U.S. household receives 1.5 trees' worth of junk mail each year, and many of these trees are thrown right into the trash. If you want to reduce the amount of junk mail you receive, you'll need to register with the Mail Preference Service. It costs a buck, but you can do it easily online at www.dmaconsumers.org/cgi/offmailinglist. For the junk mail you continue to receive, remember to toss it in the recycling bin instead of throwing it out with the garbage. You can even recycle plastic window envelopes. If all Americans recycled their junk mail, $370 million in landfill dumping fees could be saved each year.
Light Bulbs: Dust your light bulbs and change them-- to compact fluorescent--only when they burn out. You'll increase energy efficiency and light output, and because electricity production generates pollution, you'll also help promote cleaner air. If every American home changed out just five regular light fixtures or the bulbs in them with more energy-efficient compact fluorescent ones, we'd keep more than one trillion pounds of greenhouse gases out of the air --equal to the emissions of eight million cars. That's $6 billion in energy savings for Americans.
Matches vs. Lighters: When choosing between matches and lighters, choose matches. For lighters, both the plastic casing and the butane fuel are products made from petroleum, and since most lighters are disposable, over 1.5 billion each year end up in landfills or incinerators worldwide. And when choosing between a box of wood matches and a book of cardboard matches, choose the book. Wood matches come from trees, whereas most cardboard matches are made from recycled paper. If all of the cigarettes smoked every day around the world were to be lit with cardboard matches instead of wood matches, 5.5 million trees could be saved per year from going up in smoke.
Shades/Drapes: Close the curtains when it's sunny in the summer and when it's cold in the winter, and you could reduce your energy needs by up to 25 percent. If every house in America kept the curtains closed for additional insulation, the total energy saved annually would be as much as the entire nation of Japan uses in a year.
Hope these hints are useful. They come from "the green book". Buy the green book. Read the green book. Go to www.readthegreenbook.com .
Happy Savings!!!
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Save Money--Get Financially Fit--Part Two
Get Fit Financially
Tips for saving money in 2008
Put half your raise in your 401(k) or savings. You still get an increase in cash flow, but you start putting money aside.
Select mutual funds in your 401(k). If you don't, your money will go into your plan's default option, typically a low-yielding money market account.
The simplest choice: Pick a target-date or life cycle mutual fund if your company's plan offers them . These funds adjust their holdings to coincide with your expected year of retirement. As you near retirement, the fund will move out of riskier stocks into more conservative ones and into bonds to preserve your cash.
If your plan doesn't offer those funds, select a mix of mutual funds, making sure to have a little bit of everything- stocks(international and domestic) and bonds.
Manage your debt. Work towards paying off your credit card balances on cards with the highest interest rates first or consolidate credit card debt onto one low-rate card.
If you have a house, you could roll consumer debt into a home equity loan that will likely have a lower rate. The average credit card rate is 15.82 percent, according to Card-Web.com. Home equity loan rates are typically a percentage point above prime, which currently is 7.25 percent.
Have you recently paid off your car or will you this year? Keep making monthly "payments" into your savings account.
This should be painless because you are conditioned to pay the bill, and a good way to save money.
Trim your social tab. One big budget buster: eating out. One potential solution: Form a supper club with friends. Each month a different friend or couple cooks dinner and supplies the beverages that quickly run up restaurant tabs.
But you don't have to deprive yourself of the occasional restaurant meal. Look for coupons for your favorite restaurants or find out what nights they have specials (often slower nights like Mondays)
Another money saver: Borrow movies from the public library. It's free!!!
Hope these tips help you get financially fit and start saving money!!!
Personal note:
Grocery day:
Savings as of 1-15-08 $106.97
Savings today $ 31,97
Year to date $138.94
Happy Savings!!!
Tips for saving money in 2008
Put half your raise in your 401(k) or savings. You still get an increase in cash flow, but you start putting money aside.
Select mutual funds in your 401(k). If you don't, your money will go into your plan's default option, typically a low-yielding money market account.
The simplest choice: Pick a target-date or life cycle mutual fund if your company's plan offers them . These funds adjust their holdings to coincide with your expected year of retirement. As you near retirement, the fund will move out of riskier stocks into more conservative ones and into bonds to preserve your cash.
If your plan doesn't offer those funds, select a mix of mutual funds, making sure to have a little bit of everything- stocks(international and domestic) and bonds.
Manage your debt. Work towards paying off your credit card balances on cards with the highest interest rates first or consolidate credit card debt onto one low-rate card.
If you have a house, you could roll consumer debt into a home equity loan that will likely have a lower rate. The average credit card rate is 15.82 percent, according to Card-Web.com. Home equity loan rates are typically a percentage point above prime, which currently is 7.25 percent.
Have you recently paid off your car or will you this year? Keep making monthly "payments" into your savings account.
This should be painless because you are conditioned to pay the bill, and a good way to save money.
Trim your social tab. One big budget buster: eating out. One potential solution: Form a supper club with friends. Each month a different friend or couple cooks dinner and supplies the beverages that quickly run up restaurant tabs.
But you don't have to deprive yourself of the occasional restaurant meal. Look for coupons for your favorite restaurants or find out what nights they have specials (often slower nights like Mondays)
Another money saver: Borrow movies from the public library. It's free!!!
Hope these tips help you get financially fit and start saving money!!!
Personal note:
Grocery day:
Savings as of 1-15-08 $106.97
Savings today $ 31,97
Year to date $138.94
Happy Savings!!!
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Save Money---Five Bathroom Tips
Save Money in the Bathroom
- Brush Your Teeth. Turn off the tap when you brush your teeth. You'll conserve up to 5 gallons of water per day. Throughout the entire United States, the daily savings could add up to 1.5 billion gallons--more water than is consumed per day across all of New York City.
- Shaving. Instead of letting the water run when you brush your teeth, brush while you're waiting for the water to get hot for your shave. You could save time and money on water, up to 1,825 gallons of water per "brushaver" each year. This much water would fill your bathtub more than thirty-five times!
