7 Energy-Saving Home Goods to Save You Money

Giphy

Whether you're shelling out for rent or paying off a hefty mortgage, the cost of living doesn't come cheap. And that's not even factoring in all the other monthly bills you're covering just to keep the lights on and the heat humming.

The average American household spends about $2,200 a year on energy bills alone. Meanwhile, the cost of running water spiked by 41 percent in recent years, resulting in annual bills as high as $600 or more. Even if you cut off your cable TV (which can run you between $120-$240 a month), and choose the absolute slowest, most excruciating WiFi plan, you can't exactly live without light, heat or running water.

One cost-cutting solution is to invest a fortune in solar panels; another is to live off the grid. And then, there's the third option: buying a few low-cost household products that will significantly cut down your utilities and other household bills. It's true—there is a slew of everyday items that are simple to use and built with your budget in mind. Here are seven must-haves if you want to start saving ASAP.

Draft Stopper ($9.99, Bed, Bath and Beyond)

Behold, the $10 solution to the sky-high cost of warming your house in the winter. Seal off cold air that seeps in from door-cracks and windowsills with this simple sand-filled wedge, and discover how much cozier your home can be without ever turning up the thermostat.

Water Filtration System ($19.99, Home Depot)

A water filtration system filters fresh, clean water into your home, reducing the need for bottled water (good for the environment, good for your grocery budget.) It also cuts down on sediment and rust, extending the life of your pipes—and cutting down on pricey plumbing emergencies.

Energy-Saving Power Strip ($22.97, Amazon)

Surge protectors are essential if you have more than two electrical appliances in your home, and, hey, we know you do. We also assume you don't unplug your lamps and laptops every time they're not in use. That's where those hidden fees add up unless you have one of these power strips specifically designed to reduce standby idle energy use. Spend around $20, save a fortune in the long run.

.


Energy-Efficient Bulbs ($15.48, Lowes)

If you have to make one change to reduce your energy bill, switch out your light-bulbs. Energy star-approved bulbs use up to 80 percent less energy than regular bulbs. According to the US Department of Energy, swapping out your conventional bulbs for LEDs, CFLs or Halogen Incandescents can save you upwards of $75 on your annual energy bill. Plus, these babies last longer—which means you spend less time and money replacing them.


Water-Efficient Showerhead ($11, Amazon)

If you want to cut down on your water usage, consider switching to a more efficient showerhead, which reduces water usage by up to five gallons a minute without skimping on the water pressure. So go ahead and take nice, long guilt-free shower without sweating about your next bill. Look for a showerhead with the EPA-approved Water Sense label, and you might even qualify for rebates and vouchers in your area.

Air Purifying Plant ($19, The Sill)

If you want to reduce the number of allergens, pet dander, and germs that float through your home daily, you could spend anywhere from $200 to $600 on a clunky air purifier that also runs up your electricity bill. Or, better yet, you could spend significantly less on a gorgeous houseplant. "I am a fan of attempting to get an indoor clean air boost with various NASA-studied plants that have been found to potentially scrub and purify indoor air of common pollutants," Dr. Clifford Bassett, founder and medical director of Allergy and Asthma Care of New York, tells Today.com. ZZ plants, Peace Lily and English Ivy are all durable, year-round plants that naturally cleanse your home of toxins the old-fashioned way and cost a fraction of the man-made versions.



Space Heater ($20.10, Home Depot)

The more square footage you have, the costlier it is to heat your home. But you don't need to crank up the thermostat and heat every room in the house if you're only hunkering down in one area. In fact, you could save a bundle by throwing down a twenty for a portable space heater. Bring it with you from room to room and warm up without running up your heating bill on empty rooms in your home.

The next time you're feeling like your household bills are out of control, consider making a few small changes and investing in everyday items that will save you bundles in the long run.

From Your Site Articles
Related Articles Around the Web
energy-efficient home products
Subscribe to PayPath Newsletter
PayPath
Follow Us on

Truebill Is The App Everyone Needs, I Use It Everyday To Track All My Finances

I thought I had a pretty good handle on my finances out of school. I worked several jobs while attending university and had little to no problem managing my income. However, once I graduated, I realized how much more complicated personal accounting could really be.

There were so many variables I needed to keep track of. Biweekly bills, monthly charges, and general necessities amounted to a heap of confusing numbers that were often impossible to decipher. The funniest part was that I was actually trying to do this by hand (I don't know what I was trying to prove to myself, either).

After messing up for the 17th time, I decided to give Microsoft Excel a shot. I used Excel a bit in school and I knew all the big-wig finance people used it, so what could I possibly have to lose? The answer is about six hours of my precious time. Excel isn't much of an improvement over handwriting and it's still dependent on the user to manually input all of the information. It's like doing everything by hand with the slightest help, meaning that it still required a tremendous amount of time and concentration. Well that was all for nothing, I guess.

It's sort of funny. I was certain that I could manage my personal finances with ease, when it's practically a full-time job. I was already stressed out enough with my first job and I knew I didn't have enough time to give my finances the attention it deserved.

That's why I decided to try out a budgeting app. My best friend told me that he uses an app called Truebill to manage his finances. "What does it even mean to manage your finances?" I asked him. He told me that Truebill was the personal financial assistant I wished I could have. It could aggregate all of my account information into one place and give me specific insights and actions.

