Category Archives: Student Life

Roommates, Student Life

Two’s Company & Three’s A Crowd: How to Manage Your Relationship with Your Boyfriend/Girlfriend and Your Roommate

While having your boyfriend or girlfriend around all the time might be great for you, it might not be for your roommate.  Whether you’re living in a dorm or you’re living in an apartment, it doesn’t matter: Sharing space with your roommate and your significant other can get tough to manage.  That’s why we’ve put a list together of all the things you can do to prevent a huge blow up between you, your roommate and your boyfriend/girlfriend.

In an article by Annie Maguire at College Cures, the first thing you want to do is set time boundaries.  This means that you should talk with your roommate about their schedule and when would be the best time for your boyfriend/girlfriend to come over.  You can also work with them to determine a cut-off time (10 pm, 11pm, etc.) for guests, and then stick to your guns.  Once it gets to the cut-off time, your boyfriend/girlfriend needs to go home and so should theirs.

The next thing Maguire suggests is setting spatial boundaries.  This means that you should establish with your roommate where your significant other can spend time in your room/apartment.  This means that you should establish with them (beforehand) where your boyfriend/girlfriend can hang out and what items they can use.

Another rule of thumb when it comes to managing these types of relationships is giving one another space.  This includes giving yourself, your roommate, and your significant other the space they need.  You should be sure that you and your significant other aren’t always hanging out in your room, and that you share time between each other’s places equally.  This way your roommate and their roommate get time alone too.

The most important concerns you should have when it comes to managing your relationship with your roommate and your significant other is to be considerate and to communicate with one another.  You and your significant others’ wants and needs are not superior to your roommate’s and vice versa.  The best way to manage this is to speak with one another frequently and often about what each other needs, wants, and feels about the situation and what each of you can do to make sure everyone is happy.

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Housing Advice, Student Life

96 square feet?!? What is a college student to do?

Especially as a freshman, it is hard to know exactly what to expect when you’re moving into the dorms.  This is perhaps not only the first time you’re moving away from home, but it is also the first time you are living with someone else. The first thing you will most likely consider is space; especially when you’re living with one, two, or even three other people, you will want to know just how much space will you have and how you will carve out a space that is all your own.

To find out exactly how much space students are given in their dorm room as freshmen, we recently conducted some research across 50 universities around the U.S.  What we found was that the average square footage universities provide per student is around 96 square feet.  That’s pretty small, given that the average mattress size for a dorm room (an extra long twin) is about 20 square feet.  However, perhaps what is most surprising is that, overall, square footage per student ranged from 132 square feet at East Central University in Ada, Oklahoma to 50 square feet at Oklahoma City University.

You’re probably asking yourself, why would they give students so little space?  Well, let’s be honest here:  No school sets out thinking that they want their students to be crammed together like sardines.  Actually, many schools would rather that their students have a lot of space to live and to study within their dorm rooms.  It just works out that, in many cases, they just don’t have the room for it.  Especially if housing facilities are limited, universities can’t provide as much space as both they and their students would hope for.

So what can you do with the little space that you’re given?  We spoke with interior decorator and owner of Fresh Ideas by Sandy, Sandy Alger, about how students can better maximize the space they’re given and make it their own.

The first thing Sandy  suggests is maximizing storage space.  “I suggest using built-ins and shelving on the walls whenever you can.  Under the bed is great storage for the change of season, bedding, etc.”  She also suggests putting extra shelving in the bathroom (that is if you have your own bathroom), so that you can store more items.  By maximizing storage space, you can limit the clutter and mess you would have to deal with if you didn’t have a place to put everything.

Another suggestion Sandy has for students is multi-purposing furniture; she explains that you can turn kitchen tables into desks and coffee tables into storage.  If you have the opportunity to bring items like this, it is a great way to make your dorm room more like home and much more functional.

Alger also suggests bringing only the essentials with you.  Sandy says she lives by the saying, “Less is more,” and urges students to keep it “simple and inexpensive . . . think out of the box.”  She suggests browsing IKEA, and even thrift stores, for pieces and inspiration; photos, magazine prints and even your own artwork can serve as accents and make your room a little bit more “homey.”

However, the most important piece of advice Sandy gives to students is to be themselves when it comes to design.  “Have fun and don’t take yourself too seriously.”  When it comes to making the space your own, you want to be able to express yourself and feel comfortable where you are; you want to be able to feel like you live there, and that this is a place (no matter how small) that you can call your home.

