Half of first marriages in the U.S. end in divorce[9], and money is the number one reason.[10] Coupon and discounts only go so far, so to face more money (and possibly your marriage) consider getting a little creative.
Have Your Wedding Sponsored[3]
- A wedding costs $20,000 on average. Why not get creative to save cash?
- Back in 2006, Dave Kerpen and Carrie Fisher wanted to have a big wedding but didn’t have the cash.
- After a little work, they raised $100,000 from 25 sponsors.
- Another bride auctioned off a bridesmaid spot in her wedding on eBay. [4]
- The Dr. Pepper Snapple Group bought the spot for $5,700.
Paint Your Roof with Reflective Paint[2]
- Over 16% of electricity consumed each year is due to air conditioning.
- You can save up to 20% off your AC bill each month. [1]
- Some states offer rebates or incentives for painting your roof with reflective paint.
- This reduces your house’s cooling demand by 10% to 15% during the hottest months of the year.[2]
Tightly Pack your Freezer[6]
- Refrigerators can consume as much as 20% of all energy in a house.
- Making sure your freezer is full can save you some money.
- Another tip is to keep water bottles in the freezer when it isn’t full of food. [7]
- This reduces the temperature in the icebox so it doesn’t kick on the cooling device as often.
Lower the Thermostat During the Winter[8]
- For each degree you lower, you’ll save 3% off of your heating bill.
- For warmth, put pans of water on various heat elements.
- This adds moisture to the air for dry skin and keeps the rooms warm for less.
Displace the Water in Your Toilet Tank[5]
- Grab a plastic bottle and fill it with sand or water.
- Place it in your toilet tank.
- Each time you flush, you’ll save a gallon to half gallon of water.
- The average house stands to save 10 gallons a day.
- A family of 4 would save $90 a year, or 16 gallons a day using this method.
Train Your Cat to use the Toilet[1]
- Toilet training kits for felines cost from $20 to $30.
- Cat litter can cost, on average, $110 a year.
- That’s a total of $1,650 if your cat lives to be 15 years old.
- Unfortunately, you can take a cat to water but you can’t make it flush.
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Sources
[1] http://www.mnn.com/money/personal-finance/photos/20-unique-ways-to-save-money/potty-train-your-cat
[2] http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?fuseaction=find_a_product.showProductGroup&pgw_code=RO
[3] http://www.mint.com/blog/trends/sponsored-weddings-101/
[4] http://www.divinecaroline.com/22071/51588-bridesmaid-spot-auctioned-ebay
[5] http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505144_162-41541711/save-money-10-weird-ways/
[6] http://www.familytime.com/ShowArticle.aspx?ArticleId=162&CI=
[7] http://www.savingadvice.com/articles/2006/04/26/10588_pack-your-freezer-daily-financial-tip.html
[8] http://www.aarp.org/money/budgeting-saving/info-06-2010/home_saving_tips.html
[9] http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nhsr/nhsr049.pdf
[10] http://huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/16/avoiding-marriages-no-1-p_n_1521232.html