- Shower Curtains. Avoid using plastic liners(you don't really need them) with your shower curtains, and you'll keep unnatural vinyl plastics out of landfills. PVC plastic amounts to 1.23 million tons per year, and none of it is recyclable.
- Toilets. Try to flush just one less time per day, and you,ll save about 4.5 gallons of water-- as much water as the average person in Africa uses for a whole day of drinking, cooking, bathing, and cleaning.
- Tub. Plug the drain in the tub before turning on the water when you take a bath. You'll save time and money. The average bathtub faucet flows between three and five gallons of water per minute. Just one less gallon of water used per person in the United States per day can add up to more than one hundred billion gallons per year. This amount is greater than the volume of rainwater that falls each week on Lloro', Colombia--the wettest place on earth.
Hope these hints help. They are from "the green book" . Please buy the green book. Please read the green book. Please go to www.readthegreenbook.com. It may save you some money and it just may help save the world!!
Happy Saving!!!!
Monday, January 14, 2008
Save Money--Get Financially Fit
Getting Physical Financially
Here are a few New Years Resolutions that will help us save money:
Automatically Pay Yourself First. Before you pay your rent or mortgage, buy groceries or hit the mall, save a certain amount every month or from each paycheck--at least 10 percent. Linda Schoenfeld, a certified financial planner in Charlotte, N.C., suggests this savings breakdown: 6 percent in a retirement account; 2 percent in an emergency fund and 2 percent into a long-term goal fund.
Don't count on yourself to be disciplined enough to make regular contributions to your savings and retirement accounts. Set up autodraft from your paycheck or checking account to fund your retirement and savings accounts.
"Get started saving and then everything else falls into place," said Cynthia Anderson, a certified financial planner in Charlotte, N.C.
Keep some savings in an account you can't easily raid. Paul Boggs, a certified financial planner in Lake Wylie, S.C. suggested keeping some savings in a bank account tat you have to go inside the bank to access. It can be a money market account or regular passbook savings account. Just don't have it linked to your checking account.
Making your cash harder to get to will make it easier to live within your means.
"Out of sight out of mind, so you have to work to get the money out," Boggs said.
Tomorrow: Getting Financially Fit: Part Two
Personal Note:
Yesterday: 8 gallons of regular gas instead of medium grade...savings $.80. Drank water for dinner instead of soft drink or ice tea. Savings...approx. $2.50. Finally a trip to Bilo's: in store savings--$2.00.
Savings as of 1-13-08 $101.67
Savings today $ 5.30
Savings year to date $106.97
Happy Shopping!!!!!
Here are a few New Years Resolutions that will help us save money:
Automatically Pay Yourself First. Before you pay your rent or mortgage, buy groceries or hit the mall, save a certain amount every month or from each paycheck--at least 10 percent. Linda Schoenfeld, a certified financial planner in Charlotte, N.C., suggests this savings breakdown: 6 percent in a retirement account; 2 percent in an emergency fund and 2 percent into a long-term goal fund.
Don't count on yourself to be disciplined enough to make regular contributions to your savings and retirement accounts. Set up autodraft from your paycheck or checking account to fund your retirement and savings accounts.
"Get started saving and then everything else falls into place," said Cynthia Anderson, a certified financial planner in Charlotte, N.C.
Keep some savings in an account you can't easily raid. Paul Boggs, a certified financial planner in Lake Wylie, S.C. suggested keeping some savings in a bank account tat you have to go inside the bank to access. It can be a money market account or regular passbook savings account. Just don't have it linked to your checking account.
Making your cash harder to get to will make it easier to live within your means.
"Out of sight out of mind, so you have to work to get the money out," Boggs said.
Tomorrow: Getting Financially Fit: Part Two
Personal Note:
Yesterday: 8 gallons of regular gas instead of medium grade...savings $.80. Drank water for dinner instead of soft drink or ice tea. Savings...approx. $2.50. Finally a trip to Bilo's: in store savings--$2.00.
Savings as of 1-13-08 $101.67
Savings today $ 5.30
Savings year to date $106.97
Happy Shopping!!!!!
Friday, January 11, 2008
Save Money--5 Tips for the Kitchen
Save Money in the Kitchen
- Refrigerator. Keep your head out of the refrigerator and the door closed! The refrigerator is the single biggest energy consuming kitchen appliance, and opening the refrigerator door accounts for between $30 and $60 of a typical family's electricity bill each year. The amount of energy saved in a year by more efficient refrigerator usage could be enough to light every house in the United States for more than four and a half months straight.
- Storage Containers Instead of using plastic, store your food in glass or porcelain containers. Fewer chemicals will likely leach from the container into the food. Chemicals that transfer from plastic to food and from food to body may cause health risks.
- Stove. Use the right-size pot on your stove burners. You could save about $36 annually for an electric range or $18 for a gas range. Five percent of the energy bought and used per person in the United States is for preparing and cooking food. Over a year this exceeds twice the energy a person in Africa uses to power everything in his or her life.
- Trash Bags. Use leftover paper of plastic bags as liners for your trash cans. You'll save money and time shopping in the trash-liner bag aisle. The average cost of twenty kitchen trash bags is $5. When one ton of plastic bags is reused, the energy equivalent of eleven barrels of oil is save. When one ton of paper bags is reused, up to seventeen trees are spared.
- Water Filters. If you want to be sure the tap water in your house is clean, try installing water filters on your faucets instead of buying bottled water-- you'll save money over time and get better-tasting water. You can buy a water filter for as little as $29, or about a month's worth of bottled water (if you drink a liter a day). About 1.5 million tons of plastic are used in the bottling of 89 billion liters of drinking water each year. That's enough plastic to make two water filters for every household on the planet. One billion people around the world lack access to clean drinking water.
These tips come from "the green book" Please read "the green book" and visit www.readthegreenbook.com .
