Keep home costs down

If you live in the Phoenix area, it may be very beneficial to make your home as energy efficient as possible. 110 degree summer days can force your AC and appliances to work extra hard. Any steps that can be taken to conserve energy and water (and therefore money) should be seriously considered.  

1)       Install awnings. Awnings are great! They block the sun from your windows. These can make a huge difference in the summer when west facing walls take the brunt of the afternoon sunlight. There are several websites that offer customized awnings. You can also buy more generic awnings at your local Home Depot or Lowes.  

2)       Install low flow faucets. These faucets conserve water without jeopardizing water pressure. They can be found in many different styles. 

3)       Purchase energy efficient appliances. Energy star appliances can help you save a lot of dough by using less electricity. Make sure you do your research before purchasing a major appliance. Check out consumer reports and read other buyer’s reviews of the product. 

4)       Plant low water/no water landscaping. Traditional lawns require a lot of water. That means that you will be spending a lot of money to keep your lawn green, and if there is ever a time when water usage is regulated, you lawn will turn brown. Consider adding rocks and/or cactus to your yard. Neither requires consistent watering.  

5)       Turn them off. It goes without saying that when you leave a room, turn off the lights. It is a small change that can end up saving you money in the long run. Unplug small appliances (curling iron, phone charger, hair dryer, etc.) when they aren’t being used. If you are on the 9 to 9 plan, use your washing machine, dishwasher, and dryer after 9:00pm and before 9:00am and on the weekends.  

I hope these tips help you on your quest to save money, electricity and water. What are some ways that you are already saving money by conserving electricity and water?

Paycheck to paycheck

Do you know someone who every time they get their hands on cash they spend it right away?  There are many people out there no matter how much money you give them they will always spend and never really learn how to save.  I am surprised at the people I know who live paycheck to paycheck but yet they smoke, have satellite TV, the $400 dollar car payment, and much more.  If they only spent a few minutes and changed some habits the stress of that kind of living could be lifted off their shoulders in very little time.

Plain and simple here is the way to always have a cushion of money.  If you make money then you are off to a good start.  If you always have more money coming in than is going out then you are doing even better.  Try to cut back on things you really do not need. Finally if you get a raise  at work there is no need to increase your spends just because you got a raise. Try to the next time you get a raise increase and move it into savings accounts.

Car repairs

Recently my wife’s car needed a little work.  At least I thought it was going to be a quick power steering fluid leak.  But it turned out to be a bigger problem than we thought.  The car is only 8 years old and really has never had many problems so we decided to put some money into it.  We also got the brakes done, spark plugs, timing belt, water pump, and while we were at it got the oil changed as well.  The bill was not small, but I felt like it was good to do all preventive maintenance on it since we are planning on keeping the car for a couple more years.  The car is in great shape now.

You might be thinking why didn’t I save money and fix the car yourself?  That is not my expertise at all.  I did not even want to attempt it so I thought it was a good spend to get it professionally fixed.

I always suggest when getting cars repairs that you find someone you can trust.  Find out who your friends are using.  There are too many people out there who can take advantage of you. Also many of shops these days have websites with coupons on them.  So print those bad boys and save a little while you are it.

Local gas prices

Well I came across something pretty cool today online.  There is a site that showed what local gas prices were going for in the state of Arizona.  It allows you to see what the current gas prices are and which are closest to where you are at the time.  Check it out especially if you are in AZ here at Phoenix Gas Prices.  If you are outside of Arizona there is a site called Gas Buddy and you can search for your state by zip code and they will give you local prices.

I know this wont solve all the current money problems out there, but it is a place to save a few bucks when you go to fill up.

Investments double every…

Want to know how often you will double your money?  Check out the list below and keep saving!

Rate of Return/ Investment doubles every…
2% / 36 years
4%/ 18 years
6%/ 12 years
8%/ 9 years
10%/ 7 years
12%/ 6 years

The big question is where can we put our money to get a 8-12% return?

If you are starting to save young, the advantages are in your court versus people who are older and waited longer to save.  Enjoy!