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Money Saving Tips

Tips For Finding A Great Broadband Service Provider

There are a lot of great Internet service providers out there, including Sky Broadband, and they all want your business. Your job is to be a smart consumer and to select the one that will best meet your needs without costing you an arm and a leg. If you live in a remote location, and you require a strong internet connection, your best choice might be to search for satellite internet providers that service your area.

Below are a few steps you can follow to find the best service to meet your needs:

Research.

Well, for starters, you need to do a little research. It won’t take you too long, especially if you search for comparison websites that have already done a lot of the research for you and have compiled it in comparison charts so you can quickly and easily see the pros and cons of each service provider and package.

What to look for.

Once you’ve got your charts pulled up, pay close attention to the price, limits of use (if any), and what the additional perks are for the packages you are interested in. Also make note of how much it costs to lease the modem or router. You may also opt to buy one yourself and save money in the long run. Also be sure to note whether or not there is a contract involved. Can you cancel your services without penalty, or are you obligated for a certain period of time? Ask about any added fees that you may find on your bill. You don’t want any surprises later.

June 20, 2013

Money Saving Tips

5 Ways To Save Money On Toys And Games For Your Kids

Sometimes, when our children ask us to get them a new toy, all we can think about is that they want something else to play with. However, the truth of the matter is that there are all kinds of benefits that come with kids engaging in fun activities in this kind of way. Toys and games keep them active, they help to develop their cognitive skills and if they’re playing with them with other children, it teaches them how to share and compromise with others.

Now, that’s not to say that you should feel pressured to purchase every single toy that your son or daughter asks for. If you did, you might have a huge toy box but no house to put them in (yep, a lot of toys can be pretty expensive). But, when there is an item that catches both you and your child’s attention, we’ve got a few ways that you can purchase that toy or game without blowing your budget in the process. Check these tips out below:

Make some. Who said that every toy had to come from the most popular department store in the city? The truth is that some of the most enjoyable ones are the kinds that can be made by hand. Local arts and crafts stores have a ton of items to choose from or you can go online to websites like YouTube, Pinterest or ParentsConnect to get even more ideas. Just go to those sites and put “make your own toys” in the search fields.

June 8, 2013

Money Saving Tips

How To Estimate The Amount Of Electricity Your AC Uses

You’ve no doubt noticed that your energy bill goes through the roof in the summer as soon as you turn on your air conditioning. But before you resign yourself to suffering through the sweltering summer heat with nothing more than a dinky table fan and wading pool in the backyard, you might want to figure out just how much electricity your AC unit is actually drawing. This can help you to find ways to use it appropriately for maximum efficiency, energy savings, and a lower utility bill, all while keeping your home relatively cool throughout the summer months. Here’s what you need to do to calculate energy usage for your AC unit.

First you’ll need to collect a few numbers to plug into your equation, starting with the amount of energy your unit uses per hour. You should be able to find this in the paperwork that accompanies your unit, although it should also be posted somewhere on the unit itself. It will be listed in BTUs, or British thermal units, and this number will tell you the BTUh, or the BTUs the system uses per hour. Next you’ll want to find the SEER (seasonal energy efficiency ratio) rating, which tells you how efficient your air conditioning unit is. And finally, you need to look at your electric bill to find out the rate you pay in kilowatts per hour. Now you’re ready to plug in some numbers.

May 30, 2013

Money Saving Tips

5 Tips For Setting Your Thermostat To Save Money

When it comes to heating and cooling your home, you may have discovered several tactics for maintaining your interior temperature and saving on your monthly utility bills. You might keep shutters, blinds, or drapes closed during the day to keep out the sun or add a layer of insulation against cold, winter winds. Perhaps you’ve added energy film that repels heat-producing solar rays. Or maybe you keep the fans running during the summer and throw on sweaters and wool socks when the chilly drafts of winter come to call. You might even use your fireplace once in a blue moon. And of course, you can hire a professional to perform a home energy audit to seal up any leaks that are letting the bought air out. But if you really want to reduce your energy costs, you should be taking advantage of the benefits your programmable thermostat has to offer. Here are a few tips to help you set your system for optimum efficiency and savings.

Learn how it works. Figuring out how to program your digital thermostat effectively is not terribly difficult, but it may require you to read the directions. Can’t find them? Simply look online for a PDF that matches your system. When you know what all the buttons do and how to use them accordingly, you can set your system to a daily program, or in some cases even a weekly one. And you can always reprogram as needed, say for weekends when you’re home during the day, or when you’re on vacation and the house is empty.

May 29, 2013

Money Saving Tips

How To Lower Your Car Insurance Costs

Sometimes it feels like insurance companies attach a vacuum cleaner to your wallet. Car insurance premiums never end, they tend to rise over time, and sometimes it’s a racket trying to get a claim processed when you do need to get something repaired. It shouldn’t be this way – and it doesn’t have to be. Fortunately, you don’t have to shell out a lot of money for good coverage.

Consolidate Coverages

Lots of insurance companies offer discounts for consolidating insurance coverages. While a lot of people do try to do this, it’s still something that’s glossed over by many others. It’s more than just consolidating your homeowner’s and auto policies. Ask about life insurance, health insurance (if you don’t already have coverage through your employer) and other types of insurance you carry.

Work On Your Credit

Your credit rating makes a huge difference in your premium rates. For many insurers, credit is a critical factor. Why? Because, while insurers don’t fully understand the reasons, good credit is associated with lower accident risk. One idea is that people with good credit are financially responsible, and thus responsible people in general.

May 27, 2013

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