Saving money on water costs in the house and garden
September 30, 2008 | Leave a Comment
Ways of Saving Money on Water
We have already examined some ways to reduce water bills in the kitchen, reducing water bills in the kitchen but what about in the rest of the house and even the garden?
Hot tips for saving money on water bills in the house and garden
(1) Placing a brick inside each toilet cistern in the house will reduce the amount of water used with each flush…potentially saving up to 10% of water used for flushing toilets per day.
(2) Taking a shower instead of a bath will only use a fraction of the water as well as a fraction of the energy needed to heat that water making savings in two ways.
(3) How many of us leave the tap running whilst brushing our teeth once the toothbrush has been wet? Its an old habit and such a pointless waste of water. Definately one to think about for that couple of minutes of brushing….how many gallons of water does that mount up to for each person per year?
(4) Instead of draining all the water away from your bath or shower, leave the plug in then use the water remaining to water plants and pots in the garden. A bit of an effort, I know, but certainly a good use of resources…..just think of the exercise benefits too!
(3) Investing in a water butt for the garden will enable you to catch rain for watering plans therefore saving your paid for water resources for other uses.
Most of these water savings take minor efforts but will have a significant impact of up to at least 10% reduction on annual water usage. During the financial restrictions upon many of us following the credit crunch this may free up financial resources for for fun expenditure.
Please post any further water saving ideas you may have for the benefit of all of our readers.
Saving money on water bills in the kitchen
September 28, 2008 | Leave a Comment
If you are paying for your water by usage there are many ways that you can save on your water rates. Even if you pay a flat monthly rate for water usage, then there are environmental benefits to more cautious use of water resources as well.
Top Money Saving Tips for Water in the Kitchen
Here are some tips to help you to reduce your water consumption in the kitchen and so reduce your bills during the constraints of the credit crunch as well as being more environmentally aware:
- When going to the tap for a glass of water, most people run the tap for a while to get it nice and cold first. Placing a jug or bottle of water in the fridge will prevent the water wastage that happens when each glass of water is fetched from the kitchen.
- Keeping water used in kettles and saucepans to a minimum reduced the amount thrown away as well as the energy used to bring it to the boil. An added benefit of steaming vegetables is, of course, less of the nutrients get destroyed in the cooking process making this small change a winner all round.
- Washing fruit and vegetables in a bowl of water rather than under a running tap then using the leftover water for watering houseplants will make significant savings.
- Instead of rinsing soap off dishes under a running hot water tap, place the washed dishes on the drainer then, at the end of washing up, gently pour a jug of hot water over them to rinse off soap suds. Not only will this save water but the energy to heat the water too.
- Newer energy efficient clothes washing machines and dishwashers both use less water in them. Not only does this make significant savings on water bills during the year but also reduces the energy used to heat that water too bringing savings on two major household bills.
Although these may seem like modest savings they really do mount up and we would love to hear any more tips that you might have to save water in the kitchen.
In the next post in this series we will examing ways to save water in the house and garden.
Is the U.S. about to lose its financial super-power status?
September 25, 2008 | Leave a Comment
We are living in remarkable times. Who would have expected President George Bush to call an unprecedented emergency meeting with his prospective sucessors, John McCain and Barack Obama. In their time of aspiring to the U.S. Presidency, the eyes of the world are upon these two men to see how they operate in consultation with the President examining what can be done to minimise the acute financial shockwaves travelling through the world with their epicentre on Wall Street.
George Bush has a cunning 700-billion-dollar Wall Street rescue plan. The question is, will Congress buy it? “Without immediate action by Congress , America could slip into a financial panic,” the president said. “Ultimately, our country could experience a long and painful recession.” We are talking major impact here….nest eggs wiped out, pension plans becoming worthless, millions of unemployed, home prices in freefall….the list goes on.
The European perspective….
Meanwhile, German Finance Minister Peer Steinbrueck has highlighted his belief that the responsibility for the global financial crisis rests firmly at the United States’ feet. Huge bonuses and the drive for massive profits in order to achieve them have meant a lack of financial regulation followed by an almighty freefall as the credit crunch hits hard.
“The United States will lose its super-power status in the world financial system. The world financial system will become more multi-polar,” he said. So what will this mean for the average person on the street? Clearly, newly tightened controls will make borrowing for a mortgage or other household purchases will become even harder to come by. This, in itself, will have the knock on effect of making house prices fall (with negative equity issues for many home owners) and reducing consumer expenditure - especially on larger items. However, as we invest in pensions and savings for our futures, greated financial control and security are going to be what a very skittish market is looking for. We are on the brink of a major world recession and it is starting to look as if there is no avoiding it what we can do, however, is learn by out mistakes and try to prevent this from ever happening again..
How far will the Credit Crunch change the face of Banking?
September 22, 2008 | Leave a Comment
Mergers, acquisitions, bailouts……
Well, it’s been quite a week in the world of banking…..where is it all going to end? Today we discover that two of the biggest US banks (Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley) are moving from being investment banks to being bank holding companies. This major shift has now allowed them to start taking deposits again and borrow permenantly from the Central Bank (putting both institutions firmly under the supervision of the central bank as the last two major US investment banks come under the government safety net. It is hoped that this will help to stabilise the US banking system in the wake of the credit crunch.
Meanwhile, in the UK, the unexpected combination of Lloyds TSB and HBOS (as Lloyds TSB Bank takes over the ailing Halifax Building Society and Royal Bank of Scotland) has sent shockwaves through the financial world. As Britain’s biggest homelender, the Halifax Building Society was bound to feel the shockwaves of the credit crunch before long. When they declared their difficulties last week the Uk government chose to overlook possible monopoly issues due to a merger of the two institutions (whereas a bid by the Halifax to merge with Abbey National in 2001 had been turned down due to fears of a monopoly).
