During your teen-age years, if you ever asked your dad for 20 bucks to go to the movies, you probably received a lecture about spending and saving money at the movies. And if grandpa was around, he probably contributed.

They might tell you a story about how they could buy popcorn, see a double feature — with a good opening cartoon — and still receive change from a $1 bill. (You may have already figured this out, but grandpa was telling the truth; dad was lying for effect.)

Those days are long gone. Average movie tickets are up to $9 apiece, but if you’re going to a 3D movie with reclining seats at night as an adult, you’ll play several dollars more than the average. And, based on the concession stand prices, who knew popcorn had become such a rare and valuable commodity? (Oil producers are jealous of movie popcorn producers in today’s economy.) It all adds up in a hurry.

Still, we pay these prices, because we love movies. To help you enjoy movies even more, we’ve compiled a list of nine ways that you can save money at the movies today. (That’s one tip for each dollar you’re spending on an average ticket.) These tips won’t allow you to go for $1 like grandpa did, but you’ll hopefully save enough that you’ll be able to tell your grandkids some of your own stories about how cheap things were in your day.

1. Join the Theater’s Loyalty Club

You will have to give out some personal information to join the loyalty club, but the rewards are worth it for frequent movie goers. Many theater chains offer discounts based on how much you spend over time. Others have special discounted tickets and concessions nights for loyalty club members.

2. Try a Monthly Pass

One interesting idea that may be worth it for frequent movie goers is MoviePass. It allows you to pay a monthly subscription fee and you then can see one movie per 24 hours all month long. You’ll manage all aspects of using MoviePass with a smartphone app.

Subscription prices vary depending on where you live, whether you want to lock into an annual contract, and whether you want to see fewer movies per month.

Not all theaters work with MoviePass, and even if your local theater does honor MoviePass, it may have restrictions. And you cannot see the same movie more than once. But on the plus side, some theaters will credit your ticket purchases at full price for their loyalty programs, rather than what you’re actually paying through MoviePass, which is great.

Before signing up, read through the details closely to ensure it’s a good deal for you at your local theater. And if your theater does not participate in MoviePass, it never hurts to ask if they will partner with the service or if they have their own monthly pass deal.

3. The Earlier, the Better

If you don’t mind going to the movies a little earlier than most people, you could save 15%-25% for a matinee movie ticket. Even if you only go to the movies every other week, you could save around $50-$60 per person annually. Most theaters offer these slight discounts before 6 p.m. on weekdays and before 4 p.m. on weekends. So consider flipping the traditional script and going to the movies first before going to a late dinner. (And you probably won’t have to fight for the best seats if you go earlier.)

4. Special Discount Nights

If you’re a senior citizen, a member of the military, or a student, your local theater chain may have a special night of the week where you’ll receive a discount. It probably will be on a weeknight, so don’t plan on this idea for a cheap Friday night date. My local theater chain offers $5 movie tickets on Tuesday nights for students, for example, which is half price. Some discounts for seniors are available at all times and can be as much as one-third off the regularly priced ticket. You just have to see what’s available at your local theater and then ask for the discount.

5. Gift Card Discounts

Don’t feel guilty about using this tip! There’s nothing wrong with buying a gift for yourself on occasion.

Around the holidays, your local theater chain may offer a discount for gift cards purchased in bulk. If you buy $100 in gift cards, you may receive a $10 gift card for free, for example. That’s like receiving a nearly 10% discount on your tickets.

Another option for cheap gift cards is a local warehouse club. They often sell gift cards for many places like restaurants and movie theaters at a discount to the face value of the gift cards. These discounts range from 5% to 15%.

Finally, you can visit sites like CardCash to find discounted gift cards for movie theaters. Just make sure the gift card is for your local theater chain and not a theater 30 miles away.

6. Avoid Extra Fees

Purchasing your tickets from online movie reservation sites can be convenient. But you may pay an extra $1 or $2 for the tickets. Sure, this doesn’t seem like much, but on a $10 ticket, that’s a 10%-20% surcharge. Buy from the box office or the theater’s own web site to avoid the surcharge. Or perhaps the theater has a mobile app that allows you to purchase tickets directly.

You’ll also pay added fees to see a movie in 3D or in IMAX resolution. Sometimes this extra feature is worth it, but not always. If you’re really fired up about seeing a particular movie, go ahead an splurge for 3D or IMAX. But if you’re unsure if you’ll like the movie, go for the traditional 2D and save a few dollars.

7. Download the Theater’s App

Some theater chains will push discounts to you through their app every few weeks. And if you’re a loyalty club member, it may work in conjunction with the app for other discounts and reminders of special deals. (Just don’t use the app during the movie — rude!)

You also can follow all of your theater’s social media accounts, as they may occasionally announce ticket and concession discounts. But in most cases, using the app and signing up for the loyalty club is an easier way to receive consistent discounts from a particular theater chain.

8. Save Money on Snacks

One of the great things about the theater experience is the snacks. It’s just part of the cost of the movies for many people. But they’re expensive, so it helps to save a bit of money here.

You may receive discounts on snacks as a loyalty club member. And some theaters offer a snack bundle — aimed at kids — for a much lower price than buying the items individually.

Let’s be honest: No one needs as much popcorn as most theaters serve. But perhaps sharing a bucket among a family isn’t overdoing it too much. If your kids will fight over the tub, bring some paper lunch sacks and divvy up the tub, so everyone receives a fair share. And if you have a really big family (or if you’re addicted to movie theater popcorn), many theaters now offer free refills on the largest tub of popcorn.

Finally, quietly bring your own snacks. For example, you can buy theater sized candy boxes at grocery stores usually for around $1. This can be as much as a 75% discount versus what you’ll pay at the theater for the same box. Understandably, theaters don’t tell you to bring your own snacks. But as long as you aren’t obnoxiously flaunting the fact that you brought your own candy, most theaters will look the other way.

9. Deal Sites

There are movie deals floating around the Internet, if you just know where to look. Admittedly, it can be a huge hassle to track multiple sites. But that’s where we at Ben’s Bargains enter the picture, ready to help you save money. We regularly collect special deals on movie tickets, so check with us before you buy those tickets and you’ll be saving money at the movies!

Try These 9 Tricks for Saving Money at the Movies

If you’re interested in installing a smart thermostat in your home, congratulations! This is a great way to control your home’s heating and cooling more efficiently, saving you some money over the long run. (And you’ll save even more if your AC unit is clean and running at top efficiency!) But performing this type of DIY installation isn’t for everyone. Learn how to install a smart thermostat — and whether this is a task you can handle — with our tips.

Time Required

If you have the right wiring in place, you can expect this process to take about 20-45 minutes. If you need an electrician to change some wiring, that task could take an additional up to 60 minutes, depending how easy it is to fish a wire through your wall and connect it to the HVAC unit.

