MONEY SAVING IDEAS

In these times of economic uncertainty, everyone

is searching for ways to stretch their dollars and

save money. See if some of these hints from

www.consumerreports.com can help you:

* Clean the coils behind or underneath your refrigerator with an appliance brush to keep it running efficiently.

* Skip pre-rinsing dishes, and you’ll save up to 8,500 gallons of water per year.

* Opt for the cold water wash cycle and save about $60 per year.

* Don’t overload the dryer. Clothes will take longer to dry, and they’ll come out wrinkled. If possible, line dry.

* Close blinds and shades on sunny hot days. This can cut down significantly on air conditioning.

* Clean or replace A/C and furnace filters monthly. Clogged filters make your system work much harder and raise energy usage.

* Insulate and seal cracks and gaps in your ducts. This can reduce energy costs by 30%.

* Lower your water heater temperature to 120 degrees from 130 and insulate your hot water pipes to knock up to 5% off your bill.

* Weather-strip old windows and doors. It’s the surest way to close the gaps around openings, reducing heating and cooling costs by 15-30%.

* Install a high-efficiency shower head. It will reduce hot water use by up to 50%.