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Technology can help you save money
Techno Buddy
This is your lucky day. I am going to help you find the money for a new family computer.
Today’s tips will save your family enough money over a year’s time to pay for that computer. Or, you can use it for anything you want. The savings are real – no gimmicks. Unless you are one of the rare people already doing a terrific job of using technology to save money, this is money you quite literally can put in the bank.
Lighten your electric bill
Let’s start with a savings of at least $250 over a year – some families actually can double that amount. It’s easy to get started. Simply remove all your old-fashioned incandescent lights and replace them with compact fluorescent light bulbs (in tech-speak, these are CFLs).
These CFLs use much less electricity to produce the same amount of light as an incandescent bulb.
Of course, the upfront cost of switching to CFLs is significant, given they run $2 to $5 each depending on size and type. You might spend $100 or more to outfit an entire house. But keep in mind a CFL will last six times longer than a regular bulb, adding to the eventual savings.
Here’s a Web page that includes a calculator that will let you figure the sort of savings you can expect in your home based on your lighting scheme: http://michaelbluejay.com/electricity/lighting.html.
A call for savings
Save on your phone bill by substituting Internet-based telephone services such as Skype (www.skype.com). The free call goes out over your Internet connection instead of your telephone line. Savings will vary wildly based on your family’s circumstances.
For instance, my family’s cellular plan allows us to make a huge amount of long-distance calling in the U.S. with no increase in our monthly bill. So, I don’t save a dime by using Skype to call my brother in Arkansas. However, when our best friends lived in Sydney, Australia, for a year and a half, we used Skype to talk free – with video – at a great savings on an almost weekly basis.
Fueling your bank account
Gasoline costs are a big part of any family budget. They may account for 4 to 8 percent of a family budget. Prices fluctuate, but it’s enough money to be significant.
That’s why shopping for the best prices in your area can save money. Plenty of sites help you do that. I use www.gasbuddy.com You also can use Google with a search such as “find gas prices by ZIP code” to find other gas shopping sites.
If you plan a long trip, use these sites to create a printed sheet that shows the best prices along your route.
If you consistently buy the cheapest gas, you can save several pennies a gallon each time you fill up. For some families, that means saving hundreds of dollars each year.
Small change
There are other ways to use technology to save smaller amounts. But each savings mounts up. Consider, for instance, printing your own greeting cards using your computer and printer.
You also can use the Internet to check price and availability of items you buy at local retailers.
You may have tips that I can add to my list. If so, just write me at tecbud@bellsouth.net, and I might include your ideas in a future column.
Bill Husted writes for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
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