19 Ways to Slash Your Utility Bill

Where George Scott sees red, his clients are bleeding green. Scanning the outside of a ranch home in Longmont, Colo., recently, the energy auditor's infrared camera registered blue and aqua in spots where heated air stayed put. That's what the homeowner expected. But you don't need an infrared camera to reveal utility-bill busters that are left after the obvious stuff is done. That old clunker of a refrigerator in the basement could be costing the equivalent of 10 cases of Bud in wasted energy each year. + Plug the Power Drain As much as 75 percent of electricity use by electronics occurs while the devices are off. + Give the Sump Pump a Break A 0.5-hp sump pump can use $30 a month in electricity during wet spring months, estimates Bill McAnally, an advisor to the Iowa Energy Center and an instructor in energy-efficient building. + Maximize CFLs We've all heard the advice to switch to CFLs. + Seal HVAC Ducts Put away the duct tape. + Block the Stairs (Illustration by Gabriel Silveira)

Homemade "Vicks Vapor shower disks" Have you seen the commercials for the Vicks Vapor shower disk thingies? You put one of these disks in your shower, and voila thanks to the vapors in it, you're magically healed, your cold is gone, and your face is shockingly free of snot. I always used to watch the "Noxema girl" splashing water on her face and wondered how she was able to wash her face without being completely overrun with boogers. I'm the only one? Yes? Regardless, Vicks makes these things and I'm sure they're super expensive for something that is just going to wash down your drain. You know where I'm going with this, right? Yep. I made them myself. The idea started a few weeks ago when my sweet little nephew Parker came down with Croup for like the 1,438th time. And they couldn't be any simpler. Sarah's Homemade Vicks Shower Disk Thingies -Baking soda -Water -Essential oils: eucalyptus, rosemary, and lavender. 1) Add baking soda to a mixing bowl. 2) Slowly add water until you've made a thick paste.

handwriting tips You’ve decided you want to improve your handwriting and you’re probably hoping a fountain pen will do the trick -- maybe a friend told you it would. Maybe you’re just adventurous and you want to try your hand at calligraphy (or you might, once your handwriting improves). Good for you! A fountain pen may make your writing look a bit better, but if your writing looks as if frenzied chickens got loose on the page, chances are this won’t be enough. Most likely, you’ll need to retrain your arm and hand. After coaching handwriting and teaching calligraphy over the years, I’ve learned to see the characteristics of those who’ll be able to pick up the necessary motions quickly from those who’ll have to work a bit harder. Crampy, uneven letters are often the result of drawing the letters with the fingers rather than using the whole arm to write. People who inevitably have trouble with handwriting and calligraphy write with their fingers. It will take time to re-train muscles and learn new habits.