Tools Required

If you’re ready to tackle the process of how to install a smart thermostat, you may need the following list of tools.

• Philips screwdriver
• Flathead screwdriver
• Masking tape
• Voltage tester
• Level
• Drywall repair spackle
• Paint brush and touch-up paint
• WiFi network password
• Smartphone

Savings

Certainly, you could pay to have a smart thermostat installed. Many electricians will do the job, as will heating and cooling system technicians. Electronics stores or hardware stores often will provide technicians too. However, if you need to change out wiring, only an electrician will do this part of the job.

If you purchase the smart thermostat at a store that offers installation, you may receive a break on the cost of installing it. Such technicians may also help you download the right app and connect the unit to your home WiFi network. Without a price break, anywhere from $50 to $100 is a common cost to install a smart thermostat.

If you need to have wiring added to accommodate the smart thermostat, you could pay another $75 to $200. However, some electricians will give you a break on the cost of the installation of the thermostat, because they already will be at the home to install the new wiring.

As long as you have the right type of wiring, this is a pretty easy installation process. So it’s worth saving some money to try it yourself. But if you’re at all uncomfortable around electrical wires, it’s probably worth spending a bit more to have it installed for you.

Do You Have the Correct Wiring?

If you live in an older home or you have an older furnace/AC system, the wiring needed to hook up a smart thermostat may not be present. To check your wiring situation, you’ll have to remove the current thermostat from the wall mount, as described in the next section. (After cutting the power, of course.)

Look at the wiring. You need to see multiple wires available, rather than a large cable with two copper wires inside it. If this is what you see, it’s likely a high voltage setup that’s common in older wiring systems. Most smart thermostats cannot work with high voltage wiring.

If you have small wires of multiple colors available — either separate or within one cable sleeve — this is a low voltage system, which works with smart thermostats. Each wire connects to a certain terminal on the smart thermostat. The “C” wire, short for common or continuous, is the most important wire to find. If you have a low voltage system, but you don’t have a C wire available, you will need to install one that connects to your HVAC unit.

It’s possible — but unlikely — that your smart thermostat doesn’t need a C wire to provide continuous electrical power. Read through the installation materials with your smart thermostat to see if a C wire is required.

A few smart thermostats can work with a high voltage system, but will still need a C wire. (Again this is possible, but unlikely.) You can try to install a C wire yourself and connect it to your HVAC system, but we wouldn’t recommend it. This is a job better served by hiring an electrician. And if you need to convert a high voltage system to a low voltage system, this again is something an electrician needs to handle.

Disconnecting Your Current Thermostat

To disconnect your current thermostat, turn off the circuit breaker for it. It may be the same breaker as for the furnace. It’s also possible that your furnace, AC unit, heat pump, and thermostat wiring are all on separate breakers. (Hopefully your system is well labeled.)

Additionally, turn off the switch that’s mounted near the furnace. (This switch will look like a light switch.) It’s important to cut all power to the HVAC unit and the thermostat before beginning this process, or you could cause damage to the unit.

Understand that some thermostats have batteries to power a display screen. So even if you cut the power at the circuit breaker, the thermostat may still appear to have power. Remove any batteries from the thermostat too. We’d suggesting using a voltage tester to ensure the power is off to the wiring for the thermostat before disconnecting the wires.

Remove the thermostat’s face plate, if it has one. Otherwise, the thermostat should lift away from the mounting bracket.

Once you can see the wires, use the voltage tester. After you’ve ensured the power is off, look at how the wires are connected to the current thermostat. If there are no labels on the wires, use masking tape to wrap around the wires and create your own labels. The labels you create must match what’s printed on the terminals of the current thermostat.

You may also want to snap a photo of how the wires are connected to the current thermostat, so you can see which wire colors connect to which terminals of the current thermostat. The photo will be a backup for you, should the labels fall off the wires.

Now disconnect the wires from the terminals on the current thermostat. Most will be connected via a screw, although some may fit into a clip.

Some thermostats make use of jumpers, which are short wires that connect one terminal to another. (You can see a jumper connecting the Rh and Rc terminals in the photo above.) You can remove any jumpers without labeling them. If your smart thermostat requires jumpers (which is rare), the unit’s instructions will tell you how to install them.

One problem you may find is that the wires coming out of the wall are very short. Once you disconnect them, it’s possible they could fall back into the wall. If you’re concerned about this, tape the cable to a pencil or screwdriver as you disconnect it so it can’t fall back into the wall.

Now carefully remove the mounting bracket from the wall. As you’re jostling the bracket, this is another time when a wire could slip back into the hole in the wall, so be very careful with this step.

Connecting the Smart Thermostat

The guidelines here for hooking up your smart thermostat are general in nature. Follow the instructions with your particular model of thermostat if there is a difference from our guidelines.

Attach the new mounting bracket to the wall. Make sure you center it properly so the wires from the wall are centered on the bracket. It’s important that the mounting bracket is level. (Some smart thermostat mounting brackets have built-in levels, as shown in the picture here.)

Most smart thermostats weigh very little, meaning you won’t need to drill into a stud or use drywall anchors. However, if your system ships with drywall anchors or if the instructions recommend using them, do it.

If the new bracket is quite a bit smaller than the bracket for the current thermostat, you may have to patch a few holes in your drywall. Depending on the last time the wall was painted, you may have to do some touch-up painting too.

Most smart thermostats will have you connect the wires to the mounting bracket/base plate. Each terminal on the base plate should be labeled clearly, so you know which wires to connect. You’ll either connect the wires to a terminal with a screw or with a built-in clip. After connecting a wire to a terminal, tug on it to ensure it’s tightly connected.

Make sure any extra length of wire is tucked back into the wall, so there’s room for the face plate.

It’s possible you may have extra wires that have nothing to connect to on the base plate. This is rare, but possible. Use a wire nut to protect the exposed area of the extra wire.

Next you’ll pop the face plate onto the mounting bracket/base plate. If the face plate requires batteries (which is rare) install them first. With a smart thermostat, there should be only one way to connect the face plate. If it doesn’t seem to fit quite right, look closely at the instructions. You shouldn’t have to use a significant amount of force to snap the face plate onto the base plate.

With everything hooked up, turn on the circuit breaker again. You should see the screen light up.

Connecting to the Network

Now you can make a connection between your home WiFi network and the smart thermostat. Most devices should give you on screen prompts for making the connection. Have your WiFi password handy. You’ll also may need to have the smartphone app for your particular model of smart thermostat installed before you can connect the thermostat to your WiFi network.

You’re then ready to use the unit! Take bit of time to study how the smartphone app works so you’re of the receiving all energy savings you can reap from using your new smart thermostat properly!

