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This Open Topic day had calls about saving on your utility bills and emails about stock splits and finding tax information concerning a company in bankruptcy. 

Nancy mentioned MarketWatch's tweet about budgeting: https://twitter.com/MarketWatch/status/1096990188864241666

  1. set goals for paying down debt, building an emergency fund, saving for retirment
  2. calcualte net income
  3. after needs are met, pay towards goals, THEN wants.

Southern Pine Electric has provided a list of 10 Easy Ways to Lower Your Power Bill

  1. Turn Off The Lights: Mom was right. Turn off the lights when you’re not in the room. Even energy-efficient LED and florescent lights. Every little bit helps.
  2. Turn Off Ceiling Fans: Ceiling fans only make us feel cooler because they move air across our skin. If you’re not in the room, you’re wasting money if it’s on.
  3. Avoid Space Heaters: Space heaters aren’t meant to heat a whole room or run for very long. More often than not, it’s less expensive to run an energy-efficient home heating system instead.
  4. Line Dry Clothing: Instead of drying clothes in an electric dryer, hand them on a line and let the sunshine do the work. It’s free.
  5. Open Blinds on Cold Days: Open blinds during the day to let in extra warmth from sunlight. But shut them at night to keep your warm air in.
  6. Close Blinds on Hot Days: Shut your blinds during the day. That blocks out extra heat from sunlight, so your home stays cooler longer.
  7. Kill the Vampires: Anything plugged in keeps sucking electricity even when you aren’t using it. To kill these “vampire electronics” unplug anything you aren’t using : a phone charger, a microwave, a hairdryer. You get the idea.
  8. Close Doors & Windows: when your heater or a/c unit is running, your home should be sealed. The more inside air you lose, the higher your bill well be.
  9. Seal Up Cracks: Even with doors and windows closed, air can still escape through cracks, costing you money. The solution? A $3 tube of caulk and some inexpensive weather stripping.
  10. Set Your Thermostat: When it’s worm out, set your thermostat to 78 degrees. When it’s cold, 68 degrees.
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