Winter is Upon Us...
Cold is just around the corner (except tomorrow which is going to be unseasonably warm at a high of 68), but past that corner, there's cold, I can assure you this. I mean the Farmer's Almanac says so, so it must be true.
The biggest change from your fixed and variables costs moving from summer to fall and winter is your utility bills. As long as you manage these expenses accordingly, you save yourself a lot of money in the long run.
Here are some tips that apply for different months throughout the year:
1.) If you own a house, painting the roof white is very helpful. Those houses can require up to 40% less energy during the warmer months. Depending on the type of paint and current roofing structure, you can also protect it against rain, snow and hail in this manner. The recommendations I found were for a elastomer paint that is found at most hardware stores.
2.) Installing an irrigation meter can save you money just by knowing how you're charged. Typically you are charged twice for water, once for pumping it in and again for pumping it out (as sewage). If you water your lawn, that water never goes back out as sewage, but you're still charged as if it were. By installing an irrigation meter, you can track the amount of water pumped in and out. The outlay of the upfront cost can typically be recouped in a few years (quicker if you have a larger yard/pool/hot).
3.) Change the temperature on your water heater. The recommendation I read said to set it at 120 degrees vs typical 140 or more. The way a water heater works is like a hot tub in a sense. It keeps the water warm until you're ready to use it. If you're gone for a weekend or even a week's vacation, you're heating water that isn't going to be used for at least a few days. Would you leave a hot tub set at 110 degrees over a weekend? So why would you leave your water heater so much hotter than you need it? It is obviously much harder to heat new water than to keep it heated, but typically you won't drain a water tank unless you're hosting the Brady Bunch after a muddy tug of war event.
4.) Use a permanent AC/Furnace Filter. Typically you replace these every 3-4 months at anywhere between $4-5 a pop. Every year, that's as much as $20, which seems minor. But if you bought a $20 permanent filter, that you just wash off when it gets grungy, after year 1, it's all savings.
5.) Upgrade your appliances. By upgrading your appliances, you are more than likely getting more energy efficient (and sleeker looking) ones. The energy efficiency not only saves you money currently, but can attract buyers when you're ready to sell your home knowing they won't have to outlay that extra cash.
6.) Put up a window covering. This tactic does not look pleasing, but it can save you oodles if you have energy INefficient windows. But just putting a thin piece of plastic that you can buy at any local general store, taping it to the wall and using a hairdryer to shrink wrap it, you can add an added layer of insulation to your house. Typically you just want to do this once and leave it until it's going to be getting warmer. At the same time, you don't want to do it when it's too cool because it makes the process much trickier. Something else in line with this that you can do is cover up any outside light you see coming through. You'll want to check all outside walls, doors and windows. Doors can be a huge energy suck so I would start there after covering the windows.
7.) Check your Meter vs Your Bill. I had a bill for $10,904.99 - NOT SHITTING YOU!!! Look below. This was a blatant error. Sometimes the errors may not be so obvious though and it's important you're only paying for what you use. Occasionally check your last bill's reading and match it up with what your meter says. If it doesn't seem right, ask questions. I ended up getting over $100 back on top of this egregious error by Knox Cooperative Energy Group (through complaining to the BBB).
I hope this provides some good insight on utility savings for this week! Now on to some more interesting things, football picks.
SHERMY'S SAFE SIX!
These are going to be the picks that I like the MOST this weekend with a SHORT analysis.
Last week we went 4-2 (I consider the lock of the week a win). I forgot to take into account the Manning factor of him setting a new NFL record for TD passes. Even though technically, every game moving forward he will be setting a new record, we won't be taking that into account any further. I don't see any cumulative NFL records getting approached this week and we stand at 5-7. I think we'll have a music theme this week.
1.) BAL (-1) @ CIN
Originally done by Julie Covington, even this game being played across the river from Covington can't save the Bengals. AJ Green is officially listed as doubtful for that game. Baltimore is ranked as the 28th pass defense in the league, but they don't have to cover Marvin Jones or Green so they can focus on Sanu. Giovanni Bernard is still shaking off his back to back "Hit Stick" hits, so I don't think he will be a big factor against the 8th ranked rush defense. IF, AJ Green plays and is healthy, I like Cincy +1 at home, no doubt in my mind. If he plays and is Megatron Healthy, i.e. a decoy, I like Baltimore. So in most cases, I like Baltimore. Forsett has strung together a few good games, they had a good showing against Atlanta (a shell of season opening Falcons team) and I think Flacco might be getting his stuff together. Baltimore's two losses are against Cincy (full strength, two receivers ago) and the Colts at Indy, which is a tough place to play. I feel very confident about Baltimore winning this one.