Saving Money With DIY: How to Install a Smart Thermostat

These days, the data that you have on your computer or smartphone is almost certainly more valuable to you than the device itself. Think about what you’d lose with a data crash, and it’s almost enough to invoke a panic attack. So we know you’ve heard it dozens of times, but maybe this time it’ll sink in: You must back up your data on a regular basis. Fortunately, these days backing up data can be inexpensive. We’ll show you the four easiest and cheapest data backup and data storage methods and help you figure out which option is best for you.

Cloud Storage

If you’re still a little fuzzy on understanding the cloud, the easiest way to describe it is a data storage site that’s in a remote location.

When you upload data to the cloud, you’re simply creating a copy of your data in another location. This is a great option for many reasons.

• Remote location. If you suffer a catastrophe at your home, the data is stored in a safe location remotely.
• Automatic uploads. Most cloud storage services offer an automatic uploading of your data each time you make a change. Once the service is set up, it works automatically.
• Large storage levels. With cloud storage, you’ll have access to an almost unlimited amount of storage space that you easily can expand as needed.

Most cloud storage sites give you a certain amount of data storage for free, so check into these offerings first. For example, Google Drive offers 15GB of storage for free, while Microsoft OneDrive has 1TB of free storage for people who own Microsoft Office software licenses. Many other options are available too.

You may be able to just save your most important files in your cloud backup system, allowing you to remain under the free storage limit, meaning you have no cost to use the service.

If you need more space, you’ll pay a monthly fee for extra storage space beyond the free amount. Most people can easily survive with a storage amount that’ll cost less than $10 monthly, sometimes far less. Because this is such a competitive market, shop around. Prices change constantly.

The downside to cloud storage is that you lose physical control of your data. Although cloud storage services have multiple layers of security for protecting your data, some people just can’t shake their dislike for the idea of handing control of their data to someone else.

USB Flash Drive

Although cloud storage is easy and convenient, the cost of storing data on a USB flash drive has dropped tremendously in recent years, making it cheaper than cloud storage for those with storage needs above the free limits that a cloud provider offers.

If you’re paying $5 a month for 64GB of storage in the cloud, you can make that up in a few months with a USB flash drive. Some advantages of USB flash drives include the following.

• Large capacities. It’s easy to find a flash drive with 64GB or more storage.
• Fast uploads. If you have a USB 3.0 slot on your computer, pairing it with a USB 3.0 flash drive yields extremely fast read/write speeds.
• Small and portable. USB drives don’t take up much room and are easy to carry with you.

Our favorite USB flash drive right now is the 64GB Samsung USB 3.0 Flash Drive.

Check Price on Amazon

The biggest downside to a USB flash drive is that creating backup copies is not an automatic process. You have to remember to make backups. Additionally, the flash drive probably will be in the same location as your computer most of the time, so a fire would destroy both copies potentially.

And unlike the cloud, you must have the USB drive in your possession to obtain the backup data. With the cloud, you can access your backups anywhere you have an Internet connection by just entering a user name and password.

SD Memory Card

Everything we just wrote about USB flash drives can be applied to SD memory cards too. Most computers have an SD card slot, and you can easily copy files to it, just as you can a USB flash drive.

Prices on average are a little higher for an SD memory card than a USB flash drive for the same amount of storage, although the two types of storage mediums have become very close in price in the past several months.

We really like the price point and performance of the SanDisk 64GB Ultra SDXC UHS-I memory card.

Check Price on Amazon

External Hard Drive

The most bang for your storage buck, though, belongs to external hard drives. These devices connect to your computer through a USB connection and allow you to copy huge amounts of data to them as a backup method.

It’s common to find external hard drives with 1TB of storage capacity (that’s roughly 1,000GB). Such devices are larger than memory cards or USB flash drives but cost far less per GB than those devices.

You again have to remember to perform data backups with external hard drives, rather than it being an automated process as it is with the cloud. But these devices are clearly the cheapest option for anyone with huge data storage needs, such as for a collection of photos or videos.

We really like the Seagate Expansion 1TB Portable External Hard Drive, which has a thin case and is available in data sizes up to 4TB.

Check Price on Amazon

Other Options

Here are some other data backup and storage options that didn’t make our top four list, but that have some advantages.

• Optical discs. Some people still like to back up to CDs and DVDs. Although you can use these optical discs, they aren’t as convenient for data storage and backups as the methods listed here. However, if you need to be able to show what your files looked like on a particular date for archival purposes, a writable DVD-R option, such as the Verbatim 50-disc spindle, offers 4.7GB of storage per disc.

Check Price on Amazon

• Online backup services. Some online backup services will store data for you automatically, just like the cloud services we mentioned earlier. However, these services go one step further by guiding you through the process of restoring your data after a crash. These services all charge monthly fees, so you’ll pay for the simplicity they offer.
• Network Attached Storage. If you have a network at home, you can place an NAS box on the network to handle backup storage options. These are difficult to set up for the average person, and they aren’t as cheap as some other options, but backups can be run as an automated process on the network if desired.

[table caption=”Cheapest Data Backup Cost Comparison Table” width=”480″ colwidth=”50|20|20|20|20|20|20″ colalign=”left|center|center|center|center|center|center”]

Data Storage Option,Microsoft OneDrive,Google Drive,Dropbox,USB Flash,Memory Card,Ext. Hard Drive

Typical Storage Size,50GB,100GB,1TB,64GB,64GB,1TB

Cost per GB first month*,$0.04*,$0.02*,$0.01*,$0.31,$0.34,$0.06

Cost per GB first year*,$0.48*,$0.24*,$0.12*,$0.31,$0.34,$0.06

Requires fast Internet,Yes,Yes,Yes,No,No,No

Local storage option,No,No,No,Yes,Yes,Yes

Easy and fast for huge storage needs,No,No,No,No,No,Yes

Automated backup possible,Yes,Yes,Yes,No,No,No

One-time upfront fee,No,No,No,Yes,Yes,Yes

Repeatable monthly cost,Yes,Yes,Yes,No,No,No

[/table]

*If you aren’t using all of the data you’ve paid for with the cloud storage systems that carry monthly fees, your cost per GB used is higher. For example, if you’re only using 50GB of your 100GB plan from Google Drive, your cost per GB used is double what’s listed here because you’re leaving half of the storage you’re paying for unused. And if you’re only using 125GB of your 1TB with Dropbox, you’re cost per GB used is several times higher than what’s listed in the chart because so much storage space that you’re paying for is going unused.

The 4 Easiest and Cheapest Data Backup and Storage Methods

If the lead up to Father’s Day usually involves dad telling you he doesn’t need you to buy him anything, and then you purchasing him something anyway, well, first, your dad probably is displeased to know that he raised a disobedient child.

And secondly, let us try to translate what dad actually means. He means he doesn’t want you to waste your hard-earned money on a gift for him that isn’t practical.

