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Here are two major suggestions on how to save on utility bills at home.

Get your major appliances checked by a professional.
The idea is to make sure that each energy-consuming appliance you have at home is not sucking money out from you. If the appliances you have at home are inverter and energy-efficient, you just need to have it checked if still in good working condition. Also, keep in mind that each appliance has a lifespan. Have the professional expert check it as well to make sure there is no chance of the appliance getting burned, causing fire, or anything like that.

A neighbor came to mind right now. They had this top-of-the-line gas range oven and it gave them years of great service. But one day, while the woman of the house was roasting a chicken, the gas oven suddenly blew up. It was such a huge blast that a part of their house had a big hole where the oven was. It was a good thing that nobody got hurt when it happened. The woman of the house was checking her laundry when it happened. Do you what caused the blast? Short circuit. The electrical outlet where the oven was plugged got wet and it caused the short circuit, in turn causing the oven to blow up. Had an expert was able to check it, nothing like that would happen.

So, get an expert on appliances and electrical outlets to your home as soon as possible. Get everything checked. It will not only save you on utility bills but also prevent accidents from happening.

You need to install energy-efficient windows for your home.
The idea is not to let the HVAC use too much power in order to make the house cool/warm. If the windows can ward off the heat of the sun or the cold of the winter, then you will no longer consume too much energy, thus, saving you on utility bill. There is also no need to turn on the light when you have good windows installed, even when inside the house it is a bit dark.

Generally speaking, there are many ways on how we can all save on our household bills. We just need to research and get a professional’s advice on how to. We also need to act on it and be consistent especially on the frequency of check and maintenance of our homes. For our home, we make sure we get the electrical wirings and outlets, including the breakers, checked once a year. Pest control is once a year for the major one, every quarter thereafter for check-ups. Check of major appliances once a year, too. And the water supply connection once every two to three years, unless there’s a leak then a major check-up will be done right away.

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I am saving up to buy a new refrigerator. A bigger one, two-door, and with an efficient, energy-saving motor running it. We have a regular-sized one right now and it’s been with us for roughly seven years already. It is still in good working condition but the storage capacity is not enough for the family anymore.

Again, the pandemic has made us realize and discover so many things at home. The fridge is one of my discoveries. There is not enough room for everyone’s stuff. We went grocery-shopping and stashed consumables good for two to three weeks at a time. The fridge was always packed to capacity! Cash flow was unpredictable that time so I told myself that I would buy a bigger fridge when the economy is more stable than it was back then.

I started searching for the best refrigerator for a big family like us. I found a 29.5 cubic feet two-door refrigerator with the freezer at the bottom. Yes, it is energy-efficient, an inverter. Our current refrigerator will still be used so I am also making sure that there is an efficient appliance repair services nearby. Just in case it breaks down unexpectedly.

But let us talk about a refrigerator’s lifespan. Majority says that it lasts for ten years, while some say that it lasts up to twenty five years depending on the usage and maintenance. I believe the latter. Growing up, we had a heavy-duty fridge that lasted for years and years. I was not able to count it but, if I am not mistaken, it was replaced when I graduated from college. I think I was the one who replaced it. My parents wanted to keep it but we were advised by an appliance expert to replace it since it is consuming so much energy, the fridge being an old one without an energy-saving motor running it. Most likely, it served us for a minimum of fifteen years.

According to the US Department of Energy, refrigerators can last approximately up to twelve years. If your refrigerator has been running for more than that, have an expert check it because it might be time to replace it with a brand new one. It might cost you a lot now but it will actually save you some money in the long run. It was the same advice given to us by the appliance expert who checked our old fridge.

My suggestion to large families like us who live in a single house unit, get professional experts to check on your appliances. Make sure it is not taking too much from you but instead serving you while at the same time saving money for being efficient.

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I have been researching on how to lower our electricity costs. I realized that we are paying too much when our house is not even that big and only a few of us stays at home for more than eight hours a day on weekdays. I figured it has something to do with the time of use of major electrical appliances.

