Energy Saving Home Owner Tips

SAVE ON YOUR ENERGY BILLS THIS YEAR!

I received this handy little sticker pack with my Ameren UE electric bill - one sticker for each month with energy tips:

JANUARY - Open south-facing drapes to allow sunlight in during the day; close them at night.

FEBRUARY - Fluorescent task lightning, rather than overhead, saves energy.

MARCH - 3/9 Daylight savings time begins. Turn the clocks forward one hour.

APRIL - To conserve heat, run exhaust fans for 20 minute at a time.

MAY - Have your AC serviced before running this summer; it will be more efficient

JUNE - Seal up air leaks around your home - keep the cool air in.

JULY - Consider CFSs (compact flourescent) as an alternative to regular light bulbs to save energy

AUGUST - Move large appliances away from thermostats; they will register the heat and run more frequently

SEPTEMBER - Schedule Yearly maintenance on your furnace

OCTOBER - Weather stripping around windows and doors helps conserve heat

NOVEMBER - 11/2 Daylight savings time ends - turn the clocks back one hour

DECEMBER - Plug small appliances into a power strip; turn everything off at once to save watts

Real Estate vs. the stock market

Here are reasons why you get more for your money with a house than the stock market.

****Leverage: with stocks, you put in all your money for a little piece of a company. With a house, you put in a little money to get all of the house.

****Tax benefits: think about the benefits of fixed-rate mortgages, property tax write-offs, interest rate deductions, depreciation.


****Control: With a home, you have control - what you buy, how much you pay, and where you live. You can improve the value with repairs and updates. Stocks are less controlable.

****Lifestyle: With a home, you're purchasing for yourself and your family. The neighborhood you want to be in, the size and style home that fits your needs. And the more wisely you choose, the better off you are.

****Value: Unlike stocks, your house will seldom become worthless. Barring a catastrophe, your home will retain a major portion of its value, even in the worst of times. So don't get stressed out about losing a few percent this year. You'll make it up.

Remember, when you own a home, you own something tangible - if the market looks bleak, you still have a place to sleep. With the stock market if things go really down hill, you can be wiped out

Owning a home is a good investment.