So we have the answer: Buy him something inexpensive — say less than $10 — to ease his mind. Additionally, make sure it’s practical, something he really can use. We’ve developed a list of the five must have tech gadgets for less than $10 that work great for the dad who doesn’t want anything. (On the down side, dad won’t be able to add to his collection of ugly ties in the back of the closet.)

1. USB Hub

Everyone has plenty of USB powered devices these days. So adding a USB hub to your collection of tech gadgets will give you plenty of places to plug in your devices.

The Sabrent 4-Port USB 3.0 Hub offers four output ports and one USB input port with 5Gbps speeds for USB 3.0 devices. Each port has an LED light for indicating its power status, which is helpful for ensuring you’ve connected your device correctly.

Check Price on Amazon

2. Smartphone Screen Protector

Dads probably don’t take care of their phones like they should, shoving them in a pocket … or worse. So take better care of the phone with a screen protector. Glass protectors provide the most protection for a reasonable price, preventing scratches. Just make sure you pick the protector that matches the phone.

For iPhone 6 and 7:

Check Price on Amazon

For Galaxy S7:

Check Price on Amazon

3. USB Phone Charger for Car

If dad spends a lot of time in the car, make sure his smartphone is always ready to go with a USB phone charger. This unit plugs into the 12V power outlet on the car, and provides power to devices through a USB connection.

The Anker 24W Dual USB Car Charger PowerDrive 2 is a nice charger with a great price point and two USB ports.

Check Price on Amazon

4. Earbud Headphones

Don’t expect great audio quality with earbud headphones that cost less than $10. Then again, with the dinosaur music dad listens to, perfect audio quality probably isn’t a priority.

The best thing about inexpensive earbud headphones is that if they break, you don’t have to feel bad. We like the MEE Audio RX18 headphones, as they deliver a controlled bass level. And they’re available in multiple colors, should dad appreciate pink or purple headphones. (They’re also available in black in case that’s more his style.)

Check Price on Amazon

5. USB Thumb Drive

Everyone needs to make backup copies of their data more often than they do. So a USB thumb drive is a very practical gift that will help push dad in the right direction concerning backing up his data.

Additionally, USB thumb drives offer a ton of storage space for inexpensive prices right now. We love the SanDisk Cruzer Blade flash drive, as it offers 32GB of storage space for less than $10. It’s a USB 2.0 device, so it’s not the fastest model on the market, which is why it carries a low price right now.

Check Price on Amazon

5 Useful Tech Gadgets Under $10 for Father’s Day

One of the best ways to save money around your home is to perform some types of repairs and maintenance yourself. But some types of work are easier to do yourself than others. In this edition, we’ll help you learn how to prep an AC unit for summer and figure out whether you can do this work yourself, saving some money in the process.

Savings

If you can do the general maintenance work on your air conditioning unit yourself, you may be able to save anywhere from $75 to $150 for a service call.

Some companies will offer good deals on air conditioner “tune-up” services in early spring, so you may find this service at a special price of $50 to $75. But some shady repair services use this “tune-up” deal to convince you your AC unit needs repairs that it actually doesn’t need. Finding a trustworthy repair person who will be honest with you is more important than saving a few bucks with a special on a “tune-up” for your AC unit.

If you can only do some of the basic maintenance tips listed below, at least you’re going to make the unit more efficient, saving some money on your electrical bill this summer. And a clean air conditioning unit will have a longer lifespan too.

Time Required

Even if you’ve never worked on an air conditioning unit before, you should be able to complete this type of maintenance in a couple of hours. An AC unit that hasn’t had maintenance performed on it previously will take longer, as it will be dirtier. If you perform maintenance on it a couple of times per year though, the process may only take an hour as you’ll be familiar with the work and the unit will be cleaner.

Tools Required

Cleaning and maintaining an air conditioner requires some simple tools, but they do have to be the right size. The exact sizes and tools you’ll need depend on the types of screws used to secure the unit’s panels, both indoors and outdoors.

• Screwdriver with varying bits
• Socket wrench with varying sockets
• Putty knife (or butter knife)
• Insulation tape
• No-rinse coil cleaning spray
• Soft-bristled brush
• Level
• Garden hose with pressure nozzle
• Wet/dry vacuum
• Hedge clippers

Preparation

Pick a reasonable weather day to perform this work, as you’ll be outdoors. You don’t want to be working in really cold temperatures, as you’ll be using water.

Find the fuse for the air conditioning unit and turn it off at your electrical box. Sometimes an AC unit will have its own fuse box near the unit outdoors that you’ll need to turn off too.

Simple Maintenance Jobs

Here are some simple, specific tasks you can complete to perform maintenance and learn how to prep your AC unit for summer.

• Clean up: Outdoor air conditioning units will collect debris on their grates over time because of the way they draw and expel air. You’ll see leaves, twigs, seeds from trees (such as cottonwood), and even animal fur stuck on the various parts of an AC unit. Removing this debris will allow the unit to run more efficiently, as it can move air easier. A wet/dry vacuum may work well for cleaning the exterior grates if the debris is dry. You then may need to remove the grates to clean the unit’s metal fins properly. Most of the grates are attached with screws or hex screws.
• Washing with water: You also can use water to clean any debris from the metal fins on the AC unit. (These metal fins will look like a zig-zag pattern, and they’ll be tightly packed together.) It’ll work well to use a garden hose with a power nozzle to gain enough water pressure. If you can get inside the unit and spray toward the outside, you’ll be able to remove the debris easier. If you can only spray from the outside, the water may clump the debris together, pushing it toward the edge of the unit, where you can remove it by hand. If you have pets or trees in your area that produce seeds that fly through the air, you may want to wash the fins a few times during the summer.
• Straightening fins: Once the fins are cleaned, you may notice some are bent. You’ll want to straighten them to ensure they can work in the most efficient manner. They don’t have to be perfectly straight to work properly, but ensuring they aren’t touching each other will help. You can use a flat head screwdriver to straighten the fins. A small putty knife or even a sturdy butter knife with a thin blade will work too.
• Free space. Make sure vegetation and foreign objects are at least 24 inches from the unit. If you have plants near the AC unit, you’ll want to check this free space occasionally during the summer, so the air conditioner has enough room around it to draw and expel air properly.

Tougher Maintenance Jobs

If you feel comfortable working around the air conditioning unit, you can perform a few other tasks that require a bit more know-how. But if you’re leery of these tasks, call in a trustworthy professional.

