Month: February 2020

How to Save Money on Energy Bills this summer

In this summer, you can cut your energy bills almost in half without having to sit home in the dark or purchasing extra gadgets. You may already have heavy curtains on the window to keep heat out, ceiling fans, and you may have sealed all cracks to ensure that warm air stay outside but this will not be enough to cut down the energy bills. Below are some extra low-cost things you can do to cut energy bills during this summer.

Unplug Electronics which are not in Use.

You might be wasting energy without realizing it mostly by leaving electronics and other appliances plugged in when not in use. Markedly, there are some appliances which can drain power even when they are turned off. Any device with a light or clock will consume power 24 hours a day even when it is turned off. A case example is leaving a charger plugged in when it is not charging your phone. However, this does not mean that you have to unplug all your electronics and electrical appliances whenever they are not in use. Instead, you should plug them in surge protectors or wall switches, and upon turning the main switch off, there will be no power drain.

Program the Thermostat

If you have a thermostat, you should consider programming it to match your needs. This way you will realize the maximum benefits of having a thermostat this summer. A programmable thermostat will save you up to 10 percent of your energy bills every year. If you don’t know how to program it, you can seek the services of a technician who will set it according to your specifications.

Load up your Washing Machine

Regardless of whether your washing machine is full, you will use the same amount of energy and power As such, it is advisable to ensure that you always do full loads which will save you the extra energy you would have used if you did two half loads. Also, you can do laundry using cold water which will save you the heating costs. You can also skip the dry cycle on the washing machine and instead hang them out in a solar clothes dryer.

Avoid Frigid Air-Conditioner Temperatures

Considering the hot temperatures during this summer, you will be tempted the set the air conditioner to very low temperatures. However, this can be very expensive considering that the temperatures will still rise upon switching off the air conditioner. You should set your air conditioner reasonably or look for other ways to cool the body off such as taking a cold shower.

Go Wireless

It always pays when you get away from 2D electronics for a while. You can ditch your Facebook friends for a while and instead socialize with friends from the real world. Organizing a pool party, or a game night will distract you from using energy-consuming gadgets by giving you the same amount of entertainment.

How to go about Buying your First Car

At some point in everyone’s life, and particularly at the college level, the dream of owning a car is as disturbing as a growing tooth. Scrolling through webpages and magazines, as well as ogling at flashy rides in traffic, become the norm. When it is, however, time to actualize the dream and own a vehicle, reality kicks in. Unlike the flashy rides that once marked their dreams; they now have to choose one based on their budget, priorities, family size or social class.

Lest more people are caught unawares when this happens, here are some actionable tips for first-time car owners to simplify the process.

First, establishing a realistic budget determines what kind of car to buy. This is done by calculating the necessary expenditures and then directing the remainder to the purchase of the car. In this way, you can tell whether you are in a comfortable position to buy the car all by yourself or not. If not so, car purchase financing is a viable option.

Second, knowing the purpose of purchasing the vehicle determines what to buy. For instance, buying a two-seater car when one has a family of six is unrealistic. You do not have to buy something that does not satisfy all your needs.

Third, finding out the proper price for the vehicle safeguards first-time car buyers from exploitation. Each car has an average price when new or refurbished. If the price is too high, that is exploitation. Again, there is a ground for doubt if the price seems too good to be true. To be safe, make sure you conduct sufficient research on your preferred model lest you fall for junk.

Fourth, ensure that you are conducting business with a legit dealer that is unlikely to lie to you about the car. Rogue dealers will know that the car you intend to purchase has a particular fault but will not tell you. It is also important that you agree on terms such as contacting them if the vehicle develops problems soon after you purchase it.

Finally, before completing the purchase, test driving the potential buy is a must: not an option! Test drives ensure that one buys a car that runs smoothly, has the right height, control layout, wheel alignment and favorable outward visibility. Never accept a car that does not impress you on this very crucial (first) drive.