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We all want to live comfortably but these days, that comes at a price. It will be challenging since money is a big issue but there are ways to save even on utilities.

When we think of utilities, we are referring to things like electricity, water, cable and the phone. Will switching or canceling be the only answer? The answer is no because you can’t switch sometimes and there are ways to lower that.

First, conserve energy by making sure appliances and lights are turned off when there is no one in the room. You might think putting the television on sleep mode is good enough but it isn’t so turn off the power switch or better yet, unplug it.

Next, replace your light bulbs with those fluorescent. It does not consume that much power and when you go out shopping for them, make sure that they maintain a Kelvin temperature of 2,600 to 3,000. These may be more expensive than incandescent but they will last ten times longer so it will be quite awhile before you change this with a new one.

Do you use a water heater at home? If you do, then you know quite well that it takes time before hot water comes out of the faucet. Until that happens, you waste water so if you want to speed up the heating process, better re-insulated the pipes that are connected to the heater.

If you have a heater at home, better have it turned every couple of years. This could save you 10% on your electricity bills.

According to the Alliance to Save Energy, you save about 5% of your electricity bill if you lower your heat down one notch. You can do this manually or install a machine that is designed to do that so choose which one you want to do.

Should you feel cold, perhaps something is coming inside the house like a draft. To take care of that, you need to buy and install weather strips around the frames of your windows and doors.

Did you know you can save when you wash your clothes using cold water instead of hot water? Yes you can save up to 50% of energy and the same goes for your dryer when you decide to use the moisture sensor and not the timer.

Since we are talking about laundry, make sure you do your laundry on a full load. This also applies if you have a dishwasher.

Do you sometimes forget to turn the lights off when you leave the house in the morning? Well that should not be a problem anymore if this is wired to a timer.

When you brush your teeth or take a shower, turn off the water when you are not washing up yet. When you take a bath, maybe you should replace the shower head with one that does not consume that much gallons per minute.

Lastly, get rid of those leaks. If you live in an old home, chances are the pipes are old so have this replaced by the plumber.

There are many ways to save on utilities so you should consider those that are mentioned here and get to work. If you are able to do so, you will see a significant drop in the amount you pay for all your bills.

Choosing a truly meaningful gift for mom, whether for Mother’s day, a birthday, or a new baby, doesn’t have to be hard. The best gifts, of course, come from the heart and will be remembered lovingly.

Making your own gift certificates is one idea. Offering your own personal services can be a particularly special gift – babysitting, cooking meals, house cleaning. Create a keepsake by place the certificates in a decorative box or jar.

For far too many, flowers are the common gift. Florists now offer special mother’s day arrangements or even congratulatory arrangements celebrating the birth of a new baby. These are available in an assortment of prices, so that you can be budget conscious if you wish and the vase becomes a keepsake.

Of course, there’s always mother’s jewelry. Mother’s jewelry is exceedingly special, consisting of a ring, bracelet or pendant upon which the birthstones of her children are affixed. This is personalized jewelry that will be highly cherished forever. Another form of personalized jewelry may be jewelry that has been engraved with the child’s birth date upon it.

You can be a real hero with a spa visit gift. Choices include massages, facials, manicures/pedicures, and other services. Or perhaps a trip to the beauty parlor for a pedicure, a manicure and a new hairdo is in order.

Perhaps you’ve heard of trees being planted in another honor? You can either bring home a sapling yourself and plant it lovingly in her yard, or have one planted in her name. You then give her the certificate of planting in her name which will describe the kind of tree it was, as well as where it was planted and why that particular site was chosen.

Tickets to see a local live music concert, a theatrical performance, or a speaking engagement are popular. To make a special theater evening, pack of picnic basket for a dinner in the park. You can get as fancy as you wish with the food selections.

A special star named for her will be something she treasures forever. This unique gift comes with a certificate of ownership that includes the actual coordinates of her star. Often the company will send a personalized sky chart with your chosen star circled for ease in identification. A very special and quite memorable gift.

Regardless of what kind of gift you give her, from beautiful mother’s rings to a stunning bouquet of flowers you grew especially for her, mother will be so pleased to have you think of her with enough love and care in your heart to give her such a wonderful gift.