• Leveling. As an AC unit ages, it could slip out of a square alignment (such as the unit pictured above). Place a level onto the air conditioning unit, just to make sure it’s in alignment. Some air conditioners are braced with brackets against the home. Others rest on a platform on the ground. If the unit is not level, it could cause problems with the compressor over time. You can use shims to adjust the level of the unit as a temporary fix.
• Clean evaporator tube. Inside the home, you may have an evaporator coil inside the blower unit near the furnace. As moist, warm air inside the ducts strikes the coil, moisture from the air collects on the coil. It usually then drains through a flexible tube to a floor drain. This tube can become clogged with algae and mold over time. (Yes, that’s gross.) But you can clean this tube for a better performance level. Use a wet/dry vac to clean out this tube. Or if it’s especially clogged, consider swapping it out.
• Clean evaporator coil. The evaporator coil described above will collect dust over time. (You can minimize the dust by regularly changing your furnace filter.) If you feel comfortable working inside the unit, you can clean these coils. You’ll have to remove a panel from the unit that has screws or hex screws holding it in place. It also may have some insulation tape around it. Once you can see the coil, you can sweep it with a soft-bristled brush. Then finish cleaning it with a condenser coil spray that you can purchase in a hardware store. This special type of spray doesn’t require rinsing, so it’s great for this type of work.

Final Tips

Before you switch over from heating to air conditioning for the summer, be sure you’ve inspected both your interior and exterior units for any odd damage. If you can easily see the wires, inspect them for any cracking. If you suspect anything out of the ordinary, call a professional.

Outdoors, look for nests that mice may have created. This is a potential problem if you covered the unit all winter, creating a habitat protected from the weather. Or look for any cracks in any portion of the unit where water may have penetrated and frozen, causing a crack.

Indoors, make sure to change all filters. Inspect the unit for any corrosion or cracks. This would be rare, but it could happen with an older unit if water was building up in the area.

Certainly, if you see any cracks or damage, it’s time to call in a professional. But if the all of the components look good, and if you’re able to complete the maintenance tasks described above yourself, your air conditioner will now be ready to run at full throttle for the summer (as long as you remember to turn the power back on at the fuse box). Plus,  you’ll have saved some money in the process!

Saving Money with DIY: How to Prep an AC Unit for Summer

All vehicle batteries eventually fail, unable to hold a charge over time. If you own a riding lawn mower, a golf cart, or an ATV and the battery is several years old, it’s probably time to learn how to replace an outdoor power vehicle battery. Such batteries don’t last much more than three to five years typically.

When you’re ready to replace an outdoor power vehicle battery, you don’t have to call for help. This is a task you can perform yourself, saving quite a bit of money in the process versus having an in-home service call that can cost $100 or more in labor costs. We’ll show you step by step how to replace a lawn and garden battery.

Before You Replace

If the vehicle makes a clicking noise when you attempt to start it, it’s possible that the battery needs replacing.

First though, check the condition of the battery. If you’re lucky, the battery will have a date it was created printed on it. As you can see from our photo above, this battery was created in March 2012, so that’s a strong clue that it’s time to replace the five-plus-year-old battery.

Then check the terminals. (These are the metal posts sticking out of the top of the battery.) If you see corrosion on the terminals, which looks like a white, fuzzy substance on and around the terminals, you need to clean them. Leaking acid from the battery causes the corrosion. A 50/50 mixture of baking soda and water applied carefully with an old toothbrush will clean this leaking acid. Use just a little bit of this mixture at first, only adding more as needed.

You must remove the battery cables from the terminals to perform a proper cleaning. We discuss this process further down in this article.

Once you’ve cleaned the terminals, try starting the vehicle again. It may work now.

If you don’t see corrosion or if cleaning the corrosion didn’t help, you can determine the battery’s voltage level with a digital multimeter.

If you have a 12-volt battery (which most outdoor power vehicle batteries are), any reading less than 11V or 10.5V indicates a battery that needs charging or replacing.

One of the best battery testing options is the Etekcity MSR-R500, because it’s easy to use with a backlit LCD with large numerals.

Check Price on Amazon

If the voltage level is low, you can try charging the battery before replacing it.

Batteries for outdoor power vehicles will lose their charge if they’re left idle for several weeks at a time or subject to cold weather. The more times a battery loses its charge, the faster the chemicals inside the battery break down, eventually rendering the battery useless. So it’s a good idea to charge the riding lawn mower or golf cart battery every month if you aren’t using it to preserve the longevity of the battery.

To charge it, you can purchase a portable battery charger that plugs into a wall outlet and converts that power to charge the battery. Such chargers are smaller than the battery itself and easy to move around. One of our favorites is the Black & Decker BCS10B 10 amp charger, because it’s easy to use. Additionally, a 10 amp charger does the job two to six hours faster than a slightly less expensive 2 amp or 5 amp charger.

Check Price on Amazon

If the battery still will not hold its voltage after charging, it’s time for a replacement.

Finding the Right Type of Battery

The type of replacement battery you choose will depend on the type of vehicle you have. The replacement battery must match the voltage level of the current battery.

You don’t have to purchase a battery from the manufacturer of your vehicle, although you can. Third party battery makers will offer batteries that are compatible with many outdoor power vehicles, and they typically will save you 15% to 35% from the manufacturer’s brand name cost.

Any third party battery should include a list of outdoor power vehicles with which it’s compatible. Only select a battery that is compatible with your vehicle, or you could cause problems with the vehicle’s operation. Additionally, some replacement batteries designate left or right orientation to allow the battery to line up with the power cables from the motor in the outdoor power vehicle, so pay attention to this.

Replacing the Battery

Once you have the replacement battery in hand, you’re ready to proceed. Tools you’ll need for this job include the following.

• Eye protection
• Gloves
• Old clothing
• Old toothbrush
• Baking soda/water 50/50 mixture
• Stiff bristled brush
• Shop rags
• Pliers or locking pliers
• Socket wrench or another set of pliers

You’ll want eye protection and gloves to protect you from any acid leaking from the old battery. Such acid will put holes in clothing too, so wear old clothes. Even if you can’t see any acid leaking from the battery terminals, it might leak when you move the battery. Keep any acid away from your skin or it will cause burns.

Two cables from the vehicle’s motor should be attached to the battery. Most of the time, the cable attached to the positive terminal is red and a black cable is attached to the negative terminal, just to make things clear and easier for you.

The terminals usually are in one of two shapes. It might be a U-shaped piece of metal with one hole in it that extends out of the top of the battery. Or the terminal is a round post sticking out of the top of the battery. The positive terminal is marked with a plus sign, while the negative terminal will have a minus sign or no sign. The positive terminal also may have a small plastic or vinyl cover that you can lift and slide out of the way.

Now remove the battery cables from the terminals. The end of the cables may consist of a bracket or a simple piece of metal. Either way, the metal end of the cable must be touching the battery terminal or the battery will not work. Both types of cables will attach to the battery terminal with a bolt and nut. You’ll have to hold the nut with pliers while turning the bolt with a socket wrench or another set of pliers.

Once the cables are completely removed, set the bolt and nut aside in a safe place, because you’ll need them again. Look for any straps or fasteners that are holding the battery in place and remove them.