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Roommates, Student Life

The Passive Aggressive Note: What Does it ACTUALLY Mean?

Have you ever had a roommate that would leave you notes when you left dirty dishes in the sink, forgot to clean up your things off the kitchen table, or you had your friend over until 5 am?  Have you ever been that roommate?  If you’ve ever been in that situation (no matter what role you played), in most cases, in never ends well.  This is because there is a lot more behind that note than you may initially think.

Passive aggressive notes could mean one of two things:

The person doesn’t feel like they can talk to you.  Maybe you give that aura of “Don’t mess with me,” or maybe they’ve just never experienced a problem with a roommate before and they don’t know what to do.  The person could also just be afraid of confrontation, and this is their alternative to actually confronting you about the problem.

You aren’t around for them to yell at, so they leave you a note instead.  If someone is extremely frustrated, and you aren’t around, they may take out their frustration in note form.  It’s not the best option, but it certainly happens.

Sometimes it’s easy to see which option it is, especially when you know the person well, but then sometimes it isn’t.  You need to think about what motivations they might have for writing a note like that and what might have you done to make them do that.  You should go speak with your roommate about the note, because you don’t want to let things like this make the relationship worse.  I say worse, because, let’s face it:  your relationship is already not on the best of terms if you’re writing passive aggressive notes to one another.

Here are some tips for talking with your roommate about their passive aggressive notes:

Think about what you’re going to say before you talk to them.  Like we said in our previous posts about roommate relationships and conflict, it’s best to go into a situation prepared.  You want to plan out what you want to say and how you will say it.

Avoid escalating the situation.  You never want to avoid talking things out with your roommate, but you certainly want to avoid escalating the situation.  Avoid directly placing the blame on them, and use “I” statements instead of “you” statements.  This means that instead of saying “I hate it when you leave nasty notes like that for me,” you say, “It bothers me to read notes instead of actually talking with you.”

Act calmly and rationally.   Perhaps the worst thing you can do is to lash out and make accusations or make unrelated arguments about other things the person has done to frustrate you.  Remember:  You need to act instead of react.  This means that you should act on the situation, i.e. talk with your roommate about your relationship, why they are leaving you notes, and what you can do to fix it.  You don’t want to react to their note, meaning that you don’t want to go with your automatic and “gut” reaction to how that note made you feel.  While both you and your roommates feelings are important and should be acknowledged, you don’t want to take out those feelings on your roommate.

Perhaps the overall moral of the story is to be considerate and to have open communication between you and your roommate.  It will be significantly more successful, and significantly more valuable, for you to talk with them instead of resorting to notes, because your reaction (or their reaction if you’re the offender) says it all.  Don’t write passive aggressive notes to your roommates.

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Budget-Friendly Ideas, Housing Advice, Renting, Student Life

Finding Furniture For Cheap

If you’re renting for the first time and your apartment is unfurnished, you may be wondering how on earth you’re going to be able to furnish the entire place on your own.  As a student it’s especially difficult because you’re working with a smaller budget.  However, you do have options.  That’s why we’ve come up with some ideas to help you you aren’t breaking the bank when it comes to furniture shopping.

Ask the previous tenants.  If you get a chance, ask the previous tenants if they would be willing to leave some of their furniture for you.  It’s certainly worth a shot to ask them about specific pieces you would want and offer them an amount you would be willing to pay for each item.

Ask you friends and family.  It’s always worth it to ask your friends and family if they have extra furniture that they would be willing to sell to you.

Check online.  At JumpOffCampus, we offer a “Classifieds” section that will help you find furniture.  Just check your area and see what people have posted.  To check out this section of our site, go to http://www.jumpoffcampus.com/marketplace_listings .

You can also rent furniture online.  Currently we are now offering a deal on our resources page for our New York metro users to rent furniture from Cort Furniture for 10% off.  To check out this deal, just check out our website!

Check local yard sale listings and flea markets in your area.  You never know what you’ll find when you visit a yard sale or a flea market, but you may just find the piece of furniture you’re looking for at a significantly cheaper price.

THINGS TO CONSIDER:

Don’t pick things up off the street.  Although it may seem like a great deal, you may end up with more than you bargain for.  Let’s just say that you get what you pay for, and at Free.99 you’re getting just that.  In most cases, it will probably be broken, damaged, or it will be carrying some unwanted guests (i.e. roaches, mice, bed bugs, etc.).

