Zero Value

It is never a good feeling to lose control over anything most especially in expenses. The knowledge that the consequences of such loss of control will come sooner or later is like a Damocles sword that hangs precariously and ready to strike. With the high cost of energy these days, energy costs gone amok is the least people need.

Homeowners need to regain control over their home energy costs if they are to avoid facing the same problem every due date. Complaining will bring people nowhere but determining where the problem of high cost begins most probably will. There are external reasons why energy costs rise and this is usually beyond the control of homeowners.  From the choice of electricity provider up to how electricity is consumed in the house are something that are still within the control of homeowners.

Energy has been deregulated in many parts of the US. This has allowed the entry of independent players like Ohio Gas companies to offer their services to provide consumers an option from the usual monopoly. Monopolized services, especially electricity which is a necessity often results to prices that cannot be questioned by consumers. In short, consumers will have no choice but to buy regardless of the high cost. This is usually the first phase of losing control since consumers are left with no other option.

Granted that homeowners have already availed of a more competitively-priced energy cost, this does not automatically mean a lower monthly bill. Actual electrical consumption will matter and this will be determined by the daily practices of home occupants. It is highly advised for a household to hold a meeting among members to agree on what saving efforts they will pursue to control energy costs.

The most energy-conscious head of the family will not stand a chance against a family who does not observe the basic rules of saving energy. The responsibility of saving cannot be shouldered by a single person unless he or she is living alone. A list of doable energy-saving tips can be drawn for all the members to follow.

It would greatly help if homeowners will assist in energy conservation by modifying their infrastructure to comply with green or greener technology than traditional ones. The use of solar panels and going for energy-efficient lighting are just samples of controlling home energy costs. Homeowners can actually establish their own electric consumption routines and finally regain control over high electrical bills.

About the Author

Eliza is an energy saving specialist and a green advocate.

Image: ecoenergy.com

Image: rickstaehler

In most places, homes have been traditionally provided electricity by one main utility.  This set-up pretty much leave electric consumers with no choice since it would be difficult to live in a home without electricity even with existing issues about the sole provider.  There is a move to change this as more and more independent electricity providers are being allowed by governments to offer their services to households and businesses.

There are a number of advantages to this development and the main one is the power of choice.  Choice has always been an advantage for consumers even in other products and services.  When there is only one choice, consumers are forced to accept whatever limitations the sole provider or product has especially if the product or service is an absolute necessity like electricity.

The lack of competitors also has a way of making businesses relax to the extent that it does not strive to offer the best, knowing that consumers will have no other recourse but them.   Competition has always been one of the best precursors for better performance.   This can only be good for consumers especially in the matter of household electrical supply.

With several retail electricity suppliers to choose from instead of just one, household and business consumers are given the opportunity to maximize use and control costs.  Electricity providers offer flexible contracts to cater to the actual needs of customers instead of a “one size-fits-all” package that rarely fits all anyway.  Flexibility is offered in the contract length, rates, and quantity paid for.

All these are being made possible through energy deregulation with no single company holding the monopoly of offering a very important service and product.  The best energy decisions can now be made by individual households and business.  In making the switch in your home electricity provider, it is important to use the power of choice wisely.

Households considering a switch in their electricity provider should only be thinking of getting the right information.  The right information makes way for better decisions.  In choosing between electricity providers, consumers should never forget the importance of comparing.  Comparison between rates, features, and options should lead consumers to the right track.

Consumers must learn to ask the right questions as well such as the cost per kilowatt hour, other fees (if any), and consequences of missed payments.  Those who are quite particular with the energy source such as those who prefer green energy should inquire from electricity providers.  A quick online comparison between service providers can offer consumers an idea from where to start.

About the Guest Blogger

Juliana is a green energy advocate who welcomes energy deregulation.  She highly recommends looking into www.TexasElectricityProviders.com.

After scrimping on themselves for the whole year, many consumers finally let loose towards the end and gave in to self-gifting.  A lot of people went overboard probably due to the sense of deprivation felt during the year as they tried to live within the dictates of the economic reality.  This has largely resulted to buyers’ remorse where many regret the purchases they made on impulse.

Stores are of course encouraging self-gifting as in any other way that could result to increased sales.  Self-gifting can easily be understood as putting one’s self first in gift-giving.   People who bought into the idea felt that it was long overdue and that it finally provided them a break from always putting other people first.

