14 Money Savers @ Home, Apartment Style

I see a lot of great advice for those who own or even rent a home, things I have kept in the back of my mind for when I go single residence. But until them, I am @ home in my mile high apartment and I still want to save money.

I've already discussed how phantom power sucks up your money and that keeping your clothes dryer clean saves as well (if you are lucky enough to have one in your home). But there are still a few items that can save you money in your apartment.

1. Borrow  or Rent it - Room is very limited in most apartments and storage at a premium for items that may be used 2-3 times a year. Renting from the local hardware store may be more worthwhile or check out Borrowtools or Neighborgoods. Of course you want to consider the cost of renting versus buying the item over the long term. And keep your eye out for tools you may need at garage sales (always ask to plug it in).

2. Keep Closets Closed - Having closet doors closed allows you to heat or cool a smaller area and also keeping closet doors closed that have an exterior wall, keep the home insulated. A bonus is that guests won't see your clutter. If you don't have doors this is a great time to get some nice fabric or heavy single size flat sheet to act as your door.

3. Peak and Non-Peak Use - If the utility bill goes directly to you and not split with others then try getting on the utility companies peak/non-peak plan for reduced rates. Some companies have lower rates if you use washer/dryer and dishwasher later in the evening or early morning.

4. DIY Cleaning Supplies - In small areas with few windows, using non-toxic cleaners may be best for you physically and you can save upwards of $50 a year by making your own. And speaking of odor removal ideas, don't forget DIY for stinking feet/shoes and  the smelly bathroom.

5. Fan Yourself - If you have the authorization, install a ceiling fan, even if you have to leave it behind, it can be your best friend in the summer and the winter. If not, fans throughout the house are handy in the summer to keep costs down. And in the winter, open up your window shades to let the heat warm up your room.

6. Changing to CFL - Since the incandescent light bulb is being phased out in 2012 and no longer produced by 2014, it should be easier to get the CFL bulbs for cheaper prices. Just be careful of CFLs that easily burn out. And if you are worried about contamination, then you will be glad to know that LED lights are slowing making it into the stores and they last even longer.

7. Replace AC filters - If you have central air, like myself. There will be a location to change out the filter and hopefully your complex office does it for you. If not, make sure you do it once a year to keep the AC cost down when using it, though some suggest replacing them every month in the summer if it is on everyday.

8. Replacing Grills - If you can hold off until fall or winter for better sales on the BBQ grills, that can save you quite a bit of money. Just replaced our little propane grill in 10 years and saved 31% with free shipping.

9. Heated Water - If you get your bill for heated water, then you should have the ability to lower the water heater temperature. This can save you about $30 a year and reduce any scalding issues. In my case, the water
heater doesn't have temperature settings, but does have A, B, C and Very Hot, so I set mine at A, but this picture shows someone turned it up. (oops) 
For your info:
? (triangle up) = 120?
A = 130?
B = 140?
C = 150?
Very Hot = 160?

Did you know that dropping the water temperature setting by ten degrees typically saves about 4% on the cost to heat water each year.

10. Insurance for Accidents - I know that you would never set your home on fire, but you can't always trust that your neighbor won't accidentally do that. Renter's insurance is something that costs pennies to add with your car insurance premiums and is a nice bit of piece of mind if the unthinkable should happen.

11. Shower Timer - Handy for the person, like myself, who soaks for an hour in a SHOWER. You can buy ones that turn your water off or do like I do and just get an annoying sounding timer for when you shower.

12. Programmable Thermometer - Check with your leasing office to see if you can replace the old thermometer with a programmable one to save money on AC/Heat instead of flipping the switch at whim. In my complex, I can buy one and they will install it, but I have to take it with me when I move.

13. Wrap in Plastic - Especially for north facing windows that get hit with the wind, put up plastic on the windows to keep in the warm and the cold out. This stuff can be put up in about 30 minutes or less. Well worth the expense for the plastic.

14. Bricked Tank - I see suggestions to put a brick in your toilet tank. This is handy if your toilet is not one of the efficient models (mine says 1.3gpf) . If it is an old type, a brick can be wonderful but possibly crack your tank if it is really old. An alternative is to fill up a 20oz plastic bottle and drop it in - just as effective and not as dangerous.


What ways have you saved money in apartment living?


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Rana replied to matteo attrovio's discussion 'compatibility of 2.4GHz Amplifier 1000mW with Hitec Aurora 9'

Rana replied to matteo attrovio's discussion 'compatibility of 2.4GHz Amplifier 1000mW with Hitec Aurora 9'
You need to add 6dB pad between the TX and the amplifier. Note: Never switch on the 1000mW 2.4GHz amplifer without antenna, recomended is minimum 5dBi. I used 9dBi in similar case. Observe appropriate supply voltage and most important, do not use 2.?

Source: http://diydrones.com/xn/detail/705844:Comment:274245?xg_source=activity

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Cleaning Up Your Financial House

Being laid off has it's advantages like more time with family, crossing off items on the to do list, no longer putting off that exercising because you are too tired. But one definite disadvantage to being laid off is that depression lurks around the corner to sneak up on you if you are diligent to keep watch.

I was doing really well keeping myself positive, working out and keeping myself busy with things to do, but my mind decided to dwell on the negative, nothing being accomplished part of it all. The first week of January, after the holidays had all wound down and I was done preparing, I got socked with some deep, don't-wanna-get-out-of-bed depression.

The house was starting to look pretty bad and when it starts to effect other people around me, I knew I had to try to snap myself out of it.  I wasn't in the mood to tromp over to the gym to get my adrenal gland going. Instead I decided to clean the house.

