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Great Rebate and Purchasing Incentives for LA Residents

Did you know that the Los Angeles Bureau of Street Services will give each home up to seven free trees and deliver them to directly to your curb? They have a selection of one hundred and fifty different trees to choose from. And did you know the the Los Angeles Department of Sanitation has a free mulch program with half a dozen pickup locations that are open seven days a week? You can show up with a bin, bag or fill up the back of your pick-up with free mulch that is comprised of chopped trimmings from the trees that line the city’s parkways.

The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power have a number of resident and non-resident programs, including a High-Efficiency Washing Machines Rebate Program (just be sure to print out their list of pre-approved machines before purchasing) and Refrigerator Turn-in and Recycle Program as well as a Low Income Refrigerator Purchasing Program for qualifying low-income households. They also have a number of state-subsidized Solar Incentives that essentially offer rebates on the installation of residential photovoltaic systems.

To help promote solar power in Los Angeles and decrease our dependence upon traditional, scarce energy resources, LADWP offers a solar incentive program to make solar power more affordable. Our goal is 20 megawatts of solar power in Los Angeles by 2010… the solar power program has been authorized a total budget of $150 million through June 30, 2011.” ~ LA Department of Water and Power

The LADWP has a special division allocated just for the California State Solar Incentive and I have spoke with them a few times. They are very patient and helpful, understanding that the technology is constantly evolving and the formulas used for understanding a home owner’s (system) needs are complex, they will take the time to help you get going on the right track and even provide lists of qualified state-approved contractors in your area.

And for those of us living in Southern California there is two unique programs offered in the spring by the South Coast Air Quality Management District (AQMD) — Low Pollution Leaf Blower Incentive Program and the Electric Lawn Mower Purchase Program with are both designed to offer no or low pollution solution for home owners and gardeners.

These machines are a significant source of smog-forming emissions. In one year, the average two-stroke backpack leaf blower emits as much pollution as 80 new cars. The blowers in the exchange program, manufactured by STIHL Inc., are nearly five times cleaner than the California Air Resources Board’s most stringent standard for new blowers. By scrapping 1,500 old blowers and replacing them with low-emission STIHL blowers, the program will reduce at least 14 tons per year of smog-forming emissions.” ~ AQMD

These offers happen now and their availability is limited so sign up with the AQMD for a reminder to be sent when the programs start again in the spring. And if you are interested in the Solar Incentive Program call them on the sooner side since their allocations are based on yearly stipends, so when the incentive is used up for the year, you have to wait for the program to start up again the next calendar year (call them for details or go to the California State Energy Commission).

Related Links;
TreesAreGood.Com | Tree Care
California Energy Commission | Current Rebates and Residential Incentives
Los Angeles Bureau of Street Services | Free Trees Program
Los Angeles Department of Sanitation | Free Mulch Program
Los Angeles Department of Water and Power | Washing Machine Rebate Program
Los Angeles Department of Water and Power | Refrigerator Recycling Program
Los Angeles Department of Water and Power | Solar Incentive Program
South Coast Air Quality Management District | Leaf Blower Incentive Program
South Coast Air Quality Management District | Electric Lawn Mower Purchase Program

Reduce Footprint With LED Landscape Lights

My family lives in a neighborhood that was built in the early 1950′s and evidently there were no laws forcing developers to include streetlights in these areas. So over the years, no doubt after much kvetching, the utilities company has retro-fitted a lot of these neighborhoods (not ours, mind you) with streetlights but with minimal coverage. When we initially moved into the neighborhood, I looked into what it would take to get additional streetlights installed by the city (and without giving you the long and sorted story) it is very expensive (something like $3,400 dollars per light and an annual upkeep fee of $100) and there’s a long wait (average three year waiting list).

So I have opted for the other route — lighting up my house and landscape with low cost and energy efficient lights. What I have found is the solar lights can be a hit-or-miss venture depending on the attached panel and battery technology. But what I have found is the LED landscape lights itself is much more efficient compared to halogen.

Halogen technology creates light as a bi-product of heat. This lighting process causes damage to the components of the lights which causes them to “burn-out” very quickly. Additionally, because halogen lights must create heat to produce light they require a lot of energy. A LED lamp uses approximately 90% less energy than a halogen lamp so utility costs will be lower and they last 50 times as long as halogen bulbs. So even if you get a non-solar LED system they will be rated closer to a night light rather than a refrigerator when it comes to how much wattage it is drawing annually.

Funding Your Kid’s Future

As a parent it is easy to get lost amongst the day to day minutiae of child rearing. Buying the groceries. Driving the kids here and there. Doing the laundry, again. Buying more groceries. Driving to and from soccer practice – the list is seemingly endless.

Here’s a reminder for all of us (including myself) – don’t forget to squirrel away some money for the kid’s college years. Current financial sources have placed college tuition projections for kids graduating high school between 2011-2022 between $85,706 – $153,486 (based on average college expenses, and tuition for public college or universities with adjusted cost inflation rate of 6%)! By the way that means if you start saving for your newborn’s undergraduate degree right now (he/she enters college in 18 years or 2020) you will have to sack away $710 dollars a month for the next 18 years to cover their college experience!

For parents with teenagers prepping for SAT’s now the issue is all too pertinent. As you may be aware there are a number of online options available to you. One of the biggest scholarship programs out there is the Bill Gates foundation. It was initially funded in 1999 by a one billion dollar grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Check out Scholarships.Com for a fresh listing of resources and scholarships. Their expansive college scholarship database is updated constantly, offers relevant and accurate scholarship & grant information.