Self-gifting is about “me”, “myself”, “mine”.  Industry observers see this type of shopper as a very recent addition to the existing types like the sale buyers and the impulsive buyers, among others.  Many see this not as an act of selfishness but as an act of better appreciation of one’s self after putting in all the hard work to earn the money used to buy these gifts. 

Consumerism which is the desire to purchase goods more than the amount that is actually needed has been with us since the early times.   It is never more evident than during holidays where everyone just have to have everything that is on sale even when the items are clearly not needed.  By everyone, we mean people who have money, actual or expected - plastic or real currency.

There is nothing wrong in gifting one’s self.  Actually it is one of the little joys in life that we should get to enjoy every once in a while.  However, it should not be more than what we can afford in relation to these very difficult times.

People will determine their own lifestyle no matter what.  Family advise can provide some influence and so will advertising.  At the end, it all boils down to what a person is willing to accept or give up to attain a specific lifestyle.  No lifestyle can be maintained without acceptance and determination.

When people decide to be healthy and live accordingly, it requires a lifestyle that agrees with such a decision.  A healthy lifestyle can be difficult to achieve not because it is impossible to do but because of the prevailing tendency of modern-day people to favor convenience.  It is not an accident that convenience foods are generally not considered healthy.  Healthy eating requires planning which in turn requires time.  Time is of course something we almost always don’t have that is why we settle for what is available.

Healthy living is about making the right choices by practicing wise consumerism.  It starts with eating a balanced diet and is supported by avoiding unhealthy habits such as smoking or taking drugs, exercising, and having regular medical check-ups.  The rest is about proper life disposition which can be achieved by a strong support network of family and friends, having clean fun and enjoying life, and creating that critical balance between work and play.

A healthy lifestyle leaves a person with a positive feeling that is manifested in having more energy and motivation to do what needs to be done, including the more difficult and unpleasant ones.  Life after all, is not a bed of roses, more like a bed of roses with thorns.  Healthy living can make our minds and bodies responsive to the day-to-day challenges we face, and that includes the good and the bad.

All these problems that we are facing right now can be blamed on many things. In fact, everyone has his own version of the root of the problems. I tend to agree with what Oskari Juurikkala says in a commentary, though. According to him, free markets and rampant capitalism are not the real cause of the global economic crisis. Instead, he asserts:

There are at least three distinct but related reasons for the crisis: the culture of greed and consumerism, irresponsible monetary policy, and misregulated financial derivatives. Are they rooted in free-market principles? Let’s see.

A central function of law is to educate citizens in virtue. Not all vices should be prohibited, and as in the education of children, the right mixture of rules and sanctions depends on the moral qualities of the people. In Wall Street, the culture of greed and the presence of strong financial incentives to engage in dubious practices should be countered by stronger sanctions. The failure of existing codes to prohibit and punish blatant acts of injustice has been fostering a law of the jungle.

Various reforms are needed, but they do not consist in heavier taxes and more industry regulation. Big government will only make it more difficult for economies to adapt to the crisis situation. We must tackle the problem at its roots by defending basic principles of justice and honesty.

Though I would have to say that capitalism does have its role in what is going on, it is not inherently evil and should not be blamed solely. The commentary is right – our core values and principles have to change. Otherwise, the problem will never really be solved.

The credit crunch and the general state of the economy are making things hard for many people these days. Homeowners may not have to pay their rent but they do have mortgages to worry about – among other expenses. Perhaps that is one of the reasons why the queen of talk shows has created a challenge for families all over the United States. Called Your Family’s “Live with Less” Challenge, it is aimed to help wasteful families to re-evaluate their lifestyle and, hopefully, make some changes for the better.

Here is an excerpt of Oprah’s letter, which she presents to the participating families at the beginning of the challenge.

For one week, you’re going to give up the bottled water habit. Get a water filter—time to get to know your tap.

No more disposable plates, cups, napkins or paper towels. Try cloth—you might like it!

For entertainment, you’ll have to rely on each other. For one week, I’m asking you to give up your iPods and video games, and your computers only get turned on for homework. TV is limited to one hour per night—one TV only.

That thermostat is going way down…to 69 degrees. If you get cold, put on a sweater.

Give your washing machine a break—try to wash only clothes that are TRULY dirty.

