Expensive utilities like gas and water get a lot of coverage in the news media. There are always experts ready to give you tips on how to use less electricity or less gas to keep utilities bill low. Your water bill, however, gets overlooked a great deal of the time because it’s such a naturally low bill.
That lack of focus doesn’t mean, though, that there isn’t money to be saved on your monthly water bill. And, you really don’t have to make any major lifestyle changes to start realizing this savings. A few simple tricks can cut your water bill significantly. You’ll even get to brag about being more environmentally-conscious as you cut your water consumption.
Fix any water leaks right away. A couple of years ago a water leak developed in one of our outside water spigots. We were pretty busy at the time, so we didn’t make getting it fixed one of our top priorities. Then, we got our next water bill. Our water bill went from being around $30 each month to being $150! That certainly got our attention. As soon as we had the leak repaired, our bill went back to normal.
Make toilets more efficient. Traditional toilets typically use much more water than they really need to operate. Opting to install a low-flow toilet will cut the fixture’s usage, but you don’t have to install a new toilet to get the same benefit. Placing an old milk jug in the toilet’s tank will reduce the water it takes to fill the tank. The toilet will still flush, but will use much less water. On a side note, pay attention to toilets that constantly run. They have the same effect as a leaking pipe on your water usage.
Don’t linger in the shower. I know it’s tempting to take a few extra minutes while you’re in the shower. Sometimes, it’s the only time you have to yourself in a hectic day. All of that extra water usage, however, can start to build up over the course of the month. I hated the idea of setting a timer to keep me moving in the shower, though, so I found another way to keep me conscious of the time. I keep a radio in the bathroom to play while I’m getting ready. As I enjoy some of my favorite tunes, I am able to keep some kind of idea of how much time has passed.
Landscape with plants that don’t need a lot of water. A lush, green lawn looks beautiful, but that beauty comes with a price. Warm climates require regular waterings that can wreak havoc in your water bill. Instead, design your landscape around plants that thrive in your area. They’ll be cheaper and less work, too.
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9 responses so far ↓
1 Sheila // Feb 13, 2009 at 10:42 am
I also suggest rain barrels for you watering your plants. My uncle sells rain barrels on craigslist for $75 with local delivery.
There are different variations of how to do this on the internet, but this is his method.
(1) 50 gallon plastic barrel (call around to restaurants to see if they have any empties wasting space. My uncle gets them from free to $15).
(1) outdoor water faucet (to connect garden hose)
(1) outdoor water valve (optional- to connect multiple barrels together for overflow)
(1) piece of scrap gutter about six inches long
(1) pool filter
(1) bolt
Instructions:
Install outdoor water faucet and/or valve about a foot from the bottom.
Cut hole a snug hole for the gutter scrap
In the middle of the gutter scrap, insert bolt through the width of the gutter. (this is only to keep the gutter from slipping into the barrel. It doesn’t attach to anything)
Insert pool filter into gutter (we don’t want leaves and trash in the barrel)
Slid the scrap gutter into the hole and you are done with making your rain barrel!
Final step, is to place barrel under the run-off for your gutter.
2 FBN Roundup- Valentine’s Day Edition : Tight Fisted Miser // Feb 15, 2009 at 11:02 am
[...] Made of Money gives us ways to save on your water bill. I could do better on this. Long showers are one of my few [...]
3 shoyu // Feb 15, 2009 at 12:42 pm
Dana, how do you keep the milk jug from floating in the tank?
4 Dana Joseph // Feb 15, 2009 at 3:25 pm
You need to weigh the milk jug down with something – fill it with sand, water, etc.
5 Candy @ Deal with it, simply // Feb 16, 2009 at 12:06 am
Great post and I thought of a few more, I hope you don’t mind.
Milk jugs won’t float in the tank because it is full of water.
- Don’t run the water while brushing your teeth.
- Only wash full loads of laundry and full dishwasher because you will use the same amount with one thing or a full load.
we made a rain barrel last summer and it was great for topping our little fish pond and watering our garden.
- We keep a bucket in the shower and fill until the water gets warm instead of letting go down the drain, then use it to flush the toilet.
Love your site!
6 Top Personal Finance Stories This Week (Feb. 16) | National Spending Journal - By Shoeboxed // Feb 16, 2009 at 2:42 pm
[...] Ways to Save on Your Water Bill – Not Made of Money, Feb. 13, 2009 [...]
7 How To Make Your Own Rain Barrel : Not Made Of Money // Feb 22, 2009 at 11:31 am
[...] week I wrote an article on ways to save money on your water bill. I received some great reader comments and I wanted to highlight one of [...]
8 vicki lippert // Apr 1, 2009 at 8:24 am
Best way to save $ on water in the bathroom. Take a “Navy shower”
1. turn on the water
2. Immediately wet the body
3.turn off the water
4. soap up and scrub
5.turn water back on and rinse
Total time for water being on is under two minutes
a ten minuite shower takes approximately 60 gallons
a Navy shower takes a little as 3 gallons
a family of 4 can save 60,000 gallons a year with this shower method.
take a tip form our sailors,take a navy shower
9 A Marine // Apr 14, 2009 at 10:49 am
hahaha…love the navy shower…another suggestion, take a Marine shower…just don’t shower, we’ve got better things to do. Eliminate 100% of water from shower.
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