Any pest is a definite concern when you’re picking up used furniture, especially free furniture you find on the side of the road.  Our advice is to just leave that freebie alone.  In the end, it will potentially save you more money . . . and a huge headache.  Especially with bed bugs, they are extremely difficult to get rid of once you have them, and they can come from the cleanest of environments.  If you don’t believe it can happen, just check out this article from Suncoast News.

Inspect ALL used furniture for insects and pests BEFORE you bring it into your home.  As we’ve mentioned previously here and in our post about bed bugs, you need to be especially careful that you aren’t bringing any unwanted guests into your home.  Be sure to use proper inspection procedures to make sure you’re safe.

Inspect ALL furniture for broken or damaged parts BEFORE you pay for it.  This one is pretty self-explanatory, but you don’t want to pay for something you can’t use.  You want to inspect anything before you purchase it to make sure that nothing is broken or appears poorly constructed.  In an article we read by Laura Coffey at Today.com, she explains that you should be sure to inspect all the furniture IN PERSON before you purchase it.  That way you can be sure you are getting what you are paying for.

Plan ahead for transportation.  According to Coffey, you want to be sure to prepare to transport the piece before you purchase something.  This includes moving it from where you bought it and moving it into your place.  You may also want to consider how you’ll move it out when you leave.  Measuring is a great way to do this and to ensure that you aren’t buying furniture you can’t even get into your apartment.

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Dear JumpOffCampus..., Housing Advice, Student Life

READER QUESTION: How much money can you expect to spend on groceries per month in Boston?

It’s slightly difficult to answer this question with one number because what people buy, where they buy it, and when they buy it all plays into the equation. While our co-founders Mark and Kyle (who have lived in Boston) explained that you could get away with spending $100 per month, it may be a little difficult. Instead, we’ve put together some tips for you on how to find the cheapest alternatives and how you can limit your costs.

From our experience, if you’re trying to limit your costs, you may want to choose grocery stores that don’t sell only organic products. While we aren’t hating on organic eating, if you’re a college student trying to live on a very strict budget, it may not be the most price-friendly option.

We also suggest choosing stores that offer the best deals in their weekly circulars and coupons. While coupon clipping may not be something you considered before, it will save you a significant amount of money in the long-run. Some stores that offer some great deals include places like Stop and Shop, Shaw’s, and Market Basket (a chain of stories specific to Massachusetts and New Hampshire). Memberships to stores like Sam’s Club and BJ’s will also help you to save money. You can split the membership fee (only about $50 a year) with your roommates, and you can buy items like toilet paper, paper towels, and bottled water in bulk, which will help limit your costs when you go to the grocery store.

Another way to limit your spending is by sharing the cost with a roommate. If each of you has your own carton of milk, it will end up taking up a lot of space in your fridge. Save space and money by splitting the cost of items like milk, eggs, and condiments that you can all share.

You can save a lot of money by putting together a budget of what you want to spend each week. You will probably have to do shopping about once a week, especially if your buying items like fruit and vegetables, but you can break down those trips into 2 larger and 2 smaller trips each month. Every other week you can make a larger shopping trip where you stock up on nonperishable items (canned soups, canned vegetables) and other items that won’t spoil in 2 weeks. In between those trips, you can make a smaller weekly shopping trip and buy just perishables and other items you’ve run out of. You could easily set yourself a budget of about $25-30 during those smaller trips and $100 during those larger trips. This way your total for the month is about $250. You could even limit that further by buying store brand foods, and buying only the essentials.

We hope this helped to answer your question. If you have any other questions or suggestions for any topics you would like us to cover on our blog, feel free to drop us a line at advice@jumpoffcampus.com!

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Budget-Friendly Ideas, College Planning, Finances, Housing Advice, Student Life

Cutting College Housing Costs

College can be expensive; as we’ve seen in the news recently, there are a lot of students struggling once they leave school to pay back their loans.  This is why as Mark Kantrowitz explained in our College Financial Planning series that it is important to try to cut costs where you can.

Campus housing may be one of these expenses that you consider to cut when you’re evaluating the cost of attendance. In an article we read by Emily Driscoll at Fox Business, she explains that these costs can place a great deal of financial stain on families.  In fact, according to College Board reports, the average cost of room and board for four-year public universities is $8,887 and $10,089 for private schools.  This is why we’ve put together a list of different options for students and their families looking to cut housing costs and save some money.

