My #1 Secret for Easily Saving Money

In these tough economic times I find myself, like so many others, trying to stretch every dollar as far I can. I have tried everything and while many of my money saving techniques did not justify the hassle there were a few that paid off and one, in particular, that really helped me to save money

My big secret for easily saving money is simply saving on electricity costs; however I am not talking about pinching a few pennies but taking some serious steps to really save a significant chunk of change. Not only had money become tight for but in addition energy costs seem to have continually been on the rise. This is my secret for paying less than ever before even as kilowatt hours continue to climb.

The first thing I did to save money on my electric bill is a rather obvious step - I cut my consumption. You would be amazed how much you can save by turning off lights when out of the room, adjusting that thermostat by a few degrees and not using the hot water wash cycle. Take this a step further and purchase surge protectors for your electronics, get your TV, DVD player, stereo and video game consoles all on one. Believe it or not but these will still take electricity when switched off. By connecting these devices to one surge protector you can unplug it easily at night or when heading out the door. Do the same for your kitchen with your stove, microwave, coffee make and anything else on your counter.

Next it was time to really take things further than neighbor. My biggest secret for saving money will actually allow you to turn a profit now that your electric bill is a fraction of what it used to be. I purchased an array of solar panels locally and opted to install them myself; avoiding contractor costs, then having an electrician put the finishing touches on the wiring to appease my insurance company.

Although it did put me out a couple of grand initially with the Federal government's tax rebates ($1,500 less on my taxes this year), the monthly savings on my electric bill (not only is it nothing but it actually makes me money) and the government mandate that as a renewable energy source my power company purchase my excess electricity back every month at a premium fee (once hooked up to the home my meter runs backwards supplying my needs and giving an excess to others on the grid that is tracked) instead of forking over hundreds of dollars a month around the house I now get checks this upfront cost was quickly offset . Imagine having your electric company pay you every month!

Hopefully now you have learned my valuable secret of how I easily save money around my home. Take action and start putting a little extra away to build your own financial cushion, it pays.