It sounds like the beginning of a joke; how many people does it take to change a light bulb.  When you are talking about changing the light bulb in a high-hat canister in a ceiling 22 or more feet high, it is no joke.  I learned the hard way that it is easy to make mistakes and cost yourself money.  Here is my home repair story and how to avoid the issues I faced.

Our family room has double height ceilings and a light bulb went out.  I went to change the bulb, with great confidence, using my extension pole extended as far as it could go and standing on my tip-toes.  Home centers, hardware stores and shopping sites sell adjustable pole-mounted bulb changers with different pieces that fit different shaped bulbs.  I had successfully used my bulb-changing extention pole often over the years on bulbs in 12-foot ceiling when a ladder was not accessable.  

 

I expected this to be a more delicate operation but not that big a deal.  I was able to grasp the bulb and start to twist but I could not get the bulb to release from the socket.  I twisted and twisted until I twisted the canister, breaking it and causing it to dangle dangerously.  But the worst part was that I could not get the pole to release from the light bulb.  So now I had the canister and pole dangling from the sky.

A friend came over to the house and taught me some important tips.  First he was able to remove the bulb changer basket from the bulb without ripping down the canister.  Then he switched from the wire mesh basket piece that is designed to go around the light bulb to the suction cup piece that you affix to the bottom of the bulb.  He easily suctioned to the bulb and twisted it out of the socket and carefully brought the bulb down to earth.  

Alright, I admit it.  I am no longer hiding in the closet.  I am a Coupon Cutter and I am proud of the money I save finding and using online coupons and discounts.  I guess if you look at the success of Groupon, you could say that I am not alone.

Discount coupons can save you hundreds and even thousands of dollars a year. People who want to make every penny count are only too happy to clip coupons or get them from local stores and even online. There are coupons for groceries as well as for clothing, restaurants, shampoo, make-up items, vitamins, etc. Coupons are so popular these days that more and more people are now joining and reaping the benefits of a discount coupon club.

These types of clubs are a fun and easy way to save money. Here are a few benefits you can get if you join a club:

I had mixed feelings when my wife bought us the Keurig as a gift for the family.  

We had used a Keurig over Thanksgiving at her sister’s home and there were some terrific benefits to having all the selection.  With 5 adults, 1 teen and 2 children, there were many different tastes for strength and flavor of coffee or tea or hot chocolate.   It was a great looking appliance and easy to use.  My daughter actually made her OWN cup of tea.  Wow.

However, I pride myself on being conscious of the environment and the extra trash created by the non-recyclable K-cups bothered me. I also thought about the fact that I could make weeks and weeks worth of coffee with my under $10 pound of coffee bought at the supermarket while K-cups at best cost about 50 cents a pop.

My wife, sensing my despair, then bought me a reusable K-cup coffee filter exclusive to the Keurig Home Brewing System.  This reusable filter allows me to use my own gourmet ground coffee in a Keurig brewer.  I have been using my reusable filter for days now and I love it.

Some people have complained about the reusable filter because they don’t like to remove it for cleaning after every use.  I find it no different than cleaning any filter and worth it.  I would much rather spend the couple of seconds extra and get two big benefits.  

I feel guilty every time I throw out a used K-cup.  Although Green Mountain claims they are close to developing a recyclable and biodegradable package, they aren’t there yet.  From Green Mountain’s Website: “Reducing the environmental impact of our coffee packaging materials and brewing systems, including the K-Cup® portion packs used in our Keurig® Single-Cup Brewing Systems, is a top priority for us and we are dedicated to finding a solution.”  (Personally, I believe them.)

As a side note: Some people also worry about the type of plastics used in the manufacturing process and packaging.  Green Mountain assures us that all K-Cup portion packs and all water path components of Keurig home brewers are free of Bisphenol-A (BPA).
Then of course, there is the money-saving advantage of the reusable K-cup.  I calculate that I can save 30 cents a cup.  I am a three cup a day guy (I am not proud of that fact but there it is.) resulting in an annual savings of $328.50.

