Holiday shopping season is officially in full swing, and while it feels so good to shower those you love with the shiniest, sparkliest, make-their-dreams-come-true gifts, it can also feel stressful watching your credit card bill tick up so swiftly. This year, shoppers will spend an average of $589 on presents for their family, friends and co-workers, according to the National Retail Federation. Here’s some really good news though: That fat bill doesn’t have to be an out-of-pocket expense. You can save or recoup most of that money by making seven small changes in other areas of your life.
[See: 10 Ways to Lower Your Heating Bill.]
Clear the way: A full 50 percent of your energy bill goes toward heating (and cooling) your home. If your air filters are dirty or clogged, your system has to work much harder to pump adequate heat into your home. That’s wasted energy — and money. Swing by the hardware store and pick up a few new filters — one for now and replacements for the future. Then swap out your old filter for a new one and resolve to check them monthly. Potential savings: $82 a year.
Snuggle: If you’re home all day, set your heat to 68 degrees during the day and a little lower at night. If you go to work or you plan on being out of the house for any stretch of time, just crank your thermostat down by 7 degrees from your usual temperature setting. Those tiny tweaks can save you up to 10 percent of your annual energy bill. Potential savings: $83 a year.
Shed some light: Take out just five of your home’s traditional incandescent lightbulbs and replace them with a bulb marked with the Energy Star symbol. Halogens, CFL and LED lights use up to 80 percent less energy and can last up to 25 times longer. Potential savings: $75 a year.
[See: 10 Creative Ways to Cut Costs This Winter.]
Use a power strip: You see those little green blinkers on your cable box, the flashing lights on your modem, the clock on your DVD player? You’re paying good money to power those nuisance lights. Stop the energy drain by plugging your appliances into a power strip and turning off the strip when you’re not using them. Potential savings: $100 a year.
Stop leaks: You already know which windows are drafty. Imagine it’s not cold air blowing in but dollars blowing out because, in essence, that’s what is really happening. Spend $2 on a tube of caulk and seal those gaps. Potential savings: Up to $166 a year.
[See: 8 Energy-Efficient Home Improvements That Save Money.]
Make a call: Americans spend, on average, $963 a year on cell phone bills, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. On the bright side: Wherever you spend big, there’s always a chance to save big. Existing cell phone customers are usually eligible for whatever promotion your wireless provider has going on at any given moment, but you’ve got to call and make a request. Tell the customer service representative that you’re happy with your service but not as happy with your high bill, and see if they can do anything to bring it down. If you need added incentive for your provider to retain you as a customer, check out whistleout.com. The site allows you to compare more than 300,000 cell phone plans from 32 different suppliers, including all the majors, such as Verizon, T-Mobile and Sprint, for free. Carriers count on uninformed customers, but the more you know, the better deal you can get. Potential savings: $120 a year.
Swing by the garage: The average American spends $1,962 a year on gas, which accounts for 5 percent of annual household expenditures. There are three simple things you can do to cut that bill. First, inflate your tires to the proper pressure. It could improve your gas mileage by up to 3 percent. Second, get a tune-up. It’ll boost your mileage by 4 percent. Finally, check your owner’s manual for the recommended grade of motor oil, and use only that. A quick upgrade could save you an additional 2 percent in gas mileage. All together those changes should save you about 14 cents per gallon. Potential savings: $63 a year.
You can accomplish all of these things in no more than a few hours, and in that time, you’ll save a grand total of $689. That’s enough to cover not only your holiday shopping, but also leave a crisp hundred dollar bill in your pocket. So lavish your friends and family with gifts, and enjoy the season how it was meant to be: stress-free.
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7 Ways to Save: Tips to Make Holiday Shopping (Almost) Free originally appeared on usnews.com
