Simple Winter Hacks To Help You Save
Colder days are ahead of us, and that means a higher utility bill, due to hot water and heat. Experts say that this winter season could significantly increase your bill compared to other years due to the rising fuel costs.
If you want to save some of your pennies this year, follow some of these simple hacks you can do around the house that will help you save big.
- Put weather stripping around windows and doors to stop air leaks. Air strips are only a few dollars and they take seconds to install.
- Turn your thermostat down when you’re not home. If your entire family is away from your home during the daytime, there is no reason to have the heat up. Instead, open your drapes and let the natural light and warmth in from the sun.
- Set your ceiling fan to turn clockwise. This will allow the hot air that has risen to be pushed back down to warm you.
- Check the setting on your hot water heater. Lowering your temperature 20 degrees can help you save up to 11 percent on your utility bill.
- Take shorter showers. Although the hot water feels good, money in your pocket will feel even better. On average, an entire family can use up to 150 gallons of hot water in the morning while showering.
- Perform an energy audit to see exactly how much energy you’re wasting and where the biggest problems are. You can either hire an expert to do this or you can do it for free by clicking here and seeing how, https://energy.gov/energysaver/do-it-yourself-home-energy-audits.
How much energy and money do you plan to save this winter season?
Is your Heart Healthy?
February is Heart Health Month. There are many contributing factors that cause heart disease and heart attacks. Do you know if you are at risk?
If you answer yes to 3 or more of these questions, you should schedule an appointment with your doctor immediately.
- Do you smoke?
- Do you have high blood pressure?
- Do you have high cholesterol?
- Do you have diabetes?
- Are you overweight?
These are all possible risk factors of heart disease and heart attack. If you answered no to these questions, then you are off to a good start. However maintaining a healthy heart is important.
Here are some tips to follow when ensuring a healthy heart.
- Avoid smoking cigarettes or chewing tobacco.
- High blood pressure is one of the largest risk factors. Limit your salt intake and be sure to exercise regularly.
- Keep your cholesterol low. To lower your cholesterol, reduce the saturated and transfats in your diet.
- Control your blood sugar with dieting and exercise.
- Exercise on a regular basis. Start out slowly. Even just 10 minutes a day of exercise is helpful.
- Control your stress with meditation, or exercise. Stress is another leading factor in heart disease.
How do you plan to take care of your heart? For more information on heart health and heart health awareness visit http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/
Shopping Safely Online this Valentine’s Day
Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, and that means shopping for s special gift for that special someone. Although you may be heading to your local florist or candy shop to pick up a gift, others do their shopping online.
Let’s face it, shopping on line is fast, easy and your items ship right to your front door. However, we can’t forget about the lurking thieves who aim to steal your credit card, bank and other personal information.
Follow these basic guidelines and you can shop online with confidence this Valentine’s Day:
- Use familiar websites. If you know the site, chances are you won’t be ripped off. Websites such as Edible Arrangements and 1-800 Flowers are well known sites and chances are you will be making a purchase on a secure site.
- Never buy anything online using your credit card from a site that doesn’t have SSL (secure sockets layer) you can see if the site has SSL if the site starts with https:// instead of just http://.
- Never give more information than needed. No online store needs to know your social security number or your birthday to do business. If thieves get this information along with your credit card information, it can do a lot of damage.
- Check your credit card and debit card statements regularly. Make sure you don’t see any fraudulent charges. If you do, contact your bank immediately.
- Install an anti-virus program onto your PC and be sure to do regular updates.
Shop safely this Valentine’s day and every other day of the year. You never know who could be lurking in the shadows!
Safety Tips for Winter Walking
Winter walking means icy sidewalks, snowy paths, bulky clothes, bulky shoes, and more. There are several steps that you can take to enjoy a safe winter season.
- Avoid distractions from your phone and other hand held devices. Be sure that you aware of your surroundings.
- Avoid shortcuts and snow covered paths. Always aim for cleared sidewalks and walkways.
- Use caution when stepping from one level to another. Especially on stairs!
- Wear non-slip boots or footwear.
- Take small steps and take your time. Rushing will only put you in danger for a possible accident.
- Use handrails and guiderails when available.
- Maintain three points of contact whenever possible.
- Distribute weight of bags evenly for balance and keep hands out of pockets in case you need to catch yourself.
The winter season on Long Island can bring many different types of weather. Make sure you know how to stay safe when commuting in them. Taking these small steps now could save you a trip to the doctor in the future.
How do you plan to stay safe this winter season?