7/27/13

If you commute a lot for work, one easy way to save money, time and gas is to invest in an automatic payment device for your car for tolls, bridges and highways. In the Northeast, these devices are called E-ZPasses, and they allow you to breeze through tollbooths by paying with your synced credit card. This saves time, and you earn discounts on your tolls. You also save gas: By cruising slowly through a tollbooth instead of coming to a complete stop, you save a significant amount of fuel over time.

7/26/13

Air conditioning units can be real energy hogs in hot summer months. Plant shade-giving trees and plants around your HVAC system or window units to give them a little respite. Cooler air will help the compressors run more efficiently. And remember to replace the air filters in your system; it's an easy thing to do that helps keep your system running better all summer long.

7/25/13

Summer gardens need lots of water to thrive. Smartly watering your potted plants not only helps you save water, but it trains them to become heartier and healthier. When watering hanging baskets, put other potted plants underneath; the water that drips down will also water those plants. Don't water every day: Give plants a deep soak at the roots every few days; they'll retain water and send roots deeper into the ground. And when using a hose, don't spray water into the air. Instead, send water below the foliage line. More water will get to the base of the plant and into the roots, where it counts.