Lower Your Electric Bills

Electric bills are getting more expensive every year. While switching electric suppliers might help people save money this is not always an option, especially in smaller communities. There are things you can do around the house to keep your electric bill low. 

Closing the curtains and lowering blinds on the sunny side of the house will help keep the house cooler on hot days. In the winter, it will also prevent heat from escaping out of the windows. If you like looking out your windows during the daytime, window film can filter the sun in the summer and dual pane windows will retard heat from escaping in the winter. You can also consider getting outdoor awnings and painting the house a light color to reflect the heat.

Air conditioners are the biggest user of electricity, along with heaters in the winter. A heating and cooling system accounts for more than half of your electric bill. You can increase your heating and cooling system's efficiency by having annual cleanings, checkups, and changing out the filter every month.

It is also important to keep the greenery trimmed around the air conditioner to allow air to flow efficiently. The less your heating and cooling system has to work, the less electricity it will use.

The US Department of Energy recommends all window air conditioners be placed toward the center of the room on the shady side of the house. They also need to be the right size for the room. If the unit is too small, they will not cool the room efficiently causing them to run more often. If a unit is too big, it will also have reduced efficiency causing higher electric bills, uncomfortable temperature fluctuations, and excessive wear and tear.

Raising or lowering the temperature in your home can save as much as $100 a year. When at work or asleep, turn it up so the air conditioner does not click on as often and conversely turn it down in the winter. A programmable house thermostat is a great option to control the temperature. If your house utilizes a heat pump, it is best to manually set the system to be electrically efficient.

Lastly, replace light bulbs in the house with CFL bulbs, or even LED lights if they come in the correct size for the socket. These bulbs are expensive at first, but worth the investment. A single standard incandescent light bulb can cost the same amount as it costs to run six to ten CFL bulbs, which last ten times longer.

Inspiration

 Inspiration is the basis of any creative endeavor. When you create a piece of art or poetry, or come up with a new scientific theory, inspiration is at the core of this activity. Often times, inspiration comes from external factors like listening to music, reading a book, or watching a movie.
We are inspired when our internal receptivity connects with another object, whether it is a sound, feeling, thought, or anything that is experienced through our senses. In order to find inspiration, we have to be receptive and have an open mind. It is difficult to 'a rigid mind, so mental flexibility and relaxation is important if you need to find inspiration and remain hyper creative.
When you actively seek inspiration, you will find it. It's almost like seeking the truth about life and reality. An artist or photographer derives inspiration from the beauty of a sunset, the contours of a majestic landscape, or the multitude of expressions they can find on someone's face. A simple angle from which a photographer views their subject can 'certain creativity. Inspiration itself is a creative process as our mind actively changes a simple object into an inspiration.
Inspiration is also deeply connected to our imagination. Almost anything can trigger our imagination. Our imagination allows us to envision things that do not exist yet, a car or a painting or a type of flower, a new planet with yellow sky or people with red eyes. These visions can become the source of inspiration for a movie or a book. Our imaginations have no limits.
What inspires some people doesn't 'others. It is believed by many psychologists that our personal circumstances and preferences, our childhood experiences and our subjective tastes, attitudes, personality will play a role in what we find interesting or inspiring. Our level of knowledge and understanding of a certain aspect of life can also determine the extent to which we are inspired by internal or external objects.
Scientists speak of inspiration coming from a sudden moment of enlightenment. They may work for years on discovering the perfect chemical components of a drug. Then suddenly, out of nowhere, some chemical equation comes to mind. Some of the most brilliant minds have told of having dreams the night before coming up with a musical masterpiece, an innovative invention, or an exquisite piece of art.
The source of inspiration is something unique for all of us. If you want to be inspired, surround yourself with sensory input that gives you the greatest stimulation, whether it's music, nature, art, poetry, or just plain solitude while watching the sun rise or set.