Compare housing packages.  According to Driscoll, if you’re looking for cheaper on-campus housing options, you may want to look at residence halls with fewer amenities or those that are further away from campus.  We also suggest choosing housing where you share a room, as this will also reduce the cost.

Choose the meal plan that fits your needs.  In another article we read by Kim Clark and Beth Braverman at CNN Money, they suggest choosing a meal plan option that fits your habits.  Often students won’t eat at the dining hall for every meal; they will either just go without eating or eat a light snack for some of their meals.  Therefore, it can be a waste of money if you’re not eating at the dining hall for those meals.  If you never eat breakfast or you don’t each much, you may want to choose a cheaper plan, as this will reduce your room and board costs.

Work in a co-op.  According to Driscoll’s article, many universities offer co-op programs that allow students to receive reduced housing costs while they work a service job on campus. If you’re looking to save money, it is certainly worthwhile to check out your school’s website to see if they offer a program like this.

Check out off-campus options.  In some cases, off-campus housing may be less expensive than on-campus options.  Especially if you live with roommates, it may help to reduce the cost of housing while you’re in school.  While your school may not live off-campus during your freshman and sophomore year, you may want to evaluate your off-campus options your junior and senior year.

However, when you are evaluating these options, it is important to factor in the cost of food, gas/transportation costs, and utility costs into the price of off-campus housing.  You should then contrast this to what you would spend living in the dorms and eating in the dining halls.  This will give you a better sense of how they differ.

Live at home.  Perhaps the most budget-conscious decision could be to live at home, if you live close enough.  That way there won’t be an added room and board cost to factor in.  The only added expense you will really have here is gas or transportation costs.

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Ask the Expert, Student Life

ASK THE EXPERT: Internships

Photo from money.howstuffworks.com

When you’re looking to get some field experience, an internship is a great way to “get your feet wet.”  However, many students may not know where to begin, or what they should do to get one.  This is why we decided to speak with expert, Lisa Ferns, Career Advisor and Internship Coordinator in Career Services at the University of Rhode Island, about what students should know about finding internships, the interview process, and landing an internship.

When should students start looking for internships for the fall?  Spring?  Summer?

Students seeking internships should give themselves 2-4 months prior to the start of the semester to find, interview, secure and select an internship.  If students are seeking credit they need to inquire with the appropriate department at their college/university at the start of [class registration] for the following semester.

What should they be expecting when they apply for an internship with regards to documentation?

Students should expect to submit a resume, cover letter and reference page.  This may not be the case in all instances but a student seeking an internship should be prepared to supply these if required by an employer.

What are some red flags students should watch out for when applying for an internship? 

  • Students need to be aware that most recruiters paint their organization in the best possible light and they need to determine whether or not the organization will be a good fit for them and their internship/learning objectives.  Asking pointed questions based on research and having an understanding of individual needs will assist a potential intern to evaluate the internship objectively.
  • Valid information regarding the company should be available when researching.  Look for an actual contact person and company email.
  • Internships should be learning experiences that are supervised and have a reflective piece.  When interviewing, ask about the specific work tasks required of the new hire and how learning objectives can be incorporated into the agenda. You don’t want to be doing “grunt” work or filing all day.
  • I usually don’t recommend internships that require a student to pay any kind of fees.

How many internships should they apply for?

Students can apply for as many internships as they see fit.  Finding and securing the best fit for each individual is the main objective.

How long should they wait to hear back?

If applying electronically, students should wait approximately two weeks before contacting the organization.  If applying by snail mail, a three-week time frame is suggested.

What if they don’t hear back?

It is perfectly acceptable and recommended for a student to “check on the status” of their application if an appropriate amount of time has passed with no response from the company.

How should they prepare themselves for an interview?

Research the company, conduct a self-assessment (know your strengths and challenges), be able to articulate concrete examples of your skills and abilities, conduct a mock interview with Career Services, and practice, practice, practice…

What are some key pieces of advice you would give to someone going on an interview for an internship?

Be comfortable and very familiar with your resume; have an understanding of the company and its culture, do your research and a mock interview with Career Services (practice, practice, practice).  Also, have 3-5 questions prepared that reflect your research and needs, and ask the employer these towards the close of the interview.

If the company calls them back for a second interview, how should they prepare themselves?

Be prepared to meet with a variety of people within the company and to delve deeper into the questions asked previously.  Otherwise, all the rules remain the same as for the initial and second interviews.

If they have multiple internship offers, what should they do?

