Productivity @ Home

Sustainable Houses - The Things We Can All Do To Live A Little Greener

On the 12th of every month, my friendly neighborhood PG&E guy comes to read my gas and electric meters.  I frequently joke with him, pleading him to have mercy on me and my checkbook!  In the hot summer months, I particularly dislike opening those PG&E bills! Today's guest columnist Scott Salter has a few tips for living "sustainably" in a fashion that's likely to please my pocketbook as well.

In a consumerist society, we are frequently confronted with life style decisions that can impact on our environment and one of the largest decisions that any of us will make is the kind of house that we choose to live in. The twin prongs of global warming and rising energy costs has seen in a shift in emphasis in recent years away from “environment be damned, show me the plasma!” to looking at ways in which we can live more harmoniously with our surroundings. As such “sustainability” has become a guiding principle in all manner of decision making. Sustainability is all about using resources in an environmentally friendly and healthy manner that provide for the long term needs of the community. A sustainable home will emphasize two broad themes. It will be constructed of and furnished with environmentally sound materials and it will utilize energy as efficiently as possible. Environmental homes seek to be an extension of their environment rather than an imposition, or more importantly a drain on it.

A person wishing to live in a sustainable house is going to be faced with one of two choices: building a sustainable house from scratch or retro-fitting their existing home to make it more green.

There are things that all of us can do, regardless of which materials our home is constructed, to live more greenly. These measures are largely centered on more efficient use of energy and water. By utilizing energy efficiency technology, expertise, and common sense, homeowners can dramatically cut their home energy costs and the pollution associated with energy use and production. The first place to begin with is electrical appliances. If you need to purchase a new refrigerator, washer, dryer, air conditioner, or other large power consuming item, then do your research to find a highly energy efficient option. By the same token if you have old heating and/or air conditioning equipment, you may want to replace them. The energy savings will see that they will be paid for in a few years. You can also save energy and money by using efficient lighting. Compact fluorescent light bulbs are a good option for homes where lights are on for a few hours a day. They can reduce energy usage by as much as 80 percent and go for years without replacement.

The way we conduct ourselves around the house will also have an impact on energy and water usage. Simple measures such as taking re-usable bags when we go shopping, having shorter showers, switching appliances off at the power point whenever possible, starting a compost heap and installing or topping up ceiling insulation will all have a positive impact on the environment and go some way to helping us live more sustainably.

For those who are looking to build houses from scratch however, there is even greater scope to adhere to the tenets of sustainability. A house that is being designed with sustainability in mind can make use of solar power for heating and electricity, as well as the sun (via skylights and sun pipes) for natural daylighting. Greywater systems can be installed to ensure the most efficient use of water, and the house can be constructed with non-toxic and sustainably harvested materials.

About the Author:

For more information on Scott Salter and Sustainable Houses go to http://www.sustainable-home-site.com

Save Money and the Environment

In this month's newsletter, Hostway offers a concise article on "Five Simple Ways to Save Money and the Environment".

Aimed at businesses, the content of this piece is also relevant for those of us who work from home. The tips include:

1. Turn off your computers every night and on weekends
2. Turn off your lights when not in use
3. Print on both sides of the paper
4. Think before you print
5. Digital faxing

Not revolutionary ideas, but still great reminders for us all. I've greatly reduced my printing this year by saving more things to PDF files on my computer. I'm trying to eradicate paper in my office as much as possible, and this has been a huge help. Have any tips to share? I'd love to hear from you!

Hostway Newsletter: Save Money and the Environment

Do Follow Up Posts Increase Page Views?

