by Mindy Laughton

[Editor’s Note: I love how out-of-the-box some of these options are.  Many of them aren’t new – but we often don’t think of them as money-saving options!]

Practical Energy- and Money-Saving Things You Can Do Right Now

Being frugal and living on the cheap isn’t actually about being a tightwad. It’s more about being careful about where you put your money and doing the work to make sure that you get the most bang for your buck. So how do you do that? How do you make the money you have stretch as far as possible.

1. Save on Energy

Turn off the lights, bump up the AC and bump down the heat, etc. You know all that. Take it a step further and make sure that you’re getting the best possible rates. If possible, switch to natural gas for most of your power (it’s cheaper than petroleum based power). If you are lucky enough to live in a state with a deregulated energy industry like Texas or Connecticut, shop around to get the best rates. Spend some time looking through the Shop Electricity Rates Texas site (or Connecticut or Ohio site…).

2. Go outside and play!

Going outside and playing accomplishes a few things.

• It gets you out of the house so that you use less power.
•  It encourages you to run around and get exercise which reduces your need to spend money on the gym.
• It gives you a fun way to pass your free time, reducing those urges to go shopping when you feel bored.

3. Get Choosy When You Shop

You already know the benefit of buying in bulk and how to do it correctly. Consider the following shopping hacks as well.

• Buy seeds and soil instead of “ready- made” produce. Food you grow yourself is healthier.
• Shop online—you can find the same stuff and usually at a discount (but watch those shipping charges).
• Buy fabric instead of clothing (use leftover scraps for rags instead of buying sponges). Making your own clothing is cheaper and ensures quality so it will last longer than stuff you find in stores.  [Editor’s Note: This is no longer always true.  Do the comparison!]
• Buy ingredients, not food. There are all sorts of foods you can make yourself for pennies on the dollar of what you’d spend for something already manufactured.

4. The Library is Your Friend

Cancel that cable package. You can get almost all of the same shows online. Plus, the library has all of the entertainment you could ever need and it’s free—plus, since you have to take it back, you don’t have to worry about it taking up space in your house!

Walk or ride your bike to the library so that you can get in a workout and reduce the amount of money you’ll have to spend on fuel and car maintenance.

Take advantage of programs at the library instead of going to the movies. It’s much cheaper and just as entertaining!

Surf the web on your laptop at the library. This reduces the amount of power you use at home and gets you out of the house at the same time. Plus, the wi-fi at the library is free and will keep you from having to drop money at the coffee shop to cover the cost of using a table for a few hours.

What are some of the best ways you’ve come up with to practically save money and energy?