Students should have a solid understanding of their time/geographic restraints, learning objectives and goals.  They need to evaluate the experience they will have within the organization as well as the kind of supervision they will receive.

How should they prepare themselves for their internship?

You prepare for an internship similar to the way you would prepare for a job.  Try to research the company and complete all necessary forms and paperwork for your college/university ahead of time.  Know who your supervisor will be both at work and at school, and plan accordingly for transportation, mid and end of semester reviews, as well as for a balance of academics and work.

What should students wear to their internship?

It is best to wear business attire initially and then, once established within the organization, a student can acclimate to the organization’s environment accordingly. 

What are some tips you have for students on the first day of their internship?

Look, listen and learn; on the first day it is good to get a sense of your surroundings, observe the people and the culture of the work place and try to absorb as much as possible.  No doubt, newcomers may be overwhelmed and the first day of an internship is not the appropriate time to make bold gestures.

How can students make the most of their internship?

Ask questions, take the initiative and become involved.  An internship is a learning experience and by asking questions you further expand your knowledge base.  Employers expect that interns don’t know everything and hopefully they will want to instruct or teach students the correct ways to complete tasks.  Likewise, employers are not familiar with the rate at which a new intern can grasp concepts or complete assignments. Therefore, if you complete all that is assigned to you, do not hesitate to ask as to how you can be of further assistance.  If you want to know more about a certain department or process and it is not within your job description, ask if you can shadow or conduct an informational interview with people from that department.  Many companies have philanthropic affiliations or recreational teams; join in these events or groups to expand your network of contacts.

What should students avoid while working at their internship?

Always have goals that you want to achieve within the internship experience.  Try to avoid being passive within the internship by taking the initiative.  Do not be a “know-it-all” and listen carefully and thoughtfully to supervisors, co-workers and colleagues.  Be cognizant of the employer policies, adhere to them and try to never to be unreliable.

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Student Life

Cool Products for College Students

We love cool services and products and so we’ve scoured the Internet to find some really awesome products that may be useful for you in this upcoming school year.

The Coffee Joulie These little shiny metal beans cool down your coffee quicker and keep it warm longer. They actually trap heat inside until your coffee becomes a delicious 140°F (the perfect drinking temperature), and then they will slowly release all the heat back into your coffee to help it stay warmer longer.

WOWee ONE Speaker This speaker isn’t just any old speaker. It actually has special hybrid technology that hits mid to high frequencies, and even the low end bass frequencies, around 3 octaves lower than other traditional speakers. The cool thing about this is that it holds a charge up to 20 hours, so you can listen to your music uninterrupted. It’s compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod.  http://www.woweeone.com

Hydros Filtering Water Bottle If you like the taste of filtered water, you’ll love this water bottle. It actually has a filter right in the bottle, so you can filter your water on the go. It also has fast filtering technology to make filtering your water easy. This bottle is BPA free, dishwasher safe, and it even has antimicrobial protection to help prevent odor causing bacteria. The other cool thing about this water bottle is that part of the proceeds goes to help fund a sustainable water infrastructure project to provide clean water to those in need. http://www.hydrosbottle.com

Yogi Support Pillow This pillow helps you to sit in a variety of comfortable positions. Especially when you have limited choices for studying spots, this helps making your bed a comfortable place to study.

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Student Life

Standard Vs. Green Cleaning Products

Walking down the aisle in the grocery store, you may come across the “green” cleaning section, where all of the packages proclaim their “all natural” and “environmentally friendly” qualities.  However, what do we really know about these products and do they really work?  We’re a little skeptical.

In an article we read by Nina Rastogi from Slate magazine, she explains that the EPA serves as the major decision-maker when it comes to deeming a product as a disinfectant or sanitizer that appropriately kill food-borne microbes.  In fact, Rastogi observes that none of the larger green cleaning brands (Seventh Generation, Method, Ecover, or Clorox’s Green Works) offers an EPA-registered disinfectant or sanitizer.  Why this is isn’t entirely clear, however, many other smaller companies like PureGreen24 offer EPA-approved products that are effective in disinfecting and sanitizing.

It appears that household remedies don’t appear to be as effective either.  According to a 2000 study Rastogi cites, researchers tested some of the most widely accepted household remedies to cleaning, including the use of vinegar and baking soda.  The study, in fact, found that vinegar was as effective as commercial household cleaners at killing salmonella and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (bacteria found in produce), but was not effective when it came to staph or E. coli.  Baking soda seemed to have no effective on any of the pathogens.