I found a reusable K-cup coffee filter on Amazon for only $21.67.  I also found some on eBay that were opening bids at $10 to $14.  (No matter where you find the item, be sure to check that the one being offered fits your specific brewer.)  This is well worth the purchase.  Now I save money on every cup of coffee and feel good about doing something for the environment, too.

There is a big debate going on among coffee lovers.  How should one feel about a Keurig (or other brand like Krups and Cuisinart etc) Single K-Cup Coffee Maker?  Can owning a Keurig be viewed as a money saver or is it just another sleek shiny gadget, another luxury for spoiled Americans?

Most people would agree to the benefits of a K-Cup coffee maker.  The wide variety of coffees means everyone can select and enjoy their own particular choice of strength and flavor at pretty much the same time. With more than 200 varieties to choose from, it's always easy to find the right one for you.  My wife no longer has to suffer through the pot of strong French Roast that I prefer as my wake-up call and I don’t have to drink the brown water that she prefers when she beats me to the coffee maker in the morning.  (There is a reason I am always the first out of bed and downstairs in my family.)

The argument for the machine is made easier if you plan on replacing visits to the local gourmet coffee slingers like Starbucks or Dunkin Donuts.  Although I am big fan of both of those iconic establishments, I view buying coffee from them as decadent and a luxury.  And if your Keurig diminishes your appetite to buy less coffee outside the house then you are really saving money.  A 50 cent K-cup in a reusable mug at home beats spending anywhere between $1 and $2 for the coffee brew of the day in a paper cup to be tossed.  (We will need to discuss K-cups and their impact on the environment another day.)

Before we get to the dollars and cents, let’s look at the other pros and cons of a Single Cup Keurig:

Keurig Upside    
Everyone can have exactly the strength and flavor that they want
You have a slick and shiny looking accessory to your countertop There is little to no mess
There is no waste from the coffee brewed but never drank from the pot.

Keurig Downside
Individual packaging – cost differs when compared to disposable paper filter coffee makers vs. metal reusable filter systems
Storage Space – storing the K-Cups themselves instead of a Bag of Coffee
Counter Space – your slick and shiny toy will take up valuable and often scarce counter space.

Comparing Costs of Cups of Coffee
I did a not-so-scientific calculation of how many K-cups, I could get from my 1 pound of coffee.  K-cups are slightly more than the traditional 1-cup of coffee spoonful.  I calculated that you could get 42 K-cups worth of coffee from a pound.

Ground Coffee bought from a market (strong):
Using my favorite cheapest coffee found in my neighborhood at $8.99 per pound, the cost of a cup brewed is 25 cents if you assume 42 cups per pound and an average of 15% left over coffee in the pot that is tossed.  Weaker coffee means lower cost per cup.  20% less coffee and you have a cup for 20 cents… and on.

Single use K-cups:
Packs of 48 cups for $24 after sales and free shipping or 50 cents per cup
Coffee from the Baristas:
Straight up “coffee of the day” will cost anywhere from $1.00 to $2.00 So what does this all mean in real life?  How much will it cost over the course of a year of drinking 2 cups each day?  Answer: $182.50 for my bagged ground coffee; $365.00 for my K-Cups and $1095.00 for my coffee-shop brew at a conservative $1.50 per cup.

Of course, bagged ground coffee costs the least but if you are looking for the convenience and variety that you can get from individualized cups of coffee, save money by getting a K-Cup Brewing System.

Technorati: HRQHT8K7KRHC

There's gold in the daily newspaper and online, if you're willing to look for it.  Here on HomeESP we have a grocery coupon database in our savings center for your convenience.  You can save a lot with these national coupons, and you can add to your savings by entering your zip code as you search.  This week, as an example, from more than a hundred coupons, we have:

$.55 off Honey Nut Cheerios
$.50 off Success Rice
$1.00 any Dannon 32 oz. yogurt
$1.00 off Angel Soft
$1.00 off McCann's Irish Oatmeal
$.50 off Bisquick
$3.00 off any Similac Infant formula
$2.00 off Purina Dog or Puppy Chow

These coupons alone (not counting that most can be doubled at your market), more than pay for your membership in HomeESP, and they're just the tip of the iceberg.  Remember that we also have movie tickets at $6.50 each (saving you about $8 each date with your significant other) - so with these two everyday savings areas, HomeESP more than pays for itself each month! 
Check out our important and unique benefits, including Appliance Repair Protection Plan, which pays for the first $75 of major appliance repairs, free home alarm system with $5 monthly monitoring rebate, $20 CFL (compact flourescent) bulb cash back, free DIY energy audit kit, which can save you hundreds every year, trusted contractor referrals with $500 service assurance -- there are so many ways to save with HomeESP!

