Give Yourself a Raise - Part 1

  
Everyone is looking for ways to increase their income. There are two ways to accomplish this - 1)Make more money 2) Reduce Expenses. The first option is great, but you need to ask for a raise, find a better paying job, work more hours, get a second job, etc.  Are you brave enough to ask for a raise in this economy?  It sounds great, but not as easy to accomplish.  Let's look at option 2 - reduce expenses.  Reducing expenses is something that is within our control and is easier to achieve.


You have probably heard a lot about adding insulation and caulking your home. You probably heard about President Obama's  cash for caulkers program where homeowners get rebates for adding insulation and reducing air infiltration. Most likely you have read that adding insulation and reducing air infiltration is the best investment you can make - especially in these markets. Sounds too good to be true and you’re a bit skeptical – right? Well I am about to share with you real experiences from two homes where adding insulation and reducing air infiltration was done in the homeowner's spare time over a two year period.

The two houses differed in size and age, but the results were very similar. The homeowners did the work themselves over a two year period in their spare time. Basically an hour here and 2-3 hours there.  Both homeowners added some insulation and used lots of caulk. The tasks are fairly easy – just a little bit of dirty work.

In a 15 year old home the homeowner reduced their heating expense by 29% and they are now saving about $1,850 per year at the current energy costs. The second home was much smaller and is over 250 years old. This homeowner reduced their heating expense by 40% and are saving about $900 per year. The investments that the homeowners made were paid back within the first year – not too bad!

In Part 2 we will exam how to get started and how to earn that raise!  Stay tuned.

Related Links:

PPL Electric Utility Offers Rebates & Incentives
Applications Now Accepted for Home Heating Equipment Rebates
Great News for Energy Star Customers!
How to Save Money, Improve Your Comfort & Indoor Air Quality
Is My Home Too Tight?
Save Hundreds on Your Utility Bills...
High-efficiency Heating and Cooling Systems

Source:

Superior Woodcraft, Inc.
Superior Woodcraft Blog