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• Why is it so easy to throw things away?

  Posted May 30 2008, 09:45 AM by Donna Freedman
  Filed under: Housing, Extreme savings, Donna Freedman
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  Recently a tenant moved out of the apartment building I manage. During the final walk-through I saw that she'd left behind a wall-mounted spice rack, a shelf-and-cabinet unit in the bathroom and a wheeled kitchen cart. She told me her fiancé had all the household items they needed. If no one wanted those things, they could just be thrown away.
  

  I love my new kitchen cart.   Read More...

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• Water, water everywhere (except her tub and dishwasher)

  Posted May 07 2008, 10:56 AM by Donna Freedman
  Filed under: Housing, Extreme savings, Donna Freedman
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  Water bills getting you down? "Katurah82" favors a multipronged approach to keeping usage in check. She takes three "navy showers" a week, i.e., water turned off while she lathers up. The rest of the time she heats a few gallons of water on the stove and pours it into the bathtub. "I use way less water."
  

  Katurah82 learned to wash dishes in a gallon of hot water while camping. Why not do them that way at home? Oh, and about that water: Most heaters are set way too high, she says, so turn yours down. (A setting of 120 degrees should work fine, and could save you $20 to $50 in utility bills according to this article.)   Read More...

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• Coping without cheap power, in real time

  Posted Apr 30 2008, 09:15 AM by Donna Freedman
  Filed under: Housing, Extreme savings, Donna Freedman
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  If your electric bill were going to rise by 447%, what would you do? Probably what they're doing up in Juneau, Alaska, which just lost its source of cheap hydroelectric power.
  

  Residents bought out the town's stock of compact fluorescents and clothespins. They're cooking on backyard grills and eating by candlelight. Stores shut off neon signs and unplugged vending machines. Families are limiting television and computer use. Not only are people falling all over themselves to conserve electricity, at least one man tripped over his dog in a dimly lit room. Luckily neither he nor the pooch were seriously injured.   Read More...

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• Don't call the repairman -- yet

  Posted Nov 30 2007, 08:55 AM by Donna Freedman
  Filed under: Housing, Extreme savings, Donna Freedman
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  A tenant knocked last Saturday to tell me she'd broken off her key in the door. If this ever happens to you, try doing what I did: Insert a spare key until it touches the broken piece, then turn very gently.
  

  After a few tries, the lock opened. Since I couldn't pry out the broken piece, I installed a replacement deadbolt. Just another day in the life of Super Resident Manager, saving the building owners an expensive weekend locksmith call.
  

  My point? This was not a tough fix. Lock replacement is one of many repairs that can be done by the most amateur of handyfolks.   Read More...

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