Subtle Ways to Spend Less on Bills

12 Subtle Ways to Spend Less on Bills

September 15, 2011

Source: Getty

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Fill Up Your Dishwasher

You're paying for the water and energy used by running the dishwasher regardless, so wait until it's full before you turn the dial to start. Your favorite mug is dirty? That's not enough reason to run the dishwasher; just take a minute and wash anything you need right away by hand.

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by POPSUGAR Smart Living 5

Fill Up Your Dishwasher

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5 Comments

LittleMzFit 39 weeks 5 days

@pearsbeary I like to do my laundry during the evening (in the summer it doesn't heat up the place & in the winter it warms it up). I've recently been unplugging everything not in use & even using the power strip as a convenient way of cutting off the power when not in use. Even better if the outlet is connected to a light switch, then all you have to do is flip the switch! :dancing: I'll be looking into the programmable thermostat. We'll see in the next several months if any of it makes a difference.

LeiraElle 2 years 39 weeks

I do most of these things (unplugging everything really IS an easy habit!). I've always wondered about the thermostat, though; I always turn it down when I leave the house, but I'd like to know if the extra energy it takes to warm up again is really less than maintaining a constant temperature all day.

3 years 37 weeks

I'd like to add a footnote on the "unplug your appliances" tip: Instead of going through that hastle - why not just plug everything into a powerstrip and turn the strip off when you're not using it? A simple click of a button and voila!

kscincotta 3 years 39 weeks

Wow, I've been surprisingly on top of these tips in our attempts to save some money these last six months. I'm feeling fairly financially virtuous now.