Personal note:
Shopping today at Bilo's
Savings as of 1-10-08: $92.07
Savings today: $ 9.60
Savings year to date $101.67
Use those coupons--catch those sales!! Happy Savings!!
Thursday, January 10, 2008
Save Money--Save the World--4 Tips
Four More Tips
- Food Waste. When cooking, try to avoid wasting food by using perishable ingredients before they spoil, measuring carefully, and saving leftovers for future meals instead of throwing them away. If you could reduce the amount of food wasted in your household by just twenty-five grams per day (about the weight of a slice of bread), you'd save twenty pounds of food annually--roughly enough to make sixteen meals. If all U.S. households reduced their food waste by this amount, the savings would be enough to provide three meals per day for a whole year to each of the 1.35 million children in the United States who are homeless.
- Garbage Disposal.Use cold water when you run your garbage disposal. Better yet, try not to use it at all by composting your food waste or disposing of it in the trash. Your drain will be less clogged, possible saving you a future plumbing bill, and you'll save money on maintaining your septic system. Disposal waste can disrupt nutrient balances in water and soil ecosystems which in turn can harm wildlife.
- Microwave. Keep your microwave clean and you'll maximize its energy. This means less electricity used, less money spent, and less time cooking. Microwaves are between 3.5 and 4.8 times more energy efficient than traditional electric ovens. If it costs ten cents to cook one item in a microwave, it would cost forty-eight cents to cook the same item in a standard oven. If everyone in North America cooked exclusively with a microwave for a year, we'd save as much energy as the entire continent of Africa consumes during that same time.
- Preheating. If you're broiling, roasting, or baking a dish that will cook for an hour or more, don't bother preheating your oven. Even for breads, and cakes, never preheat for longer than ten minutes. If you reduce the amount of time your oven is on by one hour per year, you'll save an average of two kilowatt-hours of energy. If 30 percent of U.S. households could each reduced total oven preheating time by just one hour per year, the sixty million kilowatt-hours of energy saved could bake a dozen cookies for every American!
Hope these tips are helpful. And buy The Green Book! These hints are from it. And go to www.readthegreenbook.com
Personal note:
Did a little grocery shopping at Food Lion and Bilo's today. Went through both store's sales papers last night...matched coupons my wife had cut, of items we used with sales. That way you get the benefit of the sale along with the coupon discount. It came out like this.
Food Lion before savings: $14,06 minus coupon savings of $4.11 minus in store discounts of $2.31= Total cost: $7.64 percent savings 46%
Bilo before savings $39.57 minus coupon savings of $4.95 minus in store discounts of $9.13= Total cost:$25.49 percent savings 36%
Savings as of 1-9-08 $71,58
Savings today: $20.49
Savings year to date $92.07
Happy Savings!!
Wednesday, January 9, 2008
Save Money--Save the World--5 Tips
Home is Where the Heart is---but What About All That Extra Stuff ?
There are roughly 1.6 billion homes in the world, with about 100 million of them living in the United States. You spend most of your time there. It's where you use the most water and energy and make the most trash.On average, a person creates 4.5 pounds of trash every day. Over the course of your life, that will total six hundred times your average adult weight.... in garbage. In the end we will each leave a ninety-thousand pound legacy of trash to our grandchildren.
But if that isn't enough we leave an even bigger impact in other ways. Americans use at least twice the water and energy per person as anyone else in the world. And both of these resources are becoming more precious every day.
By the year 2025, the world must increase its water supply by 22 percent in order to meet the needs. Meanwhile 40 percent of the drinking water supplied each home is flushed down the toilet.
As far as our energy use, most is used for heating and cooling.
Here are some simple steps to make the biggest positive planetary impact with the least possible effort.
- Take shorter showers. Every minute you save on your shower can conserve more than ten gallons of water. And that can add up: If everyone in the country saved just one gallon from their daily shower, over the course of a year it would equal twice the amount of fresh water withdrawn from the Great Lakes every day. The Great Lakes are the world's largest source of freshwater.
- Set your thermostat a degree higher for air-conditioning and a degree lower for heating, and you could save $100 per year on your utility bill. Keep adjusting and you'll save even more. If every home in America turned the dial, we could save more than $10 billion per year on energy costs, enough to provide a year's worth of gasoline, electricity, and natural gas to every person in Iowa.
- Recycle. If everyone in America simply separated the paper, plastic, glass, and aluminum products from the trash and tossed them into a recycling bin, we could decrease the amount of waste sent to landfills by 75percent. Currently it takes an area the size of Pennsylvania t dump all our waste each year.
- In the Kitchen:Composting. Keep your kitchen scraps from fruits, vegetables, and coffee grounds in a composting bin or container. Try adding them to your garden or starting a compost site in the yard. You'll grow a better garden, create deeper topsoil, recycle nutrients, and save landfill space. If, over the course of a year, everyone in the United States composted their kitchen scraps instead of sending them away with the trash, the organic waste diverted from landfills could make a three-foot-high compost pile to cover the city of San Francisco.
- Dishwasher. Run full loads in your dishwasher and save energy, and don't pre-rinse your dishes before putting them in. do both and you'll save up to 20 gallons of water per dish load, or 7,300 gallons over a year. That's as much water as the average person drinks in a lifetime. (If you must handwash, turn off the tap while you scrub.)
Hope these tips help us all save money and save the world. These hints are from The Green Book by Elizabeth Rogers and Thomas M. Kostigen. Everyone please buy this book. It is full of tips to cut down on waste and save energy and water. And visit their website www.readthegreenbook.com.
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
Save Money--Spend or Save
Save or Spend
More than half of Americans aren't saving enough and many- especially the younger set-- blame impulse shopping and peer pressure, according to a study by the Consumer Federation of America and Wachovia Corp.
The research "confirms" what Wachovia has already been learning about consumers and savings. Many consumers say they aren't saving enough but don't know how to get started. Others say they don't want to cut back ... on their current lifestyle.