Bankabank @ NightLab

Behold the Bankabank, a sleek modern take on the age-old piggy bank!

This ingenious and stylish cash repository boasts two slots for coin and bill insertion (one on top and one on the front) and an easy-pull tab on the front for freeing your monies.

(Via NightLab.Com)

The Power of Coupons

The history of coupons is a somewhat interesting one. It seems that the concept started over 110 years ago when a Drugist, named Asa Candler, started giving out handwritten tickets for a free glass of his new fountain drink called Coca-Cola (he bought the formula for a whooping $2,300). The next year another entrepreneur of sorts named C.W. Post, distributes the first grocery coupon worth one cent towards his new health cereal, Grape Nuts.

Fast forward forty years, to the years of the Great Depression and coupons have become a vital necessity and by the mid-sixties more than half of all Americans are using coupons on a regular basis.Statistically speaking, regardless of income and age — a large majority of us use coupons on a regular basis. What is most interesting is that of the 86% of us who use coupons, those in the higher income brackets use coupons basically as much as the lower income groups. And the highest percentage of coupons users are senior citizens (91% of people over 65 polled — use coupons).

• Shoppers saved approximately $2.6 billion last year by using coupons.
• The typical coupon was worth $1.15 savings in 2006
• Coupon users report an average of 11.5% savings on their grocery bill with coupons.
• Manufacturers offered more than approximately $330 billion in coupon savings in 2006.
• Up to 35% of manufacturers only send coupons upon request. Call manufacturers’ 800 numbers (often found on the packages of your favorite products) to request coupons. (Source; National Coupon Council)

My wife and I are veteraned coupon users, we grew up using coupons with our parents. My wife is diligent about cruising the Sunday paper for its coupons (reasoning that on-average you can get enough coupons to essentially save what you spend for the newspaper itself), but we are increasingly turning to the internet for our coupon needs.

We have found a number of sites that offer your standard fare of manufacturer coupons for products like snack food or cereal but also some that offer considerable deals on bigger ticket items like auto parts, electronics and furniture. Even in the blogger world you can score some wonderful savings. What’s nice about the blogger world is the number of giveaways available. The wide and powerful world of Mom Blogsphere mention them regularly (check the helpful links below). The one that I am privy to is being offered through UltimateCoupons.Com. They’re offering a free Nintendo Wii in the coming month. Aside from this special offer they seem to have their finger on the pulse of online coupons with links to many well-known manufacturer offers (and checkout their Frugal Blogroll for additional resources).

Sited Links;
National Coupon Council

Helpful Links;
UltimateCoupons.Com
OnlineShoppingBargain.Com
BabyCheapSkate.Com

10 Biggest Daily Expenses

Based on these numbers you could save yourself up to $12,045.60 per year just by keeping your vices in check! That represents a 37.5% of your salary – based on the national average income (which is $32,140 for those age 25 or above)! So listen up Mom’s and Dad’s – here’s the list;

1. Coffee – Average price for brewed coffee is $1.38 a cup. Considering the U.S. average consumption is 3.2 cups a day, we’ll assume one of those cups is purchased on the go. There are 260 weekdays a year – that’s $358.80 a year on a modest Starbucks routine.*BTW – Women indicated that having a cup of coffee was their way of relaxing whereas a cup of “joe” for the guys, was inspiration to get the job done.

2. Cigarettes – Current national average are hovering around $4.54. In NYC they are as high as $8 a pack on the street. Pack-a-day smokers fork over $1,660-$2920 a year! Weekend smoker? Buying a pack once a week adds up, too: $236-$416 annually.

3. Alcohol - Depending on your “poison” and the mark-up of your favorite “watering hole” be-it the local Sports Bar or the VIP Room, we can set an average of $5 per beer including tip, buying two beers per day adds up to around $3,650 annually and you can figure twice that for two mixed drinks a day at the local bar which is a whooping $7,300 a year annually for celebrating the spirits.

4. Bottled Water – A very common vice for soccer moms, kids and dads on the go. A average bottled water costs about $1 at the convenience store. One bottle of water per day costs $365 annually – never mind the negative impact on the environment with all those plastic bottles.

5. Manicures – Surveys found that the average cost of a manicure is about $20. A weekly manicure sets you back about $1,040 per year. And if you indulge in a Mani’ and a Pedi’ expect an annual set-back of $1,560.

6. Car Washes – It is common to get a basic wash once a week here in LA primarily because of all the pollution (sediment) thats about $12 per car or $14 for a SUV — that’s $676 a year. The average cost for a basic auto detailing package is $58, according to Costhelper.com. The tab for getting your car detailed every two months: $348 per year.

7. Weekday Lunches Out – $7-9 will generally cover a decent lunch most work days. If you buy rather than pack a lunch five days a week for one year, you shell out between $1,820-$2,350 annually.

8. Vending Machines Snacks – The average vending machine snack costs $1. Buy a pack of cookies every afternoon at work and pay $260 per year.

9. Interest charges on Credit Card - According to a survey released at the end of May 2007, the median amount of credit card debt carried by Americans is $6,600. Rate tables on Bankrate.com indicate that fixed interest rates on a standard card average 13.44 percent. Making the minimum payment each month, it will take 250 months (almost 21 years) to pay off the debt and cost $4,868 in interest, which is an average annual interest payment of $231.80. Ouch!

10. Unused Memberships – Costhelper.com reports that the monthly service fee at gyms averages between $35 and $40. At $40 per month, an unused gym membership runs $480 per year.

Sited Links;
BankRate.Com | Top 10 Money Drains
Wikipedia | Personal Income In the U.S.
Coffee Statistics