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Here's some simple things that help also: watch your thermostat.. Get a programmable one and set it to shut off the heat or air at times when it is not needed. Change your filters in your furnace and AC.. WELL worth it. Clean the coils. I dropped my electric last summer by $50 per month with just those items (cost me about $5, I already had the programmable thermostat) Turn of the lights and monitors when unused. They generate heat and eat electricity. Replace the gaskets in your faucets from time to time... Especially the HOT water ones! Use coupons for retail store purchases as much as possible. It's amazing how much they can actually save you. I hate Wal-Mart, but that one stop shop is at times really nice, especially since they will price match against the local grocery stores. As a result if I HAVE to go to Wally-World, I take coupons and other store's ads with me for the products I am purchasing.
BARTER BARTER BARTER! I am "the computer guy" in my circle of friends, which includes a mechanic, and electronics repair person, a paint contractor and many others... I haven't had to pay anywhere NEAR retail for consumer electronics in a long tim, and my cars are kept running nicely.. As a result, each of them has well protected computers, home networks and the like. We trade babysitting with other friends, and often have dinners at other friends homes, and they at ours. In the long run, that actually winds up being a significant savings, because we do not attempt to prepare bombastic "holiday" meals, we simply have dinner together, and to add a family of 4 means a slight increase in cooking, but no leftovers, and a guaranteed different meal with no effort later.
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Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies
like a banana.
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