Among the findings"
More than half of Americans aren't saving enough and many- especially the younger set-- blame impulse shopping and peer pressure, according to a study by the Consumer Federation of America and Wachovia Corp.
The research "confirms" what Wachovia has already been learning about consumers and savings. Many consumers say they aren't saving enough but don't know how to get started. Others say they don't want to cut back ... on their current lifestyle.
Among the findings"
Of the 52 percent of Americans who say they cannot afford to save or are saving inadequately, 35 percent say they are saving but not enough to meet short-- and long-term needs and 17 percent say they can't afford to at all.
Economic factors most cited as barriers to savings: 72 percent said large regular expenses, 72 percent said unexpected expenses, 66 percent said low or unreliable incomes and 60 percent said large consumer debts.
Social and psychological factors keeping people from saving: 42 percent cited availability of credit cards, 37 percent cited impulse spending, 29 percent said spending to feel good, 20 percent cited social pressure from friends or family, and 15 percent blamed trips to the mall.
Young adults, ages 18 to 24 years old, are the most likely group to say they aren't saving enough (62percent compared with 52 percent). Standing in the way of their saving: 54 percent said spending to feel good, 38 percent cited peer and family pressure and 32 percent blamed trips to the mall. "This research is unique in that it focuses on attitudes rather than behavior. But attitudes directly affect behavior," said Stephen Brobeck, president of the Consumer Federation of America. The survey was based on 50-plus questions interviews of more than 2,000 Americans, conducted by the Opinion Research Corporation last month. The margin of error was plus or minus two percentage points. The survey findings represent the first of several reports to be released before America Saves Week, which starts Feb. 24. Wachovia plans to launch a savings education program that week.
Are you saving enough? If so, how do you do it? If not, what keeps you from socking more money away? Would love to hear what you have to say about saving. Please comment if you have time.
Personal Note
Had a nice lunch today at Arby's with my wife and daughter. After they ordered it was my turn, so i proudly ask "do you have a senior citizens program?" and received a 10% discount on our lunch. Savings--$2.04
After dropping our daughter back off at her work, my wife and I went to CVS to have her prescriptions filled and while waiting browsed the store. They still had a few Christmas items marked down to 75% off! We found 3 boxes of Hallmark Thomas Kinkade Christmas cards which were originally $12.99 each. We got them for $3.25 a box. Beautiful cards at one-forth the price....love it. Savings--29.22
Savings as of 1-7-08 $40.32
Savings today $31.26
Year to date total $71.58
Happy Savings!!!!
Monday, January 7, 2008
Save Money-- Uncertain Economic Times--Part Two
Prepare for an Emergency
If you don't have a home equity line of credit, you may want to set one up to use only in an emergency. "Some lenders charge an annual non-usage fee of about $50," says Keith Gumbinger, vice president of HSH Associates. "But it's cheap insurance. You can borrow about 90% of the value of your house, so if you have a 70% mortgage, you may get a credit line for another 10% to 20%."
Tighten Your Belt
Cut expenses even if you're not in danger of losing your job and use the extra money to pay down credit-card debt, says Lorretta Nolan, a financial adviser in Old Greenwich, Conn. If you get laid off, it'll make life easier. "Eat out once a week instead of three times. Buy a slow_cooker pot, and in a year you'll probably have a 1000% return on your investment."
If you carry a card balance, comparison-shop online to check if your rate is competitive. If it isn't, ask the issuer to lower it. Many card issuers will comply.
If you bought your house in 2005 or 2006 in an area where values have since plummeted, petition your county tax board to reduce your property taxes. If you can show that the house is assessed at more than its current value, you may trim your tax bill.
Review Your Investments
Money you'll need within the next few years should be in CD's or a money market fund. It should not be in stocks, bonds or a no interest checking account. " You can get 4% to 5% on your savings today," says Nolan.
Make sure your longer-term investments are well diversified. Your retirement accounts should include at least four types of mutual funds: big company U.S. stocks, small company U.S. stocks, international stocks and high-quality bonds. And don't keep more than 10% of your investments in the stock of your company or industry. It's risky to keep your paycheck and your nest egg in the same basket!
Hope this article by Lynn Brenner at Parade magazine helps.
Personal Note
Did some grocery shopping at Bi-lo and Food Lion today. Used most of my coupons at Food Lion. Groceries totaled 39.49 before coupons and in store sales were subtracted. The bill came to 20.49, not bad .
Savings as of 1-6-08 $13.41
Savings today $26.91
Year to date $40.32
Take a little time match the sales with coupons you have for even bigger savings. But remember, it's not a bargain if you don't need it.
Happy savings!!!!
If you don't have a home equity line of credit, you may want to set one up to use only in an emergency. "Some lenders charge an annual non-usage fee of about $50," says Keith Gumbinger, vice president of HSH Associates. "But it's cheap insurance. You can borrow about 90% of the value of your house, so if you have a 70% mortgage, you may get a credit line for another 10% to 20%."
Tighten Your Belt
Cut expenses even if you're not in danger of losing your job and use the extra money to pay down credit-card debt, says Lorretta Nolan, a financial adviser in Old Greenwich, Conn. If you get laid off, it'll make life easier. "Eat out once a week instead of three times. Buy a slow_cooker pot, and in a year you'll probably have a 1000% return on your investment."
If you carry a card balance, comparison-shop online to check if your rate is competitive. If it isn't, ask the issuer to lower it. Many card issuers will comply.
If you bought your house in 2005 or 2006 in an area where values have since plummeted, petition your county tax board to reduce your property taxes. If you can show that the house is assessed at more than its current value, you may trim your tax bill.
Review Your Investments
Money you'll need within the next few years should be in CD's or a money market fund. It should not be in stocks, bonds or a no interest checking account. " You can get 4% to 5% on your savings today," says Nolan.
