Champ Money

Set your computer to sleep—not just the monitor, but the hard drive, too—so that it automatically hibernates after 10 minutes of nonuse.

Believe it or not, this simple item can save you $75 per year on your electric bills.

Small business owners are following in the footsteps of much larger companies when it comes to building customer loyalty. Many more small retailers, clubs, and beauty salons are providing a membership card to their customers to encourage their repeat business.

Studies show that customers do feel more loyalty toward businesses that provide special deals and discounts to “members”. The extra business generally provides more than enough revenue to oddest the cost of the program.

When paying someone to help out with yard work, add on some items and save on overall costs. For example, get your fall/spring yard-cleanup crew to clear your gutters instead of having a gutter guy make a special trip.

You can easily save $200 or more by not paying for individual trips to your house.

If you’ve taken advantage of the recent super-low pricing on new HDTVs, don’t neglect the equally important tv stand or wall mount.

We’ve seen people bring home that great new flat screen TV and set it on an old coffee table or fireplace mantle. Not only are some of these choices tacky looking, others can lead to the destruction of your new TV by allowing it to tip over more easily.

The cost of the proper stand or mount is minimal and will protect and enhance your new TV.

Building a house, or having a new roof installed?

Choose a light-colored roof. Using pale shingles, particularly if you live down south, will reduce the solar heat your roof absorbs, reducing the need for air-conditioning. Up north, the cooling benefit is offset somewhat by the loss of solar warming in the winter.

There are some life events that don’t stop simply because the economy is in the dumpster. While some people might put them off for a while, weddings are one such event.

There’s no need to postpone that big day. With some smart shopping, you can find great deals on wedding invitations, decorations, gowns, and even honeymoon trips.

Be sure to plan carefully – but don’t put your life on hold for monetary reasons.

Remodeling a kitchen can be one of the most disruptive home renovation projects. No need to order dinner out every night though. Instead, set up a makeshift kitchen when a remodel project temporarily leaves you without a cooking area. All you need is a prep surface, micro-wave, coffeemaker, and fridge.

You should be able to do this without incurring any costs, and you’ll save a ton on takeout.

Are you spending more time at home due to the sluggish economy?

If you’re like most Americans, the answer is probably “Yes”.

Many people are using this newly discovered “at home” time to make their houses more comfortable, as well as a greater focal point of their lifestyle.

People are adding specialized home theater chairs to replace their old run of the mill furniture in their entertainment rooms. Others are adding pool tables and other recreational items that offer long term rewards.

If your income is secure, there’s no need to stop having fun. But focusing on things that will enhance your home life, with both family and friends, will make for a more enjoyable experience for everyone. After all, if your friends jobs aren’t quite as secure as yours, they may not want to go out and spend money at movies or clubs, but they’ll always enjoy stopping by your place for game of pool, or to watch a movie.

Many homeowners only think of this in the cold months, but you can reduce energy costs throughout the year by insulating hot-water lines.

The preformed foam tubes available at all hardware and home improvement stores will fit right around the pipes, thanks to a slit along their length. They are very easy to install.

This is an easy way to save $50 per year on energy costs.

When you’ve had enough of replacing broken items in your home or business, perhaps it’s time to step up to industrial quality items.

Common items such as industrial knobs, power outlets, electrical switches, and door hardware can often be replaced with more durable, higher quality, versions that will last much longer than the original.

Many “industrial products” aren’t just for industries, but are manufactured to the high standards required for use in an industrial environment.