101 Ways to Save Money (Part-1)

Cutting costs is a high priority for many Alabama families. The following suggestions can help you if you will practice them. Some won’t apply to your situation; some you are already doing. But, many will be new ideas or ideas you know you should have been trying before now. Read through the suggestions and mark those that appeal to you and that you want to start practicing.

Save on Energy                                         

1Have an expert check the insulation in your house to make sure it is adequate. If it is not, insulate where needed. You can do open areas, such as the attic, yourself. It will save both heating and cooling costs.

2Turn off the air conditioning and open the windows in moderate weather.

3Wear warm clothes in the house in cold weather so you can lower your thermostat setting.

4Take care of home repairs as soon as the need arises. Delay can make the problem worse and repair costs higher.

5Close the doors and turn off the heat or air conditioning to rooms that you are not using.

6Choose equipment with higher energy efficiency ratios (EER). Check the labels for EER.

7Move to a smaller house if the one you live in is bigger than you really need.

8Use energy saving window treatments, such as insulated or heavy draperies and storm windows.

5 Simple Ways to Open Your Blog Post with a Bang

Here are 5 ways to open your post that will capture the reader’s imagination and pull them deeper into your content.

1. Ask a Question

Opening your post with a question is a rhetorical device (hence, the “rhetorical question”) that creates curiosity and gets the reader thinking. Thinking equals active engagement with your writing, and that’s a very good thing.

2. Share an Anecdote or Quote

Anecdotes are quick stories that can make people laugh or immediately establish the main point of your post. A nice quote from a recognizable authority or famous person can also work wonders when holding attention in those crucial opening seconds.

3. Invoke the Mind’s Eye

Producing a mental image in a reader’s mind is one of the most powerful things you can ever do as a writer, so expressly engaging the imagination is a powerful opening technique. Activate the mind’s eye of the reader by using words like “imagine,” “picture this,” “do you remember when,” etc.

4. Use an Analogy, Metaphor or Simile

Analogies, metaphors and similes are some of the most powerful devices available when it comes to telling a story in a single sentence. This is a great way to capture a reader’s attention and also acts to provoke mental imagery that allows readers to tell a story to themselves.

5. Cite a Shocking Statistic

Starting off with an interesting factoid is also a great technique. People love being provided with interesting data, but only if it is unique, startling, or even shocking. The statistic should also be directly relevant to the point of your post as well.

Bonus Tip: The third most important part of your blog post is the closing. A great way to close is to tie back into your opening.