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- Money Saver: Holiday Flexible, Thermostat Set, Refillable Products & Stronger Coffee
Money Saver: Holiday Flexible, Thermostat Set, Refillable Products & Stronger Coffee
Money Saver Saving $2,350 – $4,420 / year
Travel & Transport: Holiday Flexible Tools
Saving $2000 - $2500 / year
Saving $800 to $1,200 a year on travel is easier than you think. Instead of picking a set destination, use flexible travel tools like Google Flights’ "Explore" feature or Skyscanner’s "Everywhere" search to find the cheapest flights to multiple locations. These tools show where you can travel for less, often revealing flights that are 20-50% cheaper than expected.
Adjusting your travel dates and considering alternative airports can lead to even bigger savings. Shifting a trip by just a few days can reduce fares by $100 or more per ticket, while flying into a nearby airport and taking a short train or bus can cut costs even further. Setting up price alerts ensures you book at the lowest price without constantly checking.
If you take three to four trips a year and save $200 to $300 per flight, you could be keeping $800 to $1,200 in your pocket. Using flexible travel tools and booking smart helps you travel more for less, without sacrificing great experiences.
Home & Utilities: Setting Thermostats
Saving $100 - $220 / year
A programmable thermostat makes it easy to cut energy costs without any extra effort. Automatically adjusting temperatures based on your schedule, it ensures your home stays comfortable when you need it and efficient when you don’t. No more heating or cooling an empty house with your pockets burning.
Set your thermostat 7-10°F lower (or higher in summer) for just 8 hours a day can reduce heating and cooling costs by up to 10% annually. Since nearly half of a home’s energy bill goes to heating and cooling, this simple change can save around $100 per year—or even more in larger homes.
With the average U.S. household spending over $2,200 on energy annually, a programmable thermostat is one of the easiest ways to lower your bills without sacrificing comfort. Set it once, and let the savings add up.
Links - USDEA Thermostat Operation, EnergyStar - Heating Cooling Guide (PDF)
Consumer: Refillable Products
Saving $200 - $1000 / year
Refillable products are a way to cut costs on everyday essentials and reduce waste. Instead of buying new containers each time, refillable hygiene and cleaning products lower packaging costs and allow for bulk savings.
Many big brands now offer refill packs, letting you spend less. Depending on what you buy, switching to refillable options can save you anywhere from $200 to $1,000 per year. Savings can add up quickly using refillable personal care products, reusable water bottles, menstrual cups, and safety razors, which can save over $2,000 per year in some cases.
Refilling cleaning supplies also reduces costs since concentrated formulas last longer and require less product. Many stores with major brands now offer refill packs, giving you the benefits of cost savings while cutting down on unnecessary packaging.
Here are some links to help you find refillable products
Brand | Description | Website |
|---|---|---|
Renouvo | Plastic-free products, including refillable body lotion in aluminum bottles. | |
The Refillery Storehouse | Sustainable bulk grocery store offering eco-friendly household essentials. | |
AW Aromatics | Provides refill stations for hand and body washes, promoting sustainable choices. | |
Blueland | Offers eco-friendly, refillable cleaning products. | |
KDW | Supplies refill pouches as sustainable packaging solutions. | |
L'Occitane | Beauty products like soaps and lotions, with refills priced lower than new products. | |
Unilever | Offers refillable personal care and cleaning products, exploring reusable packaging. | |
Cosmopak | Refillable cosmetic packaging solutions like sticks and jars, where refill cartridges cost less. |
Food: Brew Stronger Coffee
Saving $50 - $700 / year
Instead of using a large amount of regular coffee, brewing stronger coffee is a proven way to cut your coffee costs by about 25%, that requires fewer scoops per pot. For example, if you usually use 12 scoops of medium-strength coffee, a stronger blend might only need 8 or 9 scoops to achieve the same bold taste. Over time, this means fewer coffee refills and more savings from each container.
This stretches your supply without diluting flavor. High-quality, bold coffee often has a richer taste, meaning you might also skip the extra creamers and syrups that add to your expenses. Plus, with less coffee used per brew, your supply lasts longer without constantly buying more.
Over a year, this small shift can lead to $50 to $700 in savings, depending on how much coffee you drink. If you’re buying coffee regularly, cutting down your usage per cup is an easy way to reduce spending while still enjoying great coffee.
If you try even a couple of these tips, you could save around $2,350 – $4,420 a year.
Simple moves, big savings
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