Make sure your longer-term investments are well diversified. Your retirement accounts should include at least four types of mutual funds: big company U.S. stocks, small company U.S. stocks, international stocks and high-quality bonds. And don't keep more than 10% of your investments in the stock of your company or industry. It's risky to keep your paycheck and your nest egg in the same basket!
Hope this article by Lynn Brenner at Parade magazine helps.
Personal Note
Did some grocery shopping at Bi-lo and Food Lion today. Used most of my coupons at Food Lion. Groceries totaled 39.49 before coupons and in store sales were subtracted. The bill came to 20.49, not bad .
Savings as of 1-6-08 $13.41
Savings today $26.91
Year to date $40.32
Take a little time match the sales with coupons you have for even bigger savings. But remember, it's not a bargain if you don't need it.
Happy savings!!!!
Sunday, January 6, 2008
Save Money ---Uncertain Economic Times
How to Feel Secure About Your Money
Our financial news isn't good lately. Economic growth is slowing, credit is tighter, home prices keep falling, and the stock market is erratic. No wonder a recent national survey shows 65% of Americans think we're heading into a recession. Maybe we are, maybe not. but it never hurts to be prepared. Here's how experts say you can protect your-self from the consequences of an economic turn down.
Stay Job-Ready
"Your biggest single asset is your ability to earn money," says Sheryl Barrett, a financial adviser in Shawnee Mission, Kansas. "In a weaker economy, you want to strengthen your marketability." Bring your resume up to date. Consider taking courses online or at a community college to improve your skills. Keep in touch with professional contacts--and make new ones by attending business events and/or by working as a volunteer.
Find out what resources you'd have if you were laid off. Are you entitled to severance pay, for example? What about unemployment insurance? The size and duration of unemployment benefits depend on state law. (Go to the Department of Labor's website, http://www.workforcesecurity.doleta.gov/, for links to state unemployment agencies to find out your rights.)
If you have health benefits, use them now. "Staying healthy is much less expensive than being sick," says Loretta Nolan, a financial adviser in Old Greenwich, Conn., so make sure the whole family gets medical and dental check-ups.
Check Your Mortgage
About 2 million adjustable-rate mortgages (ARMs) will reset in 2008. If you have an ARM, ask the lender when your rate is scheduled to reset and get a ballpark estimate of the new rate. Plug that into an online mortgage calculator to see what the new payment will be. If you can't afford it, don't wait till the loan resets-address the problem now. The sooner you act, the greater your options.
If your credit has improved since you bought your house, you should be scouring the market for another loan," says Keith Gumbinger, vice president of HSH Associates, a mortgage-research firm. With good credit, you probably can get a new fixed-rate mortgage lower than your ARM's reset rate.
If you can't refinance, call your lender, explain your situation and ask if he can help by modifying your loan. "Document every contact with the lender--and keep the paperwork," advises Gumbinger. "If you end up in bankruptcy or a legal action, it helps to show you were proactive and responsible." For advice, contact the Home-ownership Preservation Foundation, a no-fee HUD-approved credit-counseling service.
Hope these ideas by Lynn Brenner of Parade magazine help. More on this later.
Personal Note:
Did no shopping or eating out either Saturday or Sunday. Sometimes the best way to save money is, just stay home.
Target Deal
Target has a deal on 4 items. Buy any 2 (two of them are Bounty Paper Towels and Charmin Bathroom Tissue) at a pretty good savings, and get a five dollar gift card. Now if you happen to have coupons for the items ...more the better.
Happy Savings!!!!!!
Our financial news isn't good lately. Economic growth is slowing, credit is tighter, home prices keep falling, and the stock market is erratic. No wonder a recent national survey shows 65% of Americans think we're heading into a recession. Maybe we are, maybe not. but it never hurts to be prepared. Here's how experts say you can protect your-self from the consequences of an economic turn down.
Stay Job-Ready
"Your biggest single asset is your ability to earn money," says Sheryl Barrett, a financial adviser in Shawnee Mission, Kansas. "In a weaker economy, you want to strengthen your marketability." Bring your resume up to date. Consider taking courses online or at a community college to improve your skills. Keep in touch with professional contacts--and make new ones by attending business events and/or by working as a volunteer.
Find out what resources you'd have if you were laid off. Are you entitled to severance pay, for example? What about unemployment insurance? The size and duration of unemployment benefits depend on state law. (Go to the Department of Labor's website, http://www.workforcesecurity.doleta.gov/, for links to state unemployment agencies to find out your rights.)
If you have health benefits, use them now. "Staying healthy is much less expensive than being sick," says Loretta Nolan, a financial adviser in Old Greenwich, Conn., so make sure the whole family gets medical and dental check-ups.
Check Your Mortgage
About 2 million adjustable-rate mortgages (ARMs) will reset in 2008. If you have an ARM, ask the lender when your rate is scheduled to reset and get a ballpark estimate of the new rate. Plug that into an online mortgage calculator to see what the new payment will be. If you can't afford it, don't wait till the loan resets-address the problem now. The sooner you act, the greater your options.
If your credit has improved since you bought your house, you should be scouring the market for another loan," says Keith Gumbinger, vice president of HSH Associates, a mortgage-research firm. With good credit, you probably can get a new fixed-rate mortgage lower than your ARM's reset rate.
If you can't refinance, call your lender, explain your situation and ask if he can help by modifying your loan. "Document every contact with the lender--and keep the paperwork," advises Gumbinger. "If you end up in bankruptcy or a legal action, it helps to show you were proactive and responsible." For advice, contact the Home-ownership Preservation Foundation, a no-fee HUD-approved credit-counseling service.
Hope these ideas by Lynn Brenner of Parade magazine help. More on this later.
Personal Note:
Did no shopping or eating out either Saturday or Sunday. Sometimes the best way to save money is, just stay home.
Target Deal
Target has a deal on 4 items. Buy any 2 (two of them are Bounty Paper Towels and Charmin Bathroom Tissue) at a pretty good savings, and get a five dollar gift card. Now if you happen to have coupons for the items ...more the better.