OK, in their weekend newsletter, the good folks at Scribefire recommend doing a "follow-up" post to increase blog page views.  While I'm not overly concerned with page views (I accept this blogs' "growing" status), the article left me thinking about whether or not I might have shared stories recently that would benefit from follow up. The only one I could come up with was my recent post entitled Haste Makes Waste.  I thought P @ H readers might be interested in knowing that the exact cost of doing something so ridiculously stupid (and unproductive!) is $377.74.  Remember that next time you attempt to multi-task at the gas pump! Writing follow-up blog posts to increase page views - ScribeFire: Fire up your blogging

The "Emergency Apple" and Nine Other Healthy Foods Under 1 Dollar

This one falls into both the Family Finances and Health and Fitness categories! Check out 10 Healthy Foods Under 1 Dollar at WebMD for a list of ten "go to" foods to enhance your productivity and protect your wallet.  My personal fav on the list is the good old Apple!  My friends tease me, because I frequently carry an "emergency apple" with me in my purse for those moments when you're driving ten kids to tennis practice and you realize you forgot to eat lunch.  It helps avoid the temptation to stop off at Chipotle!

Check out 10 Healthy Foods Under 1 Dollar

Tags: FamilyFinances, Health and Fitness

Trimming the Fat from the Grocery Bill

With gas near over $4 per gallon and expenses on the rise, productive families are looking at any possible way to cut costs around the home. Today's guest columnist Lucy Barnett looks at cutting the family grocery budget. 

Trimming the Fat from the Grocery Bill

Regardless of your family's size, cutting down on food spending can seem daunting: after all, we all need to eat. When preparing a budget, the food allotment should usually equal about 10% of total income, adjusted to fit the quantity of people being fed. Aside from being selective where you shop -no frills is always kinder to your budget- what else can you do? To cuts costs in the supermarket, try....

1. Going veggie. Good quality meat doesn't run cheap and who wants to eat nothing but hotdogs. Making the majority of your meals plant and whole-grain based leads to a significant cut in your grocery bill. For those carnivores that can't contemplate doing without, consider buying TVP (a veggie meat-like substitute) or upping the mushrooms, which can add a meaty flavor and texture.

2. Clipping coupons or shopping specials! Manufacturer's coupons, coupled with lost leaders can be a great way to save. Grocery stores in certain geographic regions can be highly competitive, offering double or triple coupons days, while other areas are more dependent on advertised specials. Remember that a sale price has value only if it's something you would normally buy and use.

3. Meal Plan! The annoying adage 'If you fail to plan, plan to fail' definitely is true with keeping to a food budget. The best way to keep on track and eliminate fast food splurges is to have a weekly plan detailing what will be made and when. Meal plans take a little time to create but save more in the long run and make creating quick and healthy meals a snap.

4. Almost but not quite. Check the produce, bakery, meat and dairy departments for items that have almost expired, but are still usable. Meat products can be discounted up to 75% if bought close to the expiry date, perfect for a big batch of chili. A massive bunch of over-ripe bananas can be bought for next to nothing. Too mushy for eating? Banana bread and muffins are a cinch to make and if frozen, can last for months. The trick with buying food on the fringe is to buy what you can use immediately.

5. Buy In Bulk. For items that are non-perishable and will never go out of style (think toilet paper), buying bulk can be the way to go. Always weight the cost and value of the product being purchased and make sure you consider the practicality (a 2 kg can of tuna may be perfect for a family reunion but is overkill for the kids' lunch)

Eating in or out, the most important thing is to remain conscious about what you want to spend and why. Whether to eliminate debt, live more simply or save for a vacation, frugal feeding is easiest to commit to when we remember why it is important to us.

Copyright 2008 Lucy Barnett

About the Author:  A writer who wants to master the art of saving her pennies, Lucy knows and practices many ways of reducing, reusing and recycling items in the pursuit of frugality as well as happiness. For more tips as well as talk, go to http://apennysaved.today.com/

Best of the Blogs:
(Recent posts related to today's topic of Family Finances)

• Taking a Deeper Look at Wants vs. Needs
• Personal Finance 101: The Basics of Estate Planning

Home-work for Today:

• Implement one of Lucy's suggestions by creating a family meal plan for the next week.  Need help?  Try one of my favorite services, Dine without Whine, a family meal planning service that makes deciding what's for dinner a breeze!   

Eye on Identity Theft

On Thursdays, I share my thoughts on Family Finances. 