So it may seem here there really isn’t a clear conclusion, however, in either case, it remains that standard cleaners are pretty scary.  In an article we read by Andrea Thompson at Live Science, she explains that there are 80,000 chemicals in use and some of the toxicity of these chemicals has not yet been determined.  In her article, she interviewed Tom Natan, a chemical engineer at the National Environmental Trust, who says that, “We are exposed, in the process of cleaning our homes, to more than the manufacturers projected.”  In fact, he says that companies will often select ingredients to increase performance, but “a lot of the chemicals, we simply don’t know anything about.”  Natan has had some experience with this, as he and his team recently found that a popular commercial cleaner they had tested caused damage to the reproductive systems of pregnant rants, even in small doses. That’s not comforting.

We can therefore determine that maybe using standard household cleaners is not the best choice.  While green cleaning products, as we observed in our blog entry yesterday, are 67% more expensive than standard cleaning products, are they really worth it?  As Rastogi also points out, many of these products are not yet efficiency approved by the EPA, so that means we aren’t entirely sure yet if they really kill harmful bacteria.  So perhaps the best decision here is to stay (FAR) away from standard household cleaners.  It appears here that the best alternative may be using EPA-approved green cleaners.  Rastogi also advises that basic hygiene practices like hand washing, keeping cutting board separate from raw meat and poultry, and storing food at the proper temperature will help to keep things clean.  You don’t need to douse everything in disinfectant every time you clean; instead you can clean by using simple soap and water to decontaminate many kitchen surfaces.  She advises to use cleaning products in areas where you really need them, and to use them  cautiously and only when you really need.

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Budget-Friendly Ideas, Student Life

Greener Living on a College Budget

As a college student, while you may want to have a more “green” lifestyle, your ramen-noodle-every-night budget may restrict you from actually living a sustainable lifestyle.  Let’s face it:  you most likely won’t be going out to buy a brand new hybrid car, or putting solar panels on top of your apartment. In fact, when we compared standard cleaning products to natural or “green” cleaning products at Walmart and Target, we found that there appears to be an average of about 5 cent increase in price per fluid ounce or count.  That’s on average about a 69% increase in price!  That’s pretty significant when you’re already living on a limited budget!  This is why we decided to find some ways to help you live green, because it just doesn’t really make sense:  why does it cost you more to live a green lifestyle when it should actually save you money?

Use public transportation when you can, instead of driving.  In an article we read by Cecille de la Cruz at Suite 101, she explains that the less gas you use, the more you’ll save.  Especially with climbing gas prices, paying for a bus or commuter rail ticket could end up saving you hundreds of dollars per year and will help you live a more sustainable lifestyle.

Avoid wasting water when washing dishes.  In another article we read by Jen Boulden and Heather Stephenson, they explain that you can maximize your use of water by scrubbing dishes in stages.  Instead of running the water, you can fill one half of the sink (if you have a double sink) or a large container with soapy water to first scrub the dishes.  You will then only have to run the water when you rinse.

Avoid wasting water when you brush your teeth.  Boulden and Stephenson explain that by simply turning off the faucet while you brush your teeth, you can save up to 10 gallons of water per day.  That’s pretty significant, if you really think about it!

Take showers instead of baths.  Boulden and Stephenson explain that baths take about 50 gallons of water, while a 5-minute shower could only use about 20 gallons.  This is a great way to conserve water and to avoid high water bills.

Turn off lights and appliances when not in use.  In an article we read on the TLC website, a TV left on uses 100 watts per hour, a DVD player uses 12 watts per hour, a modem uses 14 watts, a standard PC uses 130 watts, a ceiling fan uses about .1 kWh per hour, and a space heater, and a space heater uses about .09 kWh per hour.  By turning these appliances off, you could significantly conserve energy and potentially save yourself hundreds of dollars a year in electric bills.

Use cold water to wash clothes.  According to de la Cruz, using cold water to wash laundry will leave them cleaner and will help you to save money and energy.  In fact, she explains that it can even prevent clothes from wearing and tearing easily.

Recycle and re-purpose.  Taking the time to recycle cans and bottles is worthwhile, as those materials can be used to make other products.  However, you can also reuse and re-purpose products around your home.  For example, if you still get plastic bags when you go shopping, you can reuse those bags later as garbage bags or to carry other things.  They don’t have to go immediately into the garbage.

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