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Learn to use technology to access money-saving tips

By BILL HUSTED

Cox Newspapers

Nov. 1, 2009

ATLANTA -- This is your lucky day. I am going to help you find the money for a new family computer.

Today's tips will save your family enough money over a year's time to pay for that computer. Or, you can use it for anything you want. The savings are real -- no gimmicks. Unless you are one of the rare people already doing a terrific job of using technology to save money, this is money you can quite literally put in the bank.

Lighten electric bill

Let's start with a savings of at least $250 over a year -- some families can actually double that amount. It's easy to get started. Simply remove all your old-fashioned incandescent lights and replace them with compact fluorescent light bulbs (in tech-speak, these are CFLs).

These CFLs use much less electricity to produce the same amount of light as an incandescent bulb. I'll give you a for-instance from my own home. One of our rooms has "can lights" in the ceiling, rows of recessed floodlight bulbs mounted in a can-like structure. In that room alone there are eight lights. Each incandescent bulb drew 75 watts. I replaced them with 15 watt CFLs that came in the same floodlight shape. Energy use in that room went from 600 watts to 120 watts.

Of course, the upfront cost of switching to CFLs is significant, given that they run $2 to $5 each depending on size and type. You might spend $100 or more to outfit an entire house. If that's too much for your budget all at once, just buy CFLs whenever your old bulbs burn out. But keep in mind a CFL will last six times longer than a regular bulb, adding to the eventual savings.

Lighting accounts for about 11 percent of the electric bill in a typical home. That's impressive when you compare that to typical cooling costs, which account for 12 percent. Here's a Web page that includes a calculator that will let you figure the sort of savings you can expect in your own home based on your own lighting scheme: http://michaelbluejay.com/electricity/lighting.html

A call for savings

Save on your phone bill by substituting Internet-based telephone services such as Skype (www.skype.com). The free call goes out over your Internet connection instead of your telephone line. Savings will vary wildly based on your family's circumstances.

For instance, my family's cellular plan allows us to make a huge amount of long-distance calling in the U.S. with no increase in our monthly bill. So, I don't save a dime by using Skype to call my brother in Arkansas. However, when our best friends lived in Sydney, Australia, for a year and a half, we used Skype to talk free -- with video -- at a great savings on an almost weekly basis.

So, for those with family or friends overseas, or with a cellular plan that doesn't allow "free" U.S. long-distance, the savings can be great.

Fuel bank account

Gasoline costs are a big part of any family budget. They may account for 4 percent to 8 percent of a family budget. Prices fluctuate, but it's enough money to be significant.

That's why shopping for the best prices in your area can save money. Plenty of sites help you do that. I use www.gasbuddy.com. You can also use Google with a search such as "find gas prices by ZIP code" to find other gas shopping sites. Try several and select the one that does the best job for you. If you plan a long trip, use these sites to create a printed sheet that shows the best prices along your route.

If you consistently buy the cheapest gas you can save several pennies a gallon each time you fill up. For some families that means saving hundreds of dollars each year.

Small change

There are other ways to use technology to save smaller amounts. But each savings mounts up. Consider, for instance, printing your own greeting cards using your computer and printer. You can also use the Internet to check price and availability of items you buy at local retailers. You'll have found the best deal before starting the car.

You may have tips that I can add to my list. If so, just write me at tecbud@bellsouth.net and I might include your ideas in a future column.

Bill Husted writes for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. E-mail: tecbud(at)bellsouth.net.