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Cutting the Cost of Household Bills?
schlumpf_louise asks: "I'm in the UK, and I'm about to move out of university accommodation and live in a house, for the first time. When we move, we will have to pay for water, electricity and gas. We'll still be students renting from a landlord, so we can't make any major physical changes to the property. The house has gas central heating and a gas cooker. Four computers will be running pretty much all the time, in addition to the usual general household appliances. What tips do any of you have for (legally) saving on bills? Are there any technologies that are worth buying for long term savings? What should we not do, or not use?" What other saving tips, and frugal suggestions might you have for a house full of college students?
Also, Macaroni and Cheese. Have you considered selling plasma?
Only obvious things come to mind. In case they aren't so obvious to you: Use the computers for heat in the winter, try to pipe the heat away in the summer. Wear a sweater. Shower with your girlfriend. Wear your clothes multiple days to save on laundry loads. But of course all these habits you probably picked up in college anyway.
You can save on water and power by not showering regularly.... but I think that's a given.
You must be new here.
I once was a housemate with a guy that got kicked out of a fraternity for being too drunk and rowdy. He had stolen a 1968 vintage kegerator from a carnival, and the thing sucked like 1200 watts or more, and ran continuously with no thermostat. One day, he came home with a keg of Stroh's that he had bought for $20 on special. He came face to face with the resolution that it would cost him more in electricity to cool the beer with the antique device than it cost to buy the keg.
Late that night, I found him outside dressed in all black, carrying a trenching shovel and a long extension cord toward our neighbors' house...
'Be always mindful, even when ditch-digging.' --D. T. Suzuki
As a college student myself, I was with you and nodding my head until...
No alchohol, no drugs
My guess is that the OP was asking for ways to save money so he could purchase more of these.
"In Summer - open the windows near the computers to let the heat out"
1. He's from the UK. We don't really get a summer here.
2. Open the windows as apposed to what? Turning on the air conditioning? He's from the UK. We don't have air conditioning in our homes.
"[take] advantage of the energy that is freely available from the sun when it shines"
HE'S FROM THE UK!!!
God bless The Queen!
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