When you leave a room, lights out. Ditto for fans. When you’re done using an appliance, unplug it. Don’t forget your computer and cell phone chargers too.

I think that though we may not all be able to participate “officially” in the challenge, we may very well learn lessons from it. Why not take a step back and re-evaluate your own lifestyle?

This is the best time to be more conscious of the environment in our daily lives. I think it is a great thing that there are more and more choices in the market when it comes to environment-friendly products. However, sometimes, consumerism still creeps in.

I recently read the term “green consumerism” from another article. It talked about how going green is a good thing but it does not mean that you have to purchase everything just because they are good for the environment. Imagine this scenario. You are at the mall to buy a few things that you need for the house. You know what you need so you go about getting those things. Suddenly you chance upon an item that is “good for the environment.” Let’s say a magazine rack made of recycled materials. It looks good. It looks durable. The price is so-so. You want to get it – after all, it is good for the environment.

The problem is that you already have 2 magazine racks in use at home – not to mention a couple more in storage. Do you really need that extra magazine rack just because it’s “green?” Do you get what I mean?

I suppose the bottom line is your purchasing habit – whether you are buying green or not, ask yourself if you need that item. At the end of the day, if you evaluate your buying habits and make a change towards using less – whether it is green or not – then you can make an impact on the environment AND on your pockets.

One of the most important things that homeowners pay attention to is how energy efficient their homes are. The fact is that sometimes, we overlook this aspect. As long as the house is comfortable and looks nice, the energy efficiency factor is sometimes set aside. If you think this way, you may be making one of the biggest mistakes as a homeowner. Why don’t we take a look at some signs that your house may be an energy guzzler?

Shoddy insulation
Shoddy insulation is bad enough. Missing insulation is even worse. Without proper insulation installed, your energy consumption will certainly skyrocket. You might even have to pay almost double of what you should. Check your insulation and save your money.

Heating and/or cooling
We talked about revamping your air conditioning system in the previous post. The fact is that older air conditioning units will eat up so much electricity. Now you may not be aware of it if you have been using your air con for many years but believe me, try using a new unit and you will realize just how much you can save.

Paint color
What color do you have on your roof right now? If it is dark, then you might want to consider repainting it. Dark color attracts heat more and this will cause you to have to pay more for cooling during the summer. This is also true for the exterior paint for the walls of the house.

You might want to check these factors out and see if you can improve the efficiency of your home.

Last time I said that “The most common way to get people’s attention and to invite them to your yard sale is simply by putting up yard sale signs.” Today I’ll be giving more tips on what to do when making a ward sale sign.

2. Use arrows - Always make sure that your signs have arrows that point people to the RIGHT DIRECTION. Last time the yard sale sign illustration was a perfect example of a very clear sign using huge easy to read fonts and contrasting colors. However, if you notice, it didn’t have any arrows. Aside from merely using arrows make sure that the direction the arrow points to is clear, especially if the road splits in several directions.

3. Place signs in strategic locations – A clearly written sign with clear arrows are useless if they are not strategically located. Place the yard sale signs on corners/bends. This is not so important in dead ends but very important in intersections and forks.

4. Keep it clutter-free – You can offer additional info such as your address in smaller letters but DO NOT list down all the great items you have on sale. However, if you are putting up a yard sale sign near an antique shop you might want to places antiques for sale. Just showcase one item/item class for each sign WHEN APPROPRIATE.

If you want to have a successful yard sale the first thing you should make sure is that your “junk” is still worth buying. They may not be in the best condition but things need to still be serviceable or those that do not work any longer should be salvageable. Assuming that the stuff put out for sale can still be sold the next thing you should make sure you do to have a successful yard sale is to find a way to attract your costumers.

The most common way to get people’s attention and to invite them to your yard sale is simply by putting up yard sale signs. When making a yard sale sign make sure that:

1. It can be seen clearly – What this means is that you should make the signs and the lettering on the signs large enough. This also means that you should write in a clear handwriting. It is best to use block letters. You should also choose colors that easily gets attention. Large clear white letters on a black or red backdrop should work. There is no best color but just make sure that the letters contrast against the background.

Another aspect that shouldn’t be overlooked would be the placement of the signage, If you want it to be seen clearly then post it somewhere prominent enough. Place it eye level or slightly above eye level. You should also place it in posts/walls where there aren’t too many other signs posted, otherwise your sign will “get lost” behind all that clutter.

to be continued…