Later this month, I will mark the one year anniversary of having my identity stolen by a really bad guy.  During April and early May last year, the aforementioned bad guy was having a ball opening 18 new accounts in my name and purchasing no less than 8 laptops on my tab.  Because I was clueless, I did not become away of the damage that had been done until I opened a rogue Sears bill on May 15th.  Since I don't have a Sears card, I was instantly suspicious.  I made a call to the 800 number, and thus ended my stage of being blissfully unaware of the pain of identity theft.

Now, almost a year later, I am wiser but still always on the prowl for potential attacks on my credit.  In honor of all I have learned, I've decided to make the first Thursday of every month "Eye on Identity Theft" day here at Productivity @ Home.  If I can spare even one of you the heartache, hassle and horrendous time dump of being a victim of Identity Theft, I will be happy.

Please take time today to begin protecting yourself against this crime.  I mistakenly thought that since I was very careful with my personal information, I was protected.  I hadn't lost a purse, purchased anything online though a suspicious site, or given out my Social Security number willy-nilly.  And still, it happened.  I will now forever be subscribed to a top notch credit monitoring service and will check my credit reports on a monthly basis.  My credit score is now much higher than it was this time last year, even prior to the attack, thanks to all I've learned.

Want to start protecting yourself?  Click here to read a very helpful article on Preventing Identity Theft and Fraud from Equifax and take at least half an hour today, on the first day of the month, to monitor your credit and take preventative steps.  You will be glad you did! 

Best of the Blogs:
(Recent posts related to today's topic of Family Finances)

• Six Tips for Eating Out Frugally
• Save Cash and Earth: Start a Garden
• Teach Your Children Well

On the Bookshelf:

• The Wall Street Journal. Complete Identity Theft Guidebook: How to Protect Yourself from the Most Pervasive Crime in America (Wall Street Journal Identity Theft Guidebook: How to Protect)

Home-work for Today:

• Check your credit report - just do it! Click here for information on how to obtain your free annual credit report from the FTC.

Facebook as a Marketing Tool

On Thursdays, I share my thoughts on Family Finances.

CNN Money has an interesting article today entitled Should Your Business Be on Facebook? 

The Q and A formatted column from Forbes Small Business looks at the pros and cons of having a corporate presence on the social networking darling.  As a Facebook fan, I would answer "yes" to this question.  I have seen the value of the platform as a networking tool.  My favorite Facebook moment to date occurred when a very important potential contact/Facebook friend noted in my "status" line that I was packing to attend a conference.  As luck would have it, he was attending as well and we were able to arrange a ninety minute meeting.  I will keep you posted on the eventual outcome, but that occasion was enough to convince me of the power of Facebook.

This column rightly focuses on things entrepreneurs need to be doing to ensure that Facebook succeeds as a marketing tool, and not just another productivity detractor.  If you're going to spend  all your Facebook time playing "Ninjas vs. Warriors" or losing at Scrabulous rather than seriously networking, take a pass.   

Tips for Airline Miles Credit Card Holders

On Thursday, I share my thoughts on Family Finances.  Today's guest post is written by Ann Wilson. 

Do you own a airline miles credit card? If yes, this article is made especially for you. Here, let's discuss how you can avoid problems with using your frequent flyer miles and make the most out of your frequent flyer miles credit card.

One of the most common concerns among frequent flyer miles credit card holders is the availability of flights. When it comes to making reservations, you may be surprised to find that booking your flight is not a very easy procedure. By the time you're permitted to claim your free travel ticket, you may not be able to use the ticket because of black out dates. This is true not only during peak travel seasons. Although some destinations are not as crowded, you can experience booking hassles especially if you're flying on a popular airline or is taking a trip to favorite vacation spot.

The fact is, most airlines allot only a limited number of seats for frequent flyer miles passengers. Simply because it does take a while before a airline credit card holder can earn the minimum required points and qualify for a free travel So how can you avoid such hassles and head aches upon claiming your free travel reward?