Happy Savings!!!!!!
Saturday, January 5, 2008
Save Money ---Driving Habits
Save Money--Save Gas--Driving Habits
Savings $2.,50
Total for year $13.41
Happy savings!!!!
Americans buy 140 billion gallons of gasoline for their cars yearly. Cut down to save money and protect the planet.
- Don't buy a four wheel drive unless you truly need it. When choosing a new car, get the smallest engine you can live with. Options that add weight will cost you twice-- once up-front and forever in gas mileage.
- Watch your speed. Your car is a lot stingier with gas at 50 mph than it is at 70 mph.
- Use cruise control. Maintaining speed saves gas, so avoid jackrabbit starts and screeching stops.
- Avoid long engine warm-ups.Today's cars don't need them.
- Shut off the engine if you're idling for more than three minutes.
- Keep your vehicle aerodynamic. Remove roof racks when they're not in use.
- Maintain your car. Use a clean air filter and good plugs. Empty the trunk and back seat, because weight costs gas, and every pound counts.
- Consolidate your errands. Before you hit the road, organize a to-do list and plan routes that will shorten your travel time-- you'll also have fewer frayed nerves. Cut back on driving where possible: Try walking for all errands that you can accomplish on foot in 10 minutes or less.
These tips come from Earl Swift of Parade magazine. Hope they help you save gas and save money!!
Personal Note:
Wife and I went out to eat last night...Drank water instead of our usual ice tea or soda.Savings $2.,50
Total for year $13.41
Happy savings!!!!
Friday, January 4, 2008
Save the World--Can Heat from Highway Heat your Home?
Where Climate Change Meets the Road
If you've ever burned your feet on a hot road you know that asphalt absorbs the sun's energy. A Dutch company is now siphoning that road and parking lot heat to heat homes and offices.
As climate change becomes an international agenda the system built by the civil engineering firm, Ooms Avenhorn Holding BV, doesn't look as wacky as it might have 10 years ago when first conceived.
Solar energy collected from a 200-yard stretch of road and a small parking lot helps heat a 70-unit four-story apartment building in the northern village of Avenhorn. An industrial park of some 160,000 square feet in the nearby city of Hoorn is kept warm in the winter with the help of heat stored during the summer from 36,000 square feet of pavement. The runways of a Dutch air force base in the south supply heat for its hanger.
And all that under normally cloudy Dutch skies, with only a few days a year of truly sweltering temperatures.
The Road Energy System is one of the more unusual ways scientists and engineers are trying to harness the power of the sun, the single most plentiful, reliable, accessible and inexhaustible source of renewable energy-radiating to earth more watts in one hour than the world can use in a whole year.
But today, solar power provides just 0.04 percent of global energy, held back by high production costs and low efficiency rates.
Solar advocates say that will change within a few years.
Other renewable sources have drawbacks: Not every place is breezy enough for wind turbines; waves and tides are good only for coastal regions; hydroelectricity requires rivers and increasingly objectionable dams; bio fuels take up land once used solely for food crops.
"But solar falls everywhere," says Patrick Mazza, of Climate Solutions, a consultancy group in Seattle, Washington.
Compared with other energy sources, " solar comes out as the one with the real heavy lift. It's the one we really need to get at," he said.
Ooms' thermal energy system is actually a spin-off from attempts to reduce road maintenance and costs.
A latticework of flexible pipes, held in place by a grid, is covered over by asphalt, which magnifies the sun's thermal power. As water in the pipes is heated it is pumped deep under the ground to natural aquifers where it maintains a fairly constant temperature of about 68F. The heated water can be retrieved months later to keep the road surface ice free in winter.
Though it doubles the cost of construction, the system is designed to provide longer life for roads and bridges, fewer ice-induced accidents, and less need to repave worn surfaces.
But the same system can pump cold water from a separate subterranean reservoir to cool buildings on hot days.
Hopefully we here in the United States can use this too. Pretty neat idea i think.
If you've ever burned your feet on a hot road you know that asphalt absorbs the sun's energy. A Dutch company is now siphoning that road and parking lot heat to heat homes and offices.
As climate change becomes an international agenda the system built by the civil engineering firm, Ooms Avenhorn Holding BV, doesn't look as wacky as it might have 10 years ago when first conceived.
Solar energy collected from a 200-yard stretch of road and a small parking lot helps heat a 70-unit four-story apartment building in the northern village of Avenhorn. An industrial park of some 160,000 square feet in the nearby city of Hoorn is kept warm in the winter with the help of heat stored during the summer from 36,000 square feet of pavement. The runways of a Dutch air force base in the south supply heat for its hanger.
And all that under normally cloudy Dutch skies, with only a few days a year of truly sweltering temperatures.
The Road Energy System is one of the more unusual ways scientists and engineers are trying to harness the power of the sun, the single most plentiful, reliable, accessible and inexhaustible source of renewable energy-radiating to earth more watts in one hour than the world can use in a whole year.
But today, solar power provides just 0.04 percent of global energy, held back by high production costs and low efficiency rates.
Solar advocates say that will change within a few years.
Other renewable sources have drawbacks: Not every place is breezy enough for wind turbines; waves and tides are good only for coastal regions; hydroelectricity requires rivers and increasingly objectionable dams; bio fuels take up land once used solely for food crops.
"But solar falls everywhere," says Patrick Mazza, of Climate Solutions, a consultancy group in Seattle, Washington.
Compared with other energy sources, " solar comes out as the one with the real heavy lift. It's the one we really need to get at," he said.
Ooms' thermal energy system is actually a spin-off from attempts to reduce road maintenance and costs.
A latticework of flexible pipes, held in place by a grid, is covered over by asphalt, which magnifies the sun's thermal power. As water in the pipes is heated it is pumped deep under the ground to natural aquifers where it maintains a fairly constant temperature of about 68F. The heated water can be retrieved months later to keep the road surface ice free in winter.