I did my research and here’s what I came up with. Here are three major electrical appliances often used by most households and the best way to use them to save on electricity.

Air Conditioning and Heating. Set your thermostat in such a way that the AC/heater can cool/heat the room faster and then set it on low just to maintain the cold/warm temperature while using the room. Learn to utilize blinds and curtains to throw off the heat during warm days. Use jackets, blankets, and any type of clothing to keep you warm during the winter days and nights. Check for leaks and issues with insulation. Have someone check the HVAC regularly in order to keep it at its best working condition.

Basically, learn to fully utilize the HVAC depending on the season. Regular checks and maintenance are keys to its best use.

Washer and Dryer. According to my research, it is best to run the washer and dryer very early in the morning or at night, possibly when everyone is asleep and nobody’s using any other major appliance at home. The hours between seven and nine in the morning are the highest in terms of electricity consumption so it is best to avoid using the washer and drying during those hours.

If it still uses a lot of electricity, better hire a local pro to check your dryer and washer, too.

Water Heating. I think it’s safe to say that 80% of families use water heating especially during the cold months. I mean, even at home, we use hot showers at least twice a day. I know that it consumes a lot of electricity but when it’s cold or after work when you feel like de-stressing in the shower, the water heater comes in great use.

So, my research says that when not in use, it is best to turn off the water heater completely as it still consumes electricity even when it isn’t being used. Turning down the thermostat and making sure you are using the right size of water heater help in lowering your electricity costs. And the best advice in lowering the electricity usage of your water heater is to use less of it! I think it is best to use it only when it is really cold.

I have already started implementing these at home. I want to cut down on our electric consumption. It will not only save me some cash but also help the environment in the long run.

My siblings and I grew up in a middle income family. My dad was an insurance company employee with a small-scale car accessories shop business on the side. Being a large family, my parents made do with what they had. We used to own a sedan where we would squeeze ourselves in to be able to move from one place to another, mostly on weekends. Those were fun times even if riding in the family car was uncomfortable for us kids.

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I remember my sisters and I discussing what vehicle we wanted to get for our family. Different car brands and models, car make and color, etc. What we agreed on was it had to be a large vehicle, big enough for all of us siblings and our parents. An SUV, automatic, diesel-powered.

When we could afford it, we exchanged the sedan for an SUV. Yes, the same one that we were dreaming of when we were kids. It took years before we finally decided that we can afford one. Two younger sisters and I are all employed, we have more than enough to pay for the down payment of an SUV, and we know for a fact that we can afford the monthly amortization of it. The confidence came largely through an easily accessible free car payment calculator online that we used to compute possible monthly amortization. I personally checked that our salaries were more than enough to pay for the vehicle of our choice. We gave the SUV to our Dad. Sadly, our Dad passed away before the pandemic. The SUV is now being used only when we have the nephews over and we would all go some place together.

My sisters and I are considering exchanging the SUV this time to an AUV. My suggestion is a Mitsubishi Xpander or a Toyota Avanza. The rising cost of fuel, difficulty in finding a parking space, and the cost of maintaining a five-year-old vehicle are all taken into consideration. We are also considering trading in our old SUV to lower the cost of getting a new car. Cost of fuel is a big consideration, the primary one actually, as it has risen to astronomical proportions. We calculated our fuel budget thru CarPaymentCalculator.net and it is a good indicator that we can still afford it. A final decision will be made this week as we are anxious to go on the road again but this time using a smaller car consuming lesser fuel.

There was a time when getting a car would require you to have three to four times the amount of salary of a minimum wage worker. It reminded me of how hard it was for my parents to get a bigger car for our family. Nowadays, with so many promotional schemes from almost all car dealers, it got easier for anyone to buy a car. My advice for first time car buyers or those getting a new or second cars, make sure you can afford it. Check the amortization and fuel budget as these are crucial financial considerations. You can easily use an online car payment calculator as I have mentioned above. If you find out you can afford, go ahead and get the car of your choice!