With gas and food prices at record highs, maintaining your standard
of living can be a challenge. That’s why now is a great time to take advantage
of money-saving opportunities right in your own home. You can easily save
thousands of dollars a year with very little effort by following a few
cost-saving measures.
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Control Your Temperature.
For every degree you lower your thermostat in winter and raise it in summer,
you save at least 1% or more on your bills. To help, install an automatic
programmable thermostat that allows you to set specific temperatures for
different times of the day-for example in the winter you don’t need it as warm
when you are sleeping and in summer you don’t need to cool the house while you
are at work.
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Cut down draft.
Another way to cut energy costs is to close off those drafts and increase your
home insulation. Buy some weather stripping and caulk to close every draft
site. Also, upgrading your home's insulation by 3-4 inches could save you at
least $200 a year.
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Change your light bulbs.
Simply replace all your traditional light bulbs with energy efficient light
bulbs. Energy efficient light bulbs cost more than traditional light bulbs but
last 10 times longer. The estimated savings per light bulb per year is about
$30 each.
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Check for tax savings. Some of these simple upgrades to your home can
qualify for federal tax credits. Additionally, upgrading your windows, doors,
roof, water heater, or furnace may also qualify for tax credits.
By making a few changes inside your home you can save money each year
and in many cases save energy, helping the environment. For information on loan
programs to finance your home upgrades, including home equity lines of credit,
call one of our experienced Loan Officers at American Equity Mortgage.
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