Lift the old battery out of its compartment and set it aside. (It’s heavier than it looks, so you may need help.)

Look at the metal ends of the two cables to ensure they don’t have any corrosion on them. If they are discolored in anyway, clean them with the baking soda/water mix with the old toothbrush we described earlier. If you see rust, clean it with a stiff bristled brush. Dab them dry with a clean shop rag. Clean the nuts and bolts if needed too.

Lower the replacement battery into the compartment. Make sure that the positive terminal on the battery is on the same side as the positive cable from the motor.

Connect the terminals on the replacement battery to the battery cables, using the nuts and bolts that you removed earlier. Make sure everything is tight and that the metal on the battery cables is clearly touching the metal on the battery terminals.

If you’ve attached everything correctly, the mower should start immediately. If it doesn’t, use your voltage tester to ensure the battery has a full charge. (All batteries you buy for outdoor power vehicles should be sold with a full charge.) If the battery is charged and the vehicle will not start, you likely have another problem with the vehicle.

But this is rare. Most of the time, simply swapping out an old battery for a new one will ensure your riding lawn mower, ATV, or golf cart is up and running again.

Don’t Forget to Recycle

Make sure you take your old battery somewhere to be recycled. In fact, many stores where you buy the replacement battery will charge you an extra fee at the time of purchase that you’ll have returned to you once you bring in the old battery for recycling.

Never dump this old battery into a garbage can to be sent to a landfill. The corrosive components inside these large lawn and garden batteries are poisonous and could contaminate soil and groundwater. Recycling is the only safe option.

Save Money With DIY: How to Replace an Outdoor Power Vehicle Battery

As spring morphs into summer, few things feel as good after a long day as enjoying some wine on the deck. Although the wine tastes great and you could drink the whole bottle, you know you shouldn’t. Have a flight to catch in the morning after all.

Because you’ll be out of town for a week, you won’t be able to return to the deck and enjoy the rest of that wine for a while. This isn’t a problem. There’s no need to throw out the half empty bottle. You can use our tips to keep open wine fresh, so that same bottle is waiting for you when you’re back from your trip … and still tastes great.

Why Does Wine Go Bad?

Wine doesn’t necessary go bad in the sense of it causing harm to you if you drink it. Instead, it just won’t taste as good as it did when first opened.

Different types of wine will maintain a premium taste for different periods of time after being opened. Some table wines are only at their peak of taste for a few days after opening. Fortified wines can last a few weeks.

Once the wine is exposed to the air, a chemical chain reaction begins occurring in the wine. The oxygen begins changing the chemical composition of the wine. You’ll notice two changes that eventually rob the wine of its best aroma and taste.

• Vinegar smell. Wine takes on a vinegar smell because bacteria metabolizes the alcohol in the wine into chemicals that create a vinegar smell.
• Rotted fruit taste. The wine eventually will take on a taste of bruised or rotted fruit after it’s opened too. This occurs after the alcohol in the wine is exposed to air and begins to oxidize.

Fortunately, there are a few things you can do to slow the speed with which these changes occur. Try our five tips for keeping opened wine fresher longer!

Coravin Model Eight System

If you want the top of the line technology in your wine preservation system — along with a system that looks futuristic and just plain cool — the Coravin Model Eight System is the way to go. As an added benefit, if you hate trying to remove the cork from your wine bottle, this system leaves the cork in place.

We won’t delve too deeply in the technology, but the Coravin system pierces the cork with a thin needle, allowing the wine to be poured very slowly into your glass. The system then inserts inert argon gas into the bottle to replace the wine you’ve poured, slowing the process of oxidation. The combination of leaving the cork in place with only a small hole while also inserting inert gasses limits exposure to regular air.

As you might imagine with something this complicated, the Coravin system is expensive.  But it’ll give you several extra days with that expensive bottle of wine, all while providing a cool gadget.

Check Price on Amazon

Vacu Vin Wine Saver

The Vacu Vin Wine Saver has a “best seller” rating on Amazon for a reason. It has a low price point, it’s easy to use, and it’s relatively effective.

The Vacu Vin Wine Saver uses a rubber stopper to block the mouth of the bottle. The Vacu Vin pump then pulls as much air out of the bottle as it can before sealing the rubber stopper. It’ll give you a few extra days of optimal taste and aroma.

Check Price on Amazon

Private Preserve

The Private Preserve system is another inexpensive wine preservation option. This can almost looks like a can of WD-40 lubricant. You’ll spray Private Preserve’s blend of inert gasses into the bottle of wine through an extension tube.

These gasses will create a layer just above the top level of the wine in the bottle, protecting it from oxidation from regular air. You’ll then replace the cork in the bottle to gain a few extra days of great taste and aroma from the wine.

Check Price on Amazon

Pour It Into a New Bottle

Consider purchasing a few smaller bottles of different sizes that have screw tops. Then pour the leftover wine into the small bottle. Try to pick a size of bottle that will be nearly filled with the leftover wine. This means you’ll have as little air in the bottle as possible, slowing the process of oxidation.

Refrigerate It

For the easiest option to lengthen the lifespan of that opened bottle of wine, make sure to refrigerate it. Regardless of whether you use one of the products listed above or you just jam the cork back into the bottle, refrigerating the leftover wine will slow the process of the chemical changes that begin as soon as you open the bottle.

This is a simple, yet effective option. You’ll preserve the wine for a few extra days by just refrigerating it.

Keep an Open Bottle of Wine Fresh With These Money-Saving Tips

If you’ve put off replacing an old, leaky shower head at your house, you’ll be surprised how quickly this job can be completed. Replacing a shower head is one of the easiest ways to save money with DIY at your home. We’ll help you learn how to change a shower head with so little fuss and mess that you probably won’t even need a shower when you’re finished.

Time Required

This is one of the more straightforward DIY projects you can tackle. As long as everything goes right, you should finish this project in 15-30 minutes. After doing this simple DIY job, you’ll wonder why you put it off for so long.

Tools Required

Replacing a shower head only requires a few tools.

• Pliers
• Adjustable wrench
• Electrical or other thick tape
• Teflon thread tape
• Scissors
• Steel wool

Savings

Even though this is such a quick job, most plumbers are going to have to hit you with a bigger than expected bill. Most of them have to bill a full hour, even if the job only takes an expert 10 minutes. So you could easily pay $75 or more for this job, plus the cost of the shower head.

Additionally, if you have an older, leaky shower head, you’ll save money on water usage with a new shower head because it won’t leak. Newer shower heads are more water efficient than older ones. And if you’re receiving better water pressure from your new shower head, you may take shorter showers, again saving money on water usage.

Here are three great options for new shower heads in varying price points. Just make sure the color of your new shower head matches the color of the pipe where you’ll be attaching it.