“So, where’s it all going to end?”
In the US there is increasing government control and intervention to protect the financial markets. In the UK the individual choice over banking is reducing as mergers mean a change from one bank may mean coming up in another one of its courtyards as it merges with your new bank of choice. Where will this leave the members of the public as the cost of banking rises and there is no real choice available to change? I suspect that we will all be paying one way or another for the greed of the financial institutions that has ultimately led us into this mess!
Enjoying the Good Things in Life on a Budget
September 17, 2008 | Leave a Comment
The word “budgeting” is one that makes many a heart sink. It smacks of being frugal, going without the things we enjoy, possibly even missing out completely….!
It doesn’t have to be that way though. Undoubtably the rogue bill that comes in for the car or the sudden hike up in interest rates, fuel bills, food prices etc can cause a blip in household finances. However, it is still possible to enjoy the good things in life without having to completely surrender them in order to pay the bills.
“Okay, so how do I do it?”
Today’s tip suggests that you write down everything that you spend money on over the month from household bills, loans and mortgages through to the takeaway coffee grabbed on the way to the office.
That $2 dollar coffee on the way to work each day could be costing you $520 per annum. Just cutting back on that treat for 2 days a week could save money ($208 per annum).
Taking your own sandwiches and a piece of fruit to work at an approximate average daily cost of $2.32 instead of an average cost of $4.47 per day will save a total of $559 per annum.
That DVD or CD habit can really mount up….a lot of them collecting dust on the shelf and rarely being watched or listened to again. At an average cost of $14.99, choosing to buy second hand at an average price of $5.99 (if you really must own it) or renting instead at an average price of $16.99 for an unlimited rental monthly contract scheme, can give you wider options saving between $155 and $216 per annum.
Just think what you could spend just these 3 savings on alone!
Don’t even get me started on how much cutting back on a chocolate habit can save in a year! You get the picture of how it’s done……
At the end of the day, everything that we choose to spend money on is a choice….especially after basic household bills have been covered.
Tell us what you think are the best money savers in your budget and how you go about doing it. There’s a whole wealth of experience out there during the credit crunch that we can all benefit from.
Stretch your Clothes Budget with Smart Styling
September 9, 2008 | Leave a Comment
“Tempted to new clothing on a tight budget?”
Despite tightening budgets with the credit crunch it’s still so tempting isn’t it? As the new autumn and winter fashion trends start to appear in store we get tempted to have the latest look and last season’s clothes get pushed to the back of the wardrobe.
“So how can my clothes budget be stretched to include this season’s fashions?”
However, it is possible to enjoy the new fashions without wasting other perfectly usable items in the wardrobe…..the trick is to have certain classics that are neutrally coloured in black, brown, navy or beige and then add in just a couple of this season’s trends of clothing and/or accessories to bring your core wardrobe bang up to date and save money too. In this way it is quite possible to enjoy this season’s look without breaking the bank!
Loose Vegetables Save Money
September 5, 2008 | Leave a Comment
Buying vegetables loose instead of pre-packed can save money.
As the credit crunch bites into household food budgets it is important to consider how the money we spend on food can stretch further without compromising on quality and taste.
Apart from the adverse impact upon the environment, packaged vegetables tend to cost more that loose vegetables. In addition, if you live in an area where you pay by quantity for refuse collection, you need to keep the rubbish to a minimum….a thin plastic bag to collect your potatoes or tomatoes etc in (as opposed to a plastic tray and film cover or thick sellophane bag) takes up a lot less space in the bin.
“How else can I save money on fruit and vegetables?”
Buying from a fresh produce stall in your local market can also make significant savings. You may have to watch out for the odd damaged item being slipped into the bag (unless it is a self service stall) but, if making casseroles and soups, this can be a cheap way to get delicious, quality fresh produce into your freezer. How much more delicious would a fresh tomato sauce base made from extra ripe tomatoes be (often at 20% of store selling price at the end of the day) rather than jars of pre-prepared tomato sauce bought for so much more?
The Hidden Fall of Real Estate Prices
September 2, 2008 | Leave a Comment
According to John Higginson (in The Metro, published today), there is a huge increase in the number of house sales being gazundered in the United Kingdom in the final hours before completion of sale of real estate. In some parts of the country, he claims, as many as 50% of sales prices in are being dropped by up to tens of thousands of pounds as buyers protest that falling values of real estate mean that they are paying too much for their new home. Nationwide, 20% of Estate Agents report that their sales have been adversely affected by this practice since the start of the credit crunch.
“What is gazundering?”
Gazundering is the process by which the buyer may suddenly threaten to withdraw from completing their purchase unless the seller reduces their price. Once the seller has gone through the expense and time of hiring solicitors, preparing Housing Information Packs (HIPs) and placing deposits for their new real estate purchase and removal costs, the new price negotiated at the eleventh hour is often preferable to having to start incurring all of these costs again whilst potentially losing their next chosen property.
“What impact does gazundering have?”
What needs to be remembered, however, is that such behaviour by the buyer is nothing short of blackmail and puts unbearable pressure on the the whole chain of property sale that each seller may find themselves in. It is time that regulations in the UK were tightened up so that a system such as an immediate non-refundable deposit is made to cover those costs of sale should the buyer gazunder the seller in future and the agreed sale price at the point of contract is legally bindng.