Plan Early

The best way to enjoy your travel reward is to plan ahead and prepare early. Start by choosing the right travel reward credit card for you. If you're not a frequent traveler, consider getting a card with a generic frequent flyer program. A generic travel reward credit card program gives you the option to claim for free travel ticket from any airline. Since you're not just limited to one specific carrier, it would be easier to book your flight and redeem your free travel reward points. Examples of airline credit cards with Generic Miles Programs are the Chase Travel Plus Platinum Visa Card, Capital One No Hassle Miles Card and the Miles Card from Discover.

Nevertheless, if you are a frequent traveler, it would be a sensible choice to have an airline credit card that is affiliated with one specific airline. This is because aside from miles points, card holders are also entitled to claim other travel perks and privileges like hotel rate discounts, car rental discounts, etc. Most frequent flyer miles or airline credit card programs also offer its holder the chance to double their miles points and collect points more easily.

In any case, always take the time to study your options with your particular travel reward credit card. Be particularly aware about the restrictions imposed by your travel credit card issuer. Will you airline miles points expire if you're not able to use it within a given period? Or is it possible to carry over your miles points for the next period or the next year? Remember, if your travel reward credit cards require you to redeem your free ticket for just a limited period, there is a possibility that you lose your chance when making flight reservations become a problem.

Copyright (c) 2008 Ann Wilson

About the Author

Credit Card Rewards - Travel Reward Credit Cards - RewardCreditCardSite.com provides consumers with valuable reviews and information on the best credit card reward programs such as gas, cash back, hotel, and frequent flyer miles credit cards or airline credit cards rewards. Please visit the site: http://www.rewardcreditcardsite.com

Valentine's Day Gift Alternatives

Every Thursday, I share my thoughts on Family Finances. 

It's hard to avoid the hype, so you've probably already taken care of checking "get a Valentine for _____" off your list of "to dos" today, but I thought I'd throw out a few pointers just in case you're one of those people who stops off at the convenience store on the way home from work looking for a card and a suitable gift.  Last year, an article over at MSNBC stated that US consumers would spend over $13 billion celebrating Valentine's day. 

Nuts, right? 

I think so! 

Maybe it's because I'm not a hopeless romantic, or because I've been married over 21 years that I've gotten a little cynical about this excess.  Maybe it's because with all the bad economic news we get these days I'd rather see us spend that $13 billion feeding the poor or improving our schools. 

So before you spend $60 (if you're lucky) on a dozen roses or $30 on a box of assorted chocolates, stop yourself and think about alternatives to spending that money.  Ponder making a heartfelt and greatly needed donation to a charitable organization like Hannah and Friends in the name of your loved one.  For you husbands out there, I will share a secret with you:  we wives would rather have a handwritten love note than a five dollar card that plays a song and was written by someone else.  My teenage sons ignored the chocolate they received before school this morning, but raced off to enjoy the iTunes gift cards Grandma sent them to download a few songs before school.

The true point of today is sharing love with one another.  We don't need roses or candy to show our loved ones we care - we need time together and expressions of lasting commitment to one another.  My husband gets major points in my book every time he takes time to fill my tank with gas - now that's true love!  Get creative today about showing your love without breaking the bank, and enjoy!

Avoiding "Gadget Envy"

Every Thursday, I share my thoughts on Family Finances. 

I'm not like your typical 40-something year old suburban mom.  I have no desire to spend long afternoons shoe shopping and the thought of spending money on a designer purse makes me a little sick to my stomach. 

But I do have a vice when it comes to consumerism - I'm a gadget geek.  For the past year, since its release, I've been covetous of the Apple iPhone.  Last year, I avoided the temptation by telling myself that the 8 GB model was simply not enough memory to justify the price.  Now, with these week's news of a new 16 GB model, I find myself once again obsessing about a new cell phone.  It's crazy!

Do you obsess over gadgets, and if so do you find your satisfaction level to be high once you've made the purchase - or is the joy in the anticipation? 

Also, if anyone out these is upgrading and wants to donate your old 8 GB iPhone to a deserving suburban mom, I know someone who might be interested....