• Inexpensive: Delta Single-Function Shower Head

Check Price on Amazon

• Mid-range: AKDY Rectangular Rainfall Jet Shower Head & Wand Combo

Check Price on Amazon

• Expensive: Speakman High Pressure Adjustable Shower Head

Check Price on Amazon

• Supplies: You may have to buy Teflon thread tape too, although some shower head kits ship with the tape included.

Check Price on Amazon

Removing the Old Shower Head

You should be able to remove the old shower head by turning the nut on the shower head counter clockwise. A pliers should do the trick, but if it won’t budge, try an adjustable wrench.

Be careful with this step so that you don’t damage the pipe coming out of the wall. To protect the pipe, you can hold it in place with one hand while twisting the shower head nut with the pliers in the other hand.

Once the shower head is removed, you’ll see the end of the pipe with threads on it. It may also have some old thread tape on it.

Cleaning the Pipe

You need to clean the end of the pipe, making sure to remove all debris, including any old thread tape, rust, or other mineral deposits. If any debris is left on the threads, it could cause the shower head to leak.

We’ve found that steel wool is a good way to remove any debris. It’ll clean the pipe without leaving any additional residue.

If needed, use a flashlight to closely inspect the threads on the pipe for any debris.

Wrapping the Thread Tape

You may have to purchase the Teflon thread tape separately, but it’s becoming more common for shower heads to ship with some Teflon tape in the kit. The thread tape is white and almost has a feel of cloth to it.

Wrap it around the shower head pipe two or three times and cut it with scissors.

Attaching the New Shower Head

Before installing the new shower head, look at the area inside the nut. It should have a washer inside. This washer will prevent leaks, so it’s an important part of the shower head installation.

After checking the washer, spin the nut clockwise onto the threads of the pipe. You may need to hold the thread tape in place with one hand while you get the nut started. Just make sure the nut doesn’t push the thread tape upward and off the threads as you screw on the shower head.

Hand tighten the nut as far as you can. Then use an adjustable wrench or pliers to twist the nut until it’s tight.

Don’t tighten the nut on the shower head too far, or you could damage the shower head or the threads. Once the nut is no longer easy to turn with an average amount of force applied, stop turning it.

Additionally, take care to not scratch the nut with the pliers. You can place a thin towel between the pliers and the nut or you can wrap the nut in thick tape (such as electrical tape) so you don’t scratch it.

Testing for Leaks

Now for the report card on your work: Testing the shower head for leaks. (Have some towels handy, just in case.) Turn on the faucet and the water should flow through the shower head normally. If it isn’t flowing properly, turn off the water immediately. Some Teflon tape may have come loose and is blocking the shower head.

With the water is flowing properly, look at the shower head closely near the nut. If there is leaking occurring, this is where it will show up.

If you find a leak, turn off the water. Try tightening the nut a little more with a wrench or pliers. If you still can’t stop the leak, you may need to remove the shower head and try wrapping the Teflon thread tape again. Start with a new strip of Teflon tape. Wrap it tight. Test the shower head again.

More Complex Installations

If you have a hand-held shower head — one that attaches to the pipe coming out of the wall with a flexible hose — you’ll have to take an extra step. Attach the mount for the hand-held shower head to the arm with Teflon thread tape, just as you’d attach a permanent shower head as described above.

You’ll then attach the flexible hose to the mount and to the hand-held shower head, again using Teflon thread tape. Tighten all of the nuts, but don’t over-tighten them. Then check for leaks in all the spots where you made the attachments.

If you find you simply cannot attach the shower head without causing leaks, you may have to call in a plumber. But if you take care with attaching the nut and wrapping the thread tape properly, you should have no problem completing this DIY project cheaply and quickly!

Saving Money With DIY: How to Change a Shower Head

The Super Bowl checks off a lot of the boxes regarding American-type celebrations. An overabundance of food. Fast-paced concerts. Ads featuring babies and dogs. Perhaps a little bit of beer. And, of course, football.

So if you’re hosting the Super Bowl party this year, there are a lot of expectations to uphold. For the host, most of those expectations center on the food and drink you provide. And while there are quite a few millionaires on the field at the Super Bowl, chances are you don’t have a million-dollar budget for your party. Consider our list of the best ways to save money on a Super Bowl party!

Go Generic for the Basics

Although the fancy name brands will be featured all over the Super Bowl commercials, you don’t necessarily need to pay their prices for your party. Inexpensive store brand potato chips, salty snacks, salsa, dipping sauces, popcorn, and OJ for mixed drinks aren’t going to draw attention from party goers … especially if they’ve already consumed a few of those mixed drinks. They’re more interested in the foods you make yourself. Put the store brands in a bowl, and most people won’t know the difference, allowing you to save money on Super Bowl party planning.

Visit Warehouse Clubs

If you need to shop for ingredients to feed a large set of people, say a dozen or more, you will save a bit of money by shopping at a warehouse club. If  you don’t have a membership to a club, it isn’t financially worth it to buy a membership just for a once-a-year Super Bowl party, but some clubs allow for a trial membership for this type of situation. And if you’re looking for pre-made snacks, they’ll be less expensive in these clubs versus traditional grocery stores.

Alcohol Options

When it comes to breaking the budget of your Super Bowl party, alcohol can do it in a hurry. As long as you aren’t picky about the brand of beer, wine, or hard liquor you’re going to offer, you generally can find some good sales just before the Super Bowl. Shop around, as warehouse clubs, grocery stores, liquor stores, and even convenience stores may offer really good deals on alcohol, using the sale price to draw people into the store. Don’t try to anticipate everyone’s individual alcohol preferences, or you’ll overbuy. Just pick a few different options to provide. Or if you have friends who are picky about their brand of alcohol, make it a BYOB party.

Pre-Made Vs. Self Prep

Yes, it’s cheaper to prepare the food yourself. But if you’re taking two days off from work to cook, you might not be saving money in the long run. Figure out your menu ahead of time, and then determine which foods you can made quickly. If a type of food you want to serve will take a long time to prepare, you may save money in the long run — not to mention save some stress — if you purchase that particular food pre-made.

Pick a Family Favorite Main Dish…

Everyone has that one main dish that they love to prepare, that’s also a family favorite. It usually can be made inexpensively to save money on a Super Bowl party, and you’ve probably made it enough times that it won’t take long to prepare. Perhaps it’s a family recipe for chili or a rice casserole. Let everyone know it’s a family favorite, and it’ll give your Super Bowl party a personalized feel.

…Then Go Small With Finger Foods

After picking your one main dish, stick with small finger foods as complements. Sure, the Super Bowl is all about going to extremes, but your secondary food offerings don’t have to be. Rather than setting out a large pizza with only eight pie-shaped slices, cut it into squares, leaving more, but smaller, pieces. Don’t put out foot-long sub sandwiches; instead, cut them into six 2-inch subs. Small finger foods work well too, such as chicken wings or cut up pigs in a blanket. With smaller portions, you’ll encourage people to sample more types of food. And if there’s something on your menu that someone takes but doesn’t like the taste, they won’t be throwing away 11 inches of a sub sandwich.