Though it doubles the cost of construction, the system is designed to provide longer life for roads and bridges, fewer ice-induced accidents, and less need to repave worn surfaces.
But the same system can pump cold water from a separate subterranean reservoir to cool buildings on hot days.
Hopefully we here in the United States can use this too. Pretty neat idea i think.
Save the World--The Downside to Domestic Fuel
End Dependence On Foreign Fuel-- but at What Cost
We probably all pretty much agree that we need to cut our dependence upon foreign fuel. But we need to realize that this might come at a high cost.
According to a report in last Sundays Parade Magazine there are close to 1 million oil and gas wells across 33 states of the United States. There were over 40,000 drilled in the last year alone. When oil and gas are extracted toxic chemicals,including mercury, benzene and arsenic along with other powerful chemicals are injected underground to boost output. These wells are exempt from the federal Safe Drinking Water Act and Clean Air Act which would in effect control these substances. Because of the industry's influence in Washington loopholes were written in according to Amy Mall of the Natural Resources Defense Council(NRDC), who co-authored a new report on the subject. "These decisions ignored the best available science." Well operators also are not required to file an annual toxic-release inventory, a list of chemicals emitted.
Those living near wells have developed serious medical problems. One family living within a mile of about 20 wells in Colorado, suffered ailments ranging from painful blistering and nosebleeds to headaches and tumors.
NRDC wants the government to tighten regulations of gas drilling and for the industry to adopt pollution-reducing practices.
Is extracting domestic oil and natural gas important enough that companies should be granted exemptions from pollution laws? You can express your opinion here at this blog spot or go to http://www.parade.com/.
On a More Personal Note
My wife needed to go to Monroe for a shower gift tonight..we stopped by CVS to pick up some pictures she'd sent off. Pretty good one of me...just kidding...and she had a savings card that her employer had given each of the employees at the dental office where she works and her savings on the pictures was $1.13. She also received a print out of her Bonus Bucks for last month $2.50 plus we have a $4.00 off a $20.00 purchase coupon for updating our CVS card. So we will look for sales at CVS and use manufacturers coupons and probably get some pretty good deals at CVS in the coming weeks. We were late coming out of Target and stopped at Wendy's for a too go order which we were going to eat when we got home(about a 25 minute drive) so we didn't get the combo, just the food without the drinks, so we saved maybe a dollar there..not a lot because the combos are cheaper but still saved a little I think.
Previous total 9.78
Jan. 3 total 1.13
Total $10.91
Hope these hints help, and as always..Happy Savings!!!
We probably all pretty much agree that we need to cut our dependence upon foreign fuel. But we need to realize that this might come at a high cost.
According to a report in last Sundays Parade Magazine there are close to 1 million oil and gas wells across 33 states of the United States. There were over 40,000 drilled in the last year alone. When oil and gas are extracted toxic chemicals,including mercury, benzene and arsenic along with other powerful chemicals are injected underground to boost output. These wells are exempt from the federal Safe Drinking Water Act and Clean Air Act which would in effect control these substances. Because of the industry's influence in Washington loopholes were written in according to Amy Mall of the Natural Resources Defense Council(NRDC), who co-authored a new report on the subject. "These decisions ignored the best available science." Well operators also are not required to file an annual toxic-release inventory, a list of chemicals emitted.
Those living near wells have developed serious medical problems. One family living within a mile of about 20 wells in Colorado, suffered ailments ranging from painful blistering and nosebleeds to headaches and tumors.
NRDC wants the government to tighten regulations of gas drilling and for the industry to adopt pollution-reducing practices.
Is extracting domestic oil and natural gas important enough that companies should be granted exemptions from pollution laws? You can express your opinion here at this blog spot or go to http://www.parade.com/.
On a More Personal Note
My wife needed to go to Monroe for a shower gift tonight..we stopped by CVS to pick up some pictures she'd sent off. Pretty good one of me...just kidding...and she had a savings card that her employer had given each of the employees at the dental office where she works and her savings on the pictures was $1.13. She also received a print out of her Bonus Bucks for last month $2.50 plus we have a $4.00 off a $20.00 purchase coupon for updating our CVS card. So we will look for sales at CVS and use manufacturers coupons and probably get some pretty good deals at CVS in the coming weeks. We were late coming out of Target and stopped at Wendy's for a too go order which we were going to eat when we got home(about a 25 minute drive) so we didn't get the combo, just the food without the drinks, so we saved maybe a dollar there..not a lot because the combos are cheaper but still saved a little I think.
Previous total 9.78
Jan. 3 total 1.13
Total $10.91
Hope these hints help, and as always..Happy Savings!!!