I loved the idea of having full control over my finances, especially during a time of financial uncertainty, and I realized that Truebill would be the easiest way to accomplish this. The user interface is incredibly simple and intuitive, so it doesn't even feel like a finance app! Truebill offers a multitude of features, with their most popular being the ability to cancel subscriptions with the press of a button.

Okay, I had no idea how many subscriptions I was still subscribed to. In fact, I wasn't even using a quarter of the subscription services I was signed up for. Subscription boxes, streaming services, my old gym, and even an old subscription to my favorite magazine--it was all there and I was livid. How could I let myself waste all of this money and how did I never catch this? Thank goodness for Truebill.

Truebill also offers bill negotiations. There is a 40% fee based on how much you save and Truebill even claims that there is an 85% chance that they'll be able to lower your bill once a negotiation is requested. Why wouldn't I take them up on this? There was zero risk and I would only have to pay once my bill was lowered (which means that I would be saving money regardless).

More standard features of Truebill include the ability to generate a credit report on-demand and even request a pay advance. I only used the pay advance feature once when I wanted to buy a gift for my mom, but didn't have enough cash in hand and Truebill automatically reimbursed itself when I got my next paycheck.

The credit report is another fantastic feature and practically taught me what good credit meant. Truebill's credit report basically shows you which financial decisions have the most significant impact on your credit score and ways that you can improve your credit month-over-month. I've never had such control over my credit and it feels good.

I'll be the first to admit that I was extremely naive coming out of school. I figured that as long as I was attentive, I could manage my finances with ease. We manage money to some extent throughout our entire lives, but once you're thrown out on your own, it's a completely different story. With Truebill, I've finally been able to take control over my finances and stay on top of all of my responsibilities.

Update: Our friends at Truebill are extending a special offer to our readers! Follow this link to sign-up for Truebill.

5 Reasons You Need FanDuel TVG If You Want To Get In On All The Horse Racing Action

My buddies and I always try to make it out to a game, but we never really care which one we end up at. Obviously we have our favorite sports and teams, but it was rarely about what game we went to or who we saw playing. It was about watching the game live.

In the early months of lockdown, all we had was Korean baseball, and trust me, we loved it. The only issue was, none of us had any idea what the commentators were saying. Even then, a few of my friends weren't huge fans of baseball. They were into sports like football and basketball, ones that moved at a quicker pace with less down-time in between plays.

We decided to see if there were any other events going down and came across horse racing. Yes, horse racing. It was perfect--short, fast-paced, and most importantly, an opportunity for betting.

I had never really considered watching a horse race any time other than the Belmont Stakes, but the prospects of the sport seemed exhilarating. Even better, with horse racing we knew we could still recreate the atmosphere of a race track. Salty snacks? Check. Stale beer? Check. A simple and easy way to bet? Check.

One quick Google search later, we came across TVG, powered by FanDuel. It's an online betting platform that takes you right to the heart of the action. We were a little apprehensive about using a mobile app to place our bets, but TVG's ability to bet on live horse races from all over the world was too good to pass up.

Here are 5 reasons why we are obsessed with horse racing thanks to TVG:

1. Betting has never been easier

Use your phone or computer to watch and bet on live horse races in real-time. TVG offers a bunch of features to make betting even simpler--live odds and handicapping tips leverage recent learnings to help you make your best bet. Not to mention, TVG's exclusive race content and wagering guide offers an under-the-hood look into the strategy behind horse race betting.

2. The biggest selection of horse races out there

If you're looking to drop a little dough on a horse race, chances are your best option is your local race track. But watching the same few horses races over and over again isn't the most exciting thing. With TVG you have access to over 150 tracks worldwide with races happening consistently throughout the day.

3. Get a generous sign-up offer when you place your first bet

Once you register your account, you will be eligible for a $200 risk-free bet. All you have to do is place your first bet and you're covered. If you happen to lose, TVG will insure you for up to $200 as a sort of wagering credit. I may have been a little trigger happy when placing my first bet, so having this insurance was a great perk. There are also a bunch of promotional offers available year-round.

4. Making deposits and cashing out at the touch of button

With a ton of payment options such as PayPal, BetCash, debit/credit, wire transfers, and other third-party services, making a deposit is a breeze. But what about the payout? Depending on your deposit method, your withdrawal will be available in a few days. No more waiting in-line to collect your winnings!

5. Watching live races with your friends while betting is exhilarating

Even when we were watching Korean baseball, Zoom calls with my friends were a little dull.

With TVG, we haven't had this sort of fun in months! Every weekend we'll turn on a race and throw our bets in. After a few races, and quite a few drinks, we'll tally up our winnings to see who won the most! Sometimes it's not even about making money, but just having a good time.

TVG is the perfect way to add a little excitement to an otherwise mundane afternoon. It introduced me to the world of horse racing, a sport I never would have considered otherwise.

The races just keep ramping up and thanks to TVG, I can always get in on the fun.

UPDATE: The biggest derby in horse racing is THIS WEEKEND. Get in on the action with your $200 risk-free bet!

Advertisement

fanduel tvg