Putting Friends to Work

Most of us have at least one friend who always brings food to a party like this … even when they’re told they don’t need to bring anything. Instead of just letting this friend bring a mystery food — a recipe that may match something you already have prepared — ask them to bring a specific item that fits within your menu. Perhaps they’ve brought a recipe in the past that you really liked, so ask them to bring that again. Not only will they feel great that you’ve asked for a specific favorite recipe, you’ll have a better handle on how much food will be on hand, reducing the chance of massive leftovers. And it’ll save you some money and time on food prep (but you can keep that information to yourself).

Avoid Too Many Sweets

Hosts tend to spend too much on desserts at these parties. Beer and hot wings are great together. Beer and nachos are a natural fit. But washing down a fancy football-shaped chocolate cupcake with a beer is not appetizing. Maybe limit yourself to a few candy dishes in the team colors: Green & white M&Ms for the Eagles and blue and red M&Ms for the Patriots.

Decorations

Don’t go overboard with decorations. Consider the local dollar store to pick up inexpensive football related decorations. And instead of spending big money for NFL-licensed Patriots and Eagles items, purchase plates and napkins from the dollar store in the team colors instead.

The TV

Finally, don’t forget about the TV … and the bigger, the better. We’ve collected quite a few deals on TVs you can use to save a bit of money, should you need a new model or a second TV for a secondary seating area. If it’s too late or too expensive to pick up a new TV for your party, consider asking a friend to bring one. Today’s flat screen TVs are light enough that they’re easy to transport.

Best Ways to Save Money on a Super Bowl Party

It wasn’t that long ago that decorating with lighting occurred during holiday times only. And after several hours of fixing burned out light strings and cussing and untangling light strings and cussing some more, you hopefully had a light display that was worthy of oohs and aahs from the neighbors throughout December. Now though, colorful LEDs give you the chance to use lighting as a decorating tool year around. Check out our seven best LED lighting ideas listed here to give you that holiday feeling whenever you want. And they’re so easy to install and use that there’s no cussing required.

Under Cabinet

You can place LED puck lights or light bars under kitchen cabinets, brightening up a space that’s commonly too dark for working. Puck lights may run from batteries. Or if you go with light bars, they’re easy to install, as long as you have an outlet nearby. You can connect multiple bars to save outlet space. And because LEDs are so inexpensive to operate, you can leave these lights on at night, providing safety to the family member who loves wandering through the kitchen for midnight snacks after everyone else has gone to bed.

One of our favorite inexpensive products for this is LED Concepts LED Light Bars, which are available in warm white and white colors.

Check Price on Amazon

Patio Lighting

If you have an outdoor patio that you use quite a bit at night, strategically placing some LED lights around the patio can serve two purposes. It can provide a fun look with colorful lighting options (or more subtle lighting if you prefer warm white). And it can provide a safety feature, so someone doesn’t step off the edge of an elevated patio or doesn’t miss seeing a staircase.

One of the best products to use for this type of outdoor lighting is the MARQ BrightStrip 5-300S. It contains 300 individual LEDs in a string almost 16.5 feet in length. These LEDs will work either indoors or outdoors. And it ships with a remote control that gives you an almost unlimited number of color options for the lights, so you can change the colors to match the season. The strings of lights have self-adhesive backing for easy installation. You can break the strip to meet whatever lengths you need. However, you will need to have an electrical outlet handy.

Check Price on Amazon

Skylight Lighting

During the day, a skylight is a great feature, allowing daylight to enter the home. Having that natural lighting available can really change the mood in certain areas of your home.

At night though, you may want to spice up this area with some LED lighting. For example, try using an LED strip or string lights around the edges of the skylight. Use a cool color to simulate twilight.

For a further effect, you perhaps could hang battery powered ATTAV LED Starry String Lights from the skylight, giving off the feeling of starlight through the window.

Check Price on Amazon

Bathroom LED Lighting

You have quite a few options for LED lighting in your bathroom. For example, you could choose to install vanity lights that provide white LED light that’s a perfect type of light to help with applying makeup. And because LED lighting doesn’t heat up like incandescent lights, you won’t end up sweating off all the makeup before you can make it out the door.

There are also a few less practical options. How about the AnGeer LED Multi-color Water Glow Light Shower Head (pictured above)? This unit can cycle through seven different colors, making it appear as though the water is colored. It’s available with square or circular shower heads. This is just weird enough that your child who hates to bathe may become a big fan of taking showers.

Check Price on Amazon

More Bathroom LED Lighting

If your kid loves the lighted shower water, hopefully this next LED bathroom lighting product doesn’t terrify the child. But if you want to make your bathroom safer at night, MAZ-TEK offers its Amazing Toilet Seat Lights. You’ll attach this LED light to your toilet, and it will turn on whenever the motion sensor is activated. Eight different LED colors are available. The suddenly glowing toilet bowl may be a little creepy for a few nights, but at least your son — or husband — no longer will be able to use darkness as an excuse for poor aim in the middle of the night.

Check Price on Amazon

Kids Night Lights

Night lights have come a long way from when I was a kid. If I would’ve had some of the cool LED night lights now available, I guarantee I would not have woken up my parents at 3 a.m. as regularly, claiming to be afraid of the dark.

If you choose to go with LED for your child’s night light, you’ll be saving some money on energy. And the light will remain much cooler than traditional incandescent lights, which will be safer if your child likes to get up in the night and wants to tough the night light.

One of my favorite inexpensive LED night lights is the MOKOQI Night Lighting Lamp, which is a star projector for the ceiling of the bedroom. It can rotate between blue, red, yellow, and green lights, or it can stick with one color. And the base is available in either blue or pink.

Check Price on Amazon

Home Security

LED lighting is a great option when it comes to enhancing your home’s security. LED lighting is extremely bright, energy efficient, and cost effective over the long run, making it a great option for security lighting. After all, security lighting should be something you can install and then not worry about it.

We recently put together a product guide for home security lighting that can help you find the right LED products to fit your security needs. And if you’re ready to save some money, we at Ben’s Bargains have collected some good deals on security lighting options.

Benefits of LED

LED lighting is a great option for enhancing your home’s design. New options appear on the market almost daily.

And going beyond design choices, there are plenty of good reasons to include LED lighting in your household plan, including the ability to save money with LED lighting. Its energy efficiency and long life span make it a smart choice in a whole host of situations. You may spend a little bit more up front for LED options, but you’ll save money over the long run … potentially a lot of it.

7 Best LED Lighting Ideas for Your Home on the Cheap