Wednesday, January 2, 2008
Save Money--Starting the Year off Right
Save Money--A Penny Here, A Penny There
Well, as promised i told you i would keep you informed as to how my savings for the year are going. Total for New Years Day--$1.20. Not a lot i know, but we have to start somewhere. On the way back from a wonderful lunch at my wife's brothers house in Charlotte I found that I needed to stop for gas. Now i usually get all my gas at the same place. Or i have in the past. This quest to save a few pennies may take me here and yonder. I don't know yet. What i do know is that it was very cold pumping gas at a BP station just outside Monroe, N.C. around 9 p.m. Tuesday night! The $1.20 savings?? I usually buy the middle grade the one between the regular and premium, but in my quest to see how much i can save this year I am going with the regular until my cars start moaning. Maybe they won't because they are both set up for regular to start with. I guess I've been wasting money on gas all along. Oh well, not this year. So i pumped 12 gallons of regular fuel at a savings of ten cents per gallon over the next grade. Really I don't think there is a lot of difference. Regular is 87 octane. Plus is 89 octane. and Premium is 93 octane. So from the Plus back to Regular, not a lot of difference. I'll let you know if it affects the performance of our cars. Jan. 1---$1.20
Now for today. I went through my wife's neat little coupon pouch and pulled out the ones that are to expire within the next week. I went through them and decided which I thought we really could use. There were nine coupons. So I headed off to Bi-Lo with my little hand full of coupons. Bi-Lo is my wife's store of choice and i like it too even tho it's about a mile further away than Food Lion. Not a lot of difference in the price, but the sale items are more numerous it seems to us. The weekly sales papers were in the mail box so i will probably plan a dual store excursion later in the week. Today was pretty much like a scavenger hunt for me. I'm not all that familiar with the aisles yet so it took me a while to find my items and when I did i wish I could have seen the look of excitement on my own face. Kind of like finding the prize egg at our churches egg hunt. And i did pretty well using the little stickers below the items to see how much the actual cost per pound was. You may be surprised at the difference just moving up to the next bigger size makes sometimes. I still check the price against the Bi-Lo store brand because even with the sales price and the coupon items are sometimes cheaper. Some things we still prefer the brand name but on a lot we are just as satisfied with the store brand. So anyway, to make a long story not so long, there i was stuck with a Woolite Carpet Cleaning Spray in my now sweaty hand. Nothing can make your hand sweat quicker than a handful of store coupons I've found, and it's pretty embarrassing handing the cashier a handful of smudged coupons. I've found putting them in the tray in the cart or in an empty pocket works pretty well for this. Notice I said empty pocket. Have you ever pulled your coupons from your pocket and rolled a half dozen pennies and dimes across the floor of the store. There goes your savings right there. So try to use an empty pocket for this purpose. So where was i .. oh the hidden Woolite Carpet Stuff. Did we really need it??? Who knows. My wife cut the coupon out , so that kind of settles it at my house. In the Bi-Lo engineer's infinite wisdom I'm wondering... why don't they put all the Woolite stuff together. I mean there are other Woolite items, cleaners and such. but no Carpet Stuff. So to try to wind this up...well...8 out of 9 ain't so bad in my book. My purchase price before coupon and store discount deductions $33.00, after 24.42. Not bad for starters. I plan to do a lot better. And if anyone has any helpful hints please, all comments welcome. A savings of 26%.
So our chart looks like this now Jan. 1--$1.20
Jan. 2--$8.58
Total---$9.78
I'll close for now...fingers tired....Happy Savings!!!!!!!
Oh another thing Bi-Lo here doubles coupons $.50 and under everyday. Not just certain days of the week. Ok I'm done.
Well, as promised i told you i would keep you informed as to how my savings for the year are going. Total for New Years Day--$1.20. Not a lot i know, but we have to start somewhere. On the way back from a wonderful lunch at my wife's brothers house in Charlotte I found that I needed to stop for gas. Now i usually get all my gas at the same place. Or i have in the past. This quest to save a few pennies may take me here and yonder. I don't know yet. What i do know is that it was very cold pumping gas at a BP station just outside Monroe, N.C. around 9 p.m. Tuesday night! The $1.20 savings?? I usually buy the middle grade the one between the regular and premium, but in my quest to see how much i can save this year I am going with the regular until my cars start moaning. Maybe they won't because they are both set up for regular to start with. I guess I've been wasting money on gas all along. Oh well, not this year. So i pumped 12 gallons of regular fuel at a savings of ten cents per gallon over the next grade. Really I don't think there is a lot of difference. Regular is 87 octane. Plus is 89 octane. and Premium is 93 octane. So from the Plus back to Regular, not a lot of difference. I'll let you know if it affects the performance of our cars. Jan. 1---$1.20
Now for today. I went through my wife's neat little coupon pouch and pulled out the ones that are to expire within the next week. I went through them and decided which I thought we really could use. There were nine coupons. So I headed off to Bi-Lo with my little hand full of coupons. Bi-Lo is my wife's store of choice and i like it too even tho it's about a mile further away than Food Lion. Not a lot of difference in the price, but the sale items are more numerous it seems to us. The weekly sales papers were in the mail box so i will probably plan a dual store excursion later in the week. Today was pretty much like a scavenger hunt for me. I'm not all that familiar with the aisles yet so it took me a while to find my items and when I did i wish I could have seen the look of excitement on my own face. Kind of like finding the prize egg at our churches egg hunt. And i did pretty well using the little stickers below the items to see how much the actual cost per pound was. You may be surprised at the difference just moving up to the next bigger size makes sometimes. I still check the price against the Bi-Lo store brand because even with the sales price and the coupon items are sometimes cheaper. Some things we still prefer the brand name but on a lot we are just as satisfied with the store brand. So anyway, to make a long story not so long, there i was stuck with a Woolite Carpet Cleaning Spray in my now sweaty hand. Nothing can make your hand sweat quicker than a handful of store coupons I've found, and it's pretty embarrassing handing the cashier a handful of smudged coupons. I've found putting them in the tray in the cart or in an empty pocket works pretty well for this. Notice I said empty pocket. Have you ever pulled your coupons from your pocket and rolled a half dozen pennies and dimes across the floor of the store. There goes your savings right there. So try to use an empty pocket for this purpose. So where was i .. oh the hidden Woolite Carpet Stuff. Did we really need it??? Who knows. My wife cut the coupon out , so that kind of settles it at my house. In the Bi-Lo engineer's infinite wisdom I'm wondering... why don't they put all the Woolite stuff together. I mean there are other Woolite items, cleaners and such. but no Carpet Stuff. So to try to wind this up...well...8 out of 9 ain't so bad in my book. My purchase price before coupon and store discount deductions $33.00, after 24.42. Not bad for starters. I plan to do a lot better. And if anyone has any helpful hints please, all comments welcome. A savings of 26%.
So our chart looks like this now Jan. 1--$1.20
Jan. 2--$8.58
Total---$9.78
I'll close for now...fingers tired....Happy Savings!!!!!!!
Oh another thing Bi-Lo here doubles coupons $.50 and under everyday. Not just certain days of the week. Ok I'm done.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)