Tag Archives: gas
Energy Efficient Money Saving Tips
Because of the rapidly increasing cost of fuel, energy efficiency in the home is becoming more important. Not only is inefficient energy use expensive, it’s practically criminal, considering the amount of efforts that are being made to curb pollution and global warming.
Fortunately, there are so many things that you can look into to make your home more energy efficient. But to keep things simple, we’ll categorize these things into two classifications: energy conversion and energy consumption reduction.
Energy conversion
In energy conversion, you make changes around your home so that you can use free energy that would otherwise just be wasted.
“What free energy?” you may ask. Well, there is the wind. And there is the sun.
The most popular way of energy conversion in society right now is the usage of solar panels. Solar companies can install solar panels around your home to gather energy throughout the day, storing this energy to help your home’s energy needs once the sun sets.
For water heating needs, there are also solar heaters. These rely on direct sunlight to heat up water, which is then pumped into insulated water tanks for later use, eliminating the need for fossil fuel powered water heaters.
Other ways of energy conversion include wind generators and water turbines, for houses which can take advantage of them.
The biggest downside of using these new technologies, however, is the high initial cost that you incur to have them set up – it might take a while for you to get a return for your investment if you are not able to maximize the potential of these energy converters.
Which brings us to a second issue: if you live in a sunny tropical country, solar energy may be a great option for you. If you live in an open farm, wind energy might work.
But if you live in a country that is cloudy half the year, or if you live in a city with no space to plant a wind mill, energy conversion may not be a realistic option.
Energy consumption reduction
Fortunately, you can also increase your home energy efficiency through energy consumption reduction. This method goes deeper than just turning the lights off in rooms with no people inside. It takes some planning and remodeling to make your home energy efficient.
Rearranging the lighting fixtures – or even the windows – around your home may help reduce your electricity expenses by needing fewer lights to light up certain parts of your home. Renovations around your home to insert insulation in cavities and walls will drastically help in reducing your heating expenses.
Newer, more efficient appliances will always be lighter on the energy load of your home. Look for those with the Energy Star seal, and use CFL bulbs rather than incandescent ones.
Heating in Great Britain
In Great Britain, where heating expenses make up a huge part of a home’s energy requirements, energy efficiency would start with how you obtain your heating needs.
It is always recommended that you buy new models of energy-efficient boilers, such as the ones by British Gas. British Gas boilers can cut your energy bills by £225 yearly, and they also emit far less carbon dioxide than many other boilers, making them safe for your family and the environment too.
British Gas is a solid partner for your home’s energy efficiency needs, and British Gas boilers are just one of the many ways with which you can achieve high energy efficiency for significant savings.
How to Choose the Right College Credit Card for You
Credit cards are a huge industry. Everybody who can get one or two or 10, uses them because they are a great convenience. But there are so many credit cards being offered to students these days that it might seem nearly impossible to choose the right college credit card for you. But it is very important to investigate and to choose carefully to make sure you end up with the best deal you can find.
It’s also important not to go overboard and get a half dozen cards or more. It is very easy to get yourself into serious financial trouble before you realize it. It is so easy to use the cards when you want something – but then the bills start coming and getting bigger and bigger.
The interest rate that a college credit card charges is a critical factor in your considerations. Let’s face it, when you make a purchase on a college credit card you are actually borrowing money from the credit card issuer. They will want it back – with interest. So you must pay a monthly interest rate on this loan unless you pay your balance off in full every month.
Naturally, the best option is to pay off the credit card every month, but sometimes that just isn’t going to happen, so you want to get a college credit card with the lowest annual percentage rate and the longest 0% interest introductory period. The majority of college credit cards will be very similar in these two regards so the next point to consider is what kind of rewards you receive for using the credit card.
For many students, college credit cards are the first ‘real’ credit cards that they have gotten and they may not know what types of reward would be the best to look for. Generally, the three main reward types that will be most valuable for students are:
* Cash Back
* Frequent flyer miles
* Free gas
Cash back on a college credit card is actually a kind of points system. As you spend money these points accumulate on your college credit card account. Then they can be exchanged for cash, gift certificates or special discounts at popular outlets and stores. While the amount of ‘cash back’ that you get as a college credit card reward might seem small, remember that every little bit helps and you will soon be racking it up.
If you have cash available to pay for items like books and other necessities, you can use your card instead and then pay off the bill as soon as it comes. This does two important things for you. First, it helps build your credit history in a very positive way. Second, it accelerates your rewards. BUT, you must pay it off, don’t spend that cash on something else and end up paying interest. You have to keep your finances under strict control.
Frequent flyer miles could be the best rewards to have with a college credit card if you attend a college a long distance from your home. As you use your college credit card you accumulate frequent flyer miles that you can later exchange for flights back home – or wherever you want to go. Unlike the airline reward schemes, normally credit card frequent flyer miles can be used on any participating airline, worldwide.
Free gas when you use your college credit card could be your best option if you have your own car. Gas prices keep getting higher and some college credit cards offer rewards that can help with the rising costs of operating a car by providing rebates for gas station purchases. These free gas college credit cards may also offer discounts and points towards other motoring related items so it can be well worth your time to compare the different programs available.
With careful research, a little good sense, and careful attention to your finances, your college credit card can definitely help make your college years easier and give you a great head start on an excellent credit rating.