A recent study by Colorado University found: While controlling for age, race/ethnicity, and education level, Colorado adults who reported no leisure time physical activity were more than twice as likely to have been classified as having serious psychological distress compared to those who reported leisure time physical activity.
How does this relate to frugal living? Simple. It's not uncommon to find yourself in a personal finance depression where you don't see that things are changing. Sometimes taking a clean sweep of your finances can get you through the valley and moving back up the hill again.
Flickr/CC - Melissa Ann Barrett
  • Break It Up - When I started cleaning the house again, I broke it down into sections instead of taking it all in, that was too overwhelming. Financially when you look at the bigger picture it can be too much, break it down, look at what you are doing really well and take a moment to pat yourself on the back. Look at the areas that need improvements and take them on in small chunks.
  • Clean As You Go - Washing the dishes right away after dinner is better than letting them build up for a two hour deep clean later on. Apply that same idea, if you see you are making a mistake and spending money on frivolous items, take the temptation away, leave the cash or debit card at home. Keep the mistakes small and adjust as quick as you can.
  • Don't Procrastinate - It's easy to put off balancing the check book or updating the budget. But like putting off cleaning the bathroom, over time it will start to look very ugly. Try to remind yourself what the consequences will be if you delay the inevitable.
  • Keep Cleaning Supplies Handy - If you know where to find all solutions to your dirt and grime, it will make it easier to grab them and clean up. Likewise, keeping your budget, money and other resources in a central location will cut down on time and being easily distracted when you shouldn't be.
  • Grab Help - It's not hard to yell at other family members to help clean things up and make the cleaning go faster. The same goes with finance, grab help from the family and friends. Nothing is so sacred to not ask for help or resources when you feel yourself sinking.
If you have tried all that, remember, it may not be all that bad and most people improve within a few weeks, with and without outside help. You don?t have to resign yourself to a messy house while you deal with depression ? by getting your home and your financial house in order, you will also rid yourself of a source of stress.


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Maybe Jeb Bush Should Run After All [2012]

Republicans have a problem heading into the 2012 presidential election: They don't like any of their potential candidates. Huckabee, Romney, Palin, Gingrich, Thune, Pawlenty, Barbour and whoever else comes to mind are all losers. It's hard enough to knock off a sitting president, especially one whose poll numbers are on the rise and is, regardless of your opinion of what his "centrist" motives may portend, doing a fine job thus far of establishing himself as Washington's last reasonable man. It's even harder when all of your potential candidates are, again, losers. More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gawker/full/~3/lji2Ej95Tas/

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Ghosts Apparently Don't Like Water Slides [Marketing]

Britain's Thorpe Park was building a new water ride right on top of an ancient burial ground until workers started complaining about cold sensations and other ghostly feelings, so they've called in a paranormal detection agency. Great marketing scheme! More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gawker/full/~3/1sXxWbFvZH8/

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Gay Slur Sparks Shia LaBeouf Bar Fight [Gossip Roundup]

Shia LaBeouf got in a bar fight after someone called him a "faggot." Calvin Klein's boyfriend wrongly boasts about his new car collection. Lindsay Lohan girds herself for a legal fight. Khloe Kardashian tries to lose weight. Sunday gossip roundup! More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gawker/full/~3/ag2EVWdyIUQ/

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Help Austin Rename Its Solid Waste Department [Polls]

The Solid Waste Services Department of Austin, Texas needs a new name, and they've asked for residents to vote online in a poll that ends next Thursday. The current frontrunner? "The Fred Durst Society of the Humanities and Arts." More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gawker/full/~3/q3AgG0p_2gA/

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Mad Catz making replacement FightStick panel for Mortal Kombat

The Mortal Kombat Tournament Edition arcade stick is great for Mortal Kombat, but isn't really usable for other games, due to the unique layout. During a Level|Up Live event, Mad Catz's Mark "MarkMan" Julio unveiled Mad Catz's novel Mortal Kombat solution: a replacement panel for current Tournament Edition FightSticks, allowing you to have arcade-perfect controls for multiple games with the same stick.

The Mortal Kombat "Kombat Fight Stick Ultimate Edition Panel" allows users to replace the button layout of the edition Tournament Edition FightStick with one that approximates the classic Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 arcade panel, which is also used in the new Mortal Kombat. The buttons are a little closer together in this version for the sake of ergonomics.

No price or release date was announced, but the panel will be available from Mad Catz's online store.

Continue reading Mad Catz making replacement FightStick panel for Mortal Kombat

JoystiqMad Catz making replacement FightStick panel for Mortal Kombat originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 06 Feb 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/06/mad-catz-making-replacement-fightstick-panel-for-mortal-kombat/

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Nintendo engineers explain 3DS design, brag about battery cover

In Nintendo's latest Iwata Asks interview, president Satoru Iwata pulled in the engineers that worked on the exterior design of the 3DS to discuss the process. For example, the unique three-layer color scheme, which is a break from the usual monochrome design of DS systems, is designed to represent "how all kinds of content would come in, not just when you went out walking around with it, but also when you just had it sitting at home," according to Yui Ehara from the design group. The layers represent an "accumulation" of content, as Iwata put it. Like ... sediment?

Other new design elements include the 3DS's tapered top half (which makes the system easier to open) and a new, stronger material for the body -- "A type of high rigidity nylon with glass fiber in it," Hironori Akai from the product development group explained -- along with battery cover that comprises the entire back surface of the device. The team was especially proud of this feature, but sad that nobody got to see it at E3, since the back of the test units were covered.

JoystiqNintendo engineers explain 3DS design, brag about battery cover originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 04 Feb 2011 18:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/04/nintendo-engineers-explain-3ds-design-brag-about-battery-cover/

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