robot vaccum cleaning room

8 Habits to improve your life and your wallet

Habits account for nearly 45% of our daily behaviors.* To improve your schedule and your bank account, let’s cover several habits that will help you streamline your life.

Time-saving
habits

01. Create a cleaning schedule.

To prevent your cleaning tasks from feeling overwhelming, take one thing at a time. Assigning specific tasks to certain days prevents chores from building up and eliminates the “Saturday morning dread” of an all-day cleanup.

02. Automate your home.

If you have the means, use smart doorbells, robotic vacuums and smart thermostats to lighten your daily load. That’s what technology should do: Streamline your life.

03. Batch cook and meal prep.

Preparing weekly meals in one sitting saves time. And don’t forget to utilize slow cookers and air fryers to save you time while saving you energy.

04. Seal windows and doors.

By preventing drafts, air leakage and improperly installed insulation, you could save on the energy used to heat or cool your home. The best way to do this is to check out your insulation along with getting a caulk gun to seal gaps in your windows and ductwork. Sealing these gaps also increases the efficiency of your HVAC system. You’ll no longer need to frantically run around your home closing doors and windows, thinking every degree preserved can save the day. You’ve already saved the day, you Super Insulator you — but we’d close them anyway.

Energy-saving
habits

05. Grab an advanced power strip.

An advanced power strip can eliminate “Vampire Power” — energy sucked by electronics in standby mode. This can save you the time and discomfort of shimmying under your desk in your home office trying to unplug that printer you use every eight to 10 business days to save money.

So, get into the habit of good habits — and saving energy. Building new habits is like building a muscle. The more you use it, the stronger you’ll get. And use the One Percent Rule. Make a 1% improvement each day. It’s the perfect way to stick to your habits and give yourself props for advancing daily. And it’s how you’ll build some habit momentum.

06. Optimize garden care.

Growing your own food can be the perfect way to find a hobby that adds to your mindset and your money. Garden and lawn care can be very therapeutic. Studies have shown that gardening alone can help your mental and physical health.† Going from a garden of flowers to a garden of veggies transforms a hobby into a hobby that helps with your bottom line. It’s also a great way to spend time with children and teach them about healthy living and eating. Side note: If your kid grows kale, they will eat kale.

07. Use a smart thermostat.

These devices learn your schedule and constantly adjust for added energy savings. The result? You won’t be monitoring your thermostat and you will greatly reduce the totally epic Thermostat Wars in your home.

smart thermostat

08. Switch to LED bulbs.

A quality LED bulb can last 30 times longer than an incandescent bulb.‡ This saves energy and means you’ll spend far less time on a rickety ladder with an old bulb in one hand, balancing off the wall with your other hand, and tucking a fresh bulb in your back pocket.

DID SOMEONE SAY DRAFT?

When it comes to improving not only efficiency but comfort, nothing beats a no-cost Whole Home Energy Assessment from Atlantic City Electric to help you find ways to save. They will test your home for air leakage (a prime culprit for drafts) along with assessing your home’s insulation and checking for proper ventilation.

Keep saving at atlanticcityelectric.com/WHEA26.