Reduce or Eliminate Your Debt

Reduce or Eliminate Your Debt

Debt in its simplest form means you have more to pay than you have money to pay it. Let's assume that you borrowed $150 from your best friend. You bought a lawn mower, gas can and gas to start work. Then you spent the day cutting grass and made $100. You bought more gas, some food and drink and paid your friend $50. At the end of the day, you are $100 in debt to your friend. 

Most folks purchase large ticket items like houses, cars or boats using a lending institution to borrow the funds. And then, pay the loan back over time. If your paycheck stopped coming tomorrow would you be in debt? Could you sell your boat, car or house for at least what you paid for it? Rarely will a car or boat be sold for more than you paid for it. In a down economy, even a house may not sell for what you owe on it. 

Getting into debt can happen suddenly; something unexpected happens. Or it can happen by choice; perhaps a choice made a year or so ago. But you can protect yourself by following this guideline. 

There are 3 categories of spending: Needs, Wants, and Desires. 

When you consider your spending (or borrowing) ask yourself the question: "Do I really need this?" Ask it again... Do I Really NEED this? What you really NEED is air to breath, water to drink, basic clothing to stay covered, basic housing, and basic transportation (and that doesn't necessarily translate to a car). 

Let's assume you NEED reliable transportation to get to work. No bus service there and to walk or ride a bike would be simply ridiculous considering its 30 miles away. 

Do you NEED a pre-owned VW Beetle, a mid-range vehicle, or a brand new BMW? You may NEED at least a VW Beetle to get to work. You would like or "WANT" a mid-range vehicle for more comfort. But your "DESIRE" may be a high-end BMW, Audi or Jag. 

Quite simply, if you make your decisions based on NEED it will help you reduce or eliminate your debt. In other words, you will quit overspending on wants and desires and be able to use your extra income to pay off your debt. 

There is a whole lot more to reducing or eliminating debt, but if you follow this simple rule, you will be on your way to becoming debt free.

~Why do success and punctuality go together?

Why do success and punctuality go together?

As a young ambitious TV producer, I once sat on the advisory board of an international television festival. Arriving late for a meeting one evening, the colleague I sat next to commented, "Yes you must be very busy." I was producing a massive internationally co-produced series. But he ran a national network. His comment was a subtle but unmistakable put-down I've never forgotten.

High-achievers are punctual.

Are they so successful because they are also so punctilious -- or does being so make what makes them achieve so much? I don't know but I can't help but be struck by the fact that the most successful people I know share the following habits:

They turn up on times
They reply to emails swiftly
They remember peoples' names, no matter what their status
They are reliable
We tend to think of leadership and excellence as residing in standout qualities: Mathematical genius, aesthetic dazzle. But these smaller traits contain profound messages. At the least, they signal self-discipline and good organization. More deeply, they imply a concern or at least respect for other people. Being punctual means you don't waste other peoples' time -- or think it is more important than your own. Replying swiftly allows others to get on with their work; you aren't their roadblock. Remembering names requires effort and that they do so implies they believe you matter. Being reliable frees their peers and colleagues from worrying about whether they'll deliver on promises.

All of these habits build trust -- and trust hugely reduces the friction and costs of doing business. So these habits are profoundly efficient for both the long and the short term.

Consider the opposite behaviors. Being late, ignoring or delaying emails, forgetting other people and being capricious in honoring promises sends a loud message: I matter more than anyone else. To get away with this attitude requires power -- so the caprice is also a demonstration of status. It also leaves other people feeling or being helpless. No reply to an email means other people can't progress with their work. If you aren't reliable, it means nobody can be quite sure of what is happening around them. You render others powerless while exhibiting your own status. Such wayward behavior in small things can look powerful while being insidiously costly and destructive.

This all seems so self-evident. And yet over the last few months, I've found myself repeatedly in meetings where key people are late, or working with colleagues who are unreliable. They're all senior, successful people and they get away with it. But I wonder if they fully understand or control the very clear messages that they send. I also can't help but wonder just how much further they'll get. 
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By Margaret Heffernan Money Watch January 27, 2014, 11: 27 AM
www.cbsnews.com/news/why-do-success-and-punctuality-go-together/