You can join HomeESP at this link, and get a free 2-for-1 airfare coupon too (worth at least $100 to as much as $400 or more) with your 14-day free trial of HomeESP Premier! 

There are a few things that are basic truths about investing for energy efficiency as a homeowner. Perhaps the most overlooked in all the hype about geothermal heating and air conditioning is that the average homeowner moves every eight years or so (according to the National Association of REALTORS®).  That means that at most, you'll have seven years to breakeven on a major capital improvement to your home - and it's nearly impossible to do so with Geothermal (or ground source) Heat Pumps.

A quick look at the math reveals all you need to know - geothermal heat pumps are not economically justifiable.  We're going to use a hypothetical 3,000 square-foot, two-story colonial home in Connecticut as our basis for this article (your mileage will vary).

A retrofit installation, where there already is adequate forced-air heating and cooling duct work throughout the house, is the least expensive option. All the contractor has to do inside/alongside the home is replace the current A/C compressor and air handler.  Geothermal system components are much more expensive than their traditional A/C or heat pump equivalents.  The cost for two zones (two heat pumps, two air handlers, two line sets for refrigerant) can range between $15,000 and $20,000 just for the hardware.

The site work for the Earth Loop, the part of the system that is the "ground source" for constant temperature, will need to be done regardless of the home's existing heating and cooling systems.  In most situations, this means drilling multiple wells into which a heat sink coil can be permanently installed. For a home of 3,000 square feet, this can cost as much as $20,000 all by itself.

When you add the cost of permits, installation (including accessories), project management and the contractor's markups, your total cost of a retrofit geothermal system can reach $45,000 to $60,000 depending on where you live, site conditions where your ground loop will be installed, the brand of equipment, whether or not you will derive domestic hot water from your system, and the needed capacities of your system.

On one hand, it's easy to understand why people don't rely more on rechargeable batteries.  Consumers do not generally spend to save.  At least they don't do so very often.  There are a few notable exceptions, including the 2.7 percent of drivers who opt for a hybrid car.  Usually the reasons are pretty clear - it's difficult to see the payback occuring in a reasonable time, and there are other, more compelling uses for the money in the meantime.  The case for rechargeable batteries is very clear.  Unless you are going to dispose of the item which is battery-powered with the batteries inside, buying anything other than rechargeable batteries for most devices just makes no sense.

Let's look at the cost of Sanyo's Eneloop rechargeables, among the most popular.

Sanyo Eneloop Starter Kit, with eight AA, two AAA, four C- and four D-size adapters and a charger goes for just under $40 on Amazon.com.  An eight-pack of AA eneloop batteries goes for $19.  A four-pack of eneloop AAA goes for $9.  (All amounts rounded a few pennies to ease analysis.)  So you can outfit quite a few devices for about $70 including the charger and adapters for most cell sizes.  Since these batteries can be charged 1,000 times or more (newest generation an astounding 1,500 times), they have a nearly limitless lifetime for most households.

The New York Times has a fantastic calculator to help you compare the costs and benefits of renting vs. buying your next home or condo.  The beauty of the calculator is that it makes it easy to plug-in your assumptions about price appreciation, interest rates, inflation (click the advanced tab), taxes, maintenance, insurance and more.  Every time you hit "enter" it recalculates and you can see the effect and which option, buying or renting your next home, is less expensive over a given time period.  Kudos to the NY Times staff for such a revealing and useful resource.

You can try it yourself by clicking here.

The $5.00 coupon offer expired but was replaced by Campbell's with a strong list of coupons for all you Campbell's soup coupon lovers!

http://www.campbellskitchen.com/Coupon.aspx