2.) GB @ NOR (Over 55.5)
This was an easy song pick. In an article last December, I read that Drew Brees plays lights out when the big light (the sun) is out, especially at home. In the 17 prime-time home games, he has 446 for 626 (71.2%) for 5,339 yards and 46 touchdowns. That's an average of 314 yards and 2.7 TD's/game. That will net you roughly 28 points in DraftKings. In his last two home games he has 4 TD's and 664 passing yards. In Rodgers last two games he has 7 Td's and only 458 yards passing (but when you're up 42-0 passing is kind of faux pas). Eddie Lacy is slowly getting back in the swing of things and Mark Ingram is coming off injury getting loosened up as well. I can see this game going over in the 3rd quarter.
3.) IND (-3) @ Pittsburgh
Daft Punk came on late in the 2nd quarter for the Steelers. Down 13-3 they received a punt at 1:46 left in the 2nd. The best they SHOULD have hoped for is a 13-10 halftime deficit. But wait, there's more, a quick TD (I mean a 19 second drive), a fumble that looked like a dead ball to the naked eye (we'll consult Mike Carey, he's usually pretty accurate) and then a short pass (why are you passing on 1st down when you just gave up 14 points in 24 seconds) and it was basically over at that point. Without that sequence, they lose, they had no momentum or offense to really speak of. Indy on the other had has taken care of business pretty well, including a shutout and eight "3 and outs" to start the game. Without a penalty on Indy and turnovers in the red zone, this game would have been 24-0 at the half and a much worse final score. Indy is a far superior team, the Steelers are middle of the road in pass defense, Andrew Luck should tear them apart.
4.) WAS @ DAL (-9.5)
Dallas is due for a let down game, but I am not sure this is the game. "Send out Bryant, And Throw him the Damn Ball - LET DOWN FOR WHAT". Colt McCoy (who wasn't good enough for the Browns, was/is/definitely is, is 3rd string on the Redskins will be starting this game. The last time he played in Texas, he had 146 yards, 1 TD and 1 INT. His team lost by 18. Before that in 2009, he through for 396 yards and 4 TDs... Against Kansas. I am thinking that he's going to show a performance more like that 146/1/1 one. His numbers weren't bad last week, 11 for 12, 128 and a TD. That being said, his TD was a 10 yard pass that went for 70 and he only had 58 yards other than that pass. If they stop the west coast passes, this should be a cake walk for Dallas. On Monday night, Romo usually isn't that good (6-6 W/L, 13TD to 17INT, 163YPG). But unlike last time, they're not going to be in the cold Chicago winter (that's not until December this year on Thursday) and other than Doug Free their offense is pretty healthy. They've also played pretty well at home, while the Redskins are 0-3 on the road by a combined margin of 27 points. If we get to a combined margin of 38, we're winners.
5.) DET @ ATL @ London (Under 47)
Yes, I had to Google this title. I also had to turn it off because it was so bad. That's how I feel this game will be. Megatron made this trip, going for a ride in the London Eye is about as high flying as it's going to get. For Atlanta, it's simple, shut down Golden Tate, stop Joique Bell. Reggie Bush is injured and doubtful, as is Calvin (we don't have an update on Hobbs yet). For Detroit's defense, it's simple - just play defense. Atlanta's offense is not that good since their line is down to 3rd string center and I think they have 40% of their opening day lineman. This is a game I am okay that's so early, because I have no plans to watch it.
6.) STL @ KC (Under 44)
I think everyone likes a good Yellow Claw to start the weekend right. That AJ is in reference to AJ Jenkins, the starting WR for the KC Chiefs. You know him, he has 15 catches in 2 years, went to Illinois, 6 feet, 200 lb African American male? This year he had that 45 yard reception on my birthday against Green Bay. Well anyways, he's going to be starting thanks to Donnie Avery being out. Travis Kelce is also a little banged up. Jamaal Charles is ALSO a little banged up. So their offense really doesn't have a lot of weapons. A moral victory should be 17 points for the Chiefs. On defense they're stout. Yes they allowed 26 points to the Titants on opening day, but they also allowed 14 to the Patriots. And that 26 points was aided by 3 Alex Smith INT's. So let's go ahead and discount that a little bit. For the Rams, they have Austin Davis (who is playing surprisingly well, Tre Davis (who took over for Zac Stacy apparently) and I think they have some receivers but none come to mind. I can see this being 17-13 and turned off everywhere in the midwest. Or at least in that blue area below because they're the only people being forced to watch that on Fox.
Shermy's Six Went A solid 1-5 in week 1.
Shermy's Six went a much improved 4-2 in week 2. Now at 5-7 for the year.
Have a great weekend everyone!
No comments:
Post a Comment