by Helium01

Created on: October 02, 2009

During times of financial hardship everyone looks for ways to save money. Cutting back on your water and electricity usage is one area of savings that almost every family can benefit from. Below are some tips to get you started.

1. You've heard of taking showers instead of taking baths to save water. With young children, showers are not an option. But if age and gender appropriate, double up on the kids' baths, saving time and water. Also consider teaching older children to shower instead of taking baths.

2. If you have a rain barrel or cistern, have it checked at least annually for leaks. A water container that loses its water does not help achieve your goals. Also check that the water collection system that you have connected to the rain barrel doesn't have leaks or excessive debris that can interfere with its ability to channel water.

3. Drink less caffeine and alcohol. Both of these substances drive up your hydration needs, requiring you to drink even more and resulting in more trips to the bathroom. Save on both ends by only drinking what will improve your hydration, instead of what dehydrates you.

4. Have you ever driven past a running sprinkler in the middle of a downpour and thought how wasteful it is? Has that ever happened in your yard? Turn off sprinklers and drip irrigation when there is a likelihood of rain so that it doesn't happen to you.

5. When you have foundation work or piping repairs done, always have the remaining pipes checked for leaks. Since you already have work crews with equipment, including digging and excavation tools, have a non-invasive leak check done. This check is also a good item to plan when having major renovations done. Make sure there are no broken pipes under that new kitchen before putting the new floor in.

6. When getting an energy audit, have the water heater checked for hot spots that require extra insulation.

7. If your children are afraid of the dark during storms, get long life glow sticks instead of flash lights to save on batteries. If they must have night lights, have the LED (light emitting diode) kind. These are now available in as many forms as conventional night lights. Or you can replace the bulb in the current night light with an LED bulb to save on electricity.

8. Running the dryer takes energy, but we do not all have clothes lines or a yard to hang our clothes in. Cold or wet weather could also prevent this option. A suitable energy saving option is to lay out clothes on your furniture under a fan. If the room is cold, add a heater until everything is dry. This is still less energy-consuming than a clothes dryer, and the heater in the room benefits the whole house as compared to blowing hot air outside.

Above all else, remember to be conscious of your consumption and teach your children to do the same. By being mindful during your everyday activities, you can easily reduce the amount of water and electricity that you use. When you receive a lowered bill next month, all of you hard work will have been worth the effort.

Learn more about this author, Helium01.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.