Money Saving Monay - Laundry

Money Saving Monday is back! Today we will talk a bit about how to save money on laundry and dishwashing.

First, start washing your clothes in cold water -  that simple switch can start saving you a little money.

Next, air dry - you can either hang your items outside in the sun (which acts as a stain remover too - not sure why, but the direct sunlight can help remove hard to get out stains - this is how I get stains out of my sons poopy cloth diapers, the rays also have antibacterial properties in them too) if you don't want to hang them outside, you can also set up a drying rack in your house. The clothes take a little longer, and you don't have the effect of the suns rays - but it works.

third - do the majority of your laundry after 7pm, or on weekends (if your hydro company utilizes time of use rates - these are the cheaper times)

fourth - if your using your dryer, try and do a few loads back to back - saves energy because the dryer doesn't cool all the way down and have to start back from the beginning!

Use the timer on your dishwasher and set it to start after 7pm - cheapest time to run appliances

Money Saving Monday - tips at home

Another money saving post.

Keep your thermostat set 1 or 2 degrees LESS than normal in the winter, and 1 or 2 degrees HIGHER in the summer.  Most people don't notice the difference of 1 degree, and it really can help you save money. We keep our furnace at 18 degrees celsius most of the winter (we wear a sweater and socks) - if it is particularly damp or we are sick then we will raise it - but we generally lower it as soon as possible.

In the summer, we try and stick to around 23 degrees - if it is SUPER humid, then we will put it down to 21, but we really try not to. There are many days where I actually turn it off - if it gets too hard to take, I can always turn it back!

Also - we try our best to leave the furnace off until after thanksgiving (2nd weekend of October) - we almost made it to Halloween this year - but we did have a week or so in November that we were able to turn it off.

Also - look into Time of Use rates with your hydro company. Ours has a 3 tier charge system - 7pm-7am is off peak, meaning it is the cheapest time to use electricity; 7am-11am and 5pm-7pm are mid-peak hours; 11am - 5pm are on peak (meaning highest charge)

Money Saving Monday - more tips to save at the grocery store

Since I am on a huge saving money kick - I thought I would share some more tips - read on to find out how YOU can start saving on your bill!

- make a list, and stick to it *I very rarely stray from my list, unless I find an un-advertised sale that is REALLY good (like paper towels for less than $5.00, or Peanut Butter for WAY cheaper)
- shop the outside aisles (produce, bakery and meat) the pre-packaged foods are in the center and can really make your total add up - plus they are a lot more appealing for impulse buys
- get to know the layout of your grocery store - this way you will know exactly where your items are, and avoid walking aimlessly through aisles with treats calling out your name
- price match: search the local flyers for the BEST sale (you need to know your prices for this) and then find a local store that price matches (RCSS, Walmart, FreshCo, Giant Tiger) and do all your shopping at one spot.  You will need the current flyer to prove the price (or use the Reebee app on a mobile device)

and, my last tip for the day

- buy generic (store) brand whenever possible. It will save you tons of money, and often times there is very little taste difference *I don't ALWAYS buy store brand, but for the majority of items (never paper products, find they just are not as durable; and we are a kraft peanut butter family) but for salad dressings, pasta, sauces and rice etc, there isn't much of a difference.

I hope your enjoying my money saving tips - check back next Monday for more - and feel free to leave your tips in the comments!