Stop cheating your electric: How to safely replace a 2-prong outlet
Today we’re going to talk about power outlets, grounding, and how you can safely plug things into an old 2-prong outlet by replacing it with a GFCI or “ground fault circuit interrupter” receptacle. Doing electrical work can be intimidating, but if you follow the directions and use common sense this one is actually pretty easy.
7 creative ways to save energy costs, even in your rental!
With a little practice, I have been able to save around 20% on my energy usage each month. Imagine if your electric bill for your one-bedroom apartment is $100 in the winter, these few tricks will save $20 right away, which means an extra $240 in your yearly budget. You could do things like: treat yourself to a cheap dinner out, buy yourself that fancy new tablet, or just load up on the geeky swag of your choice! Here are some things you may not have thought of to help you use less in your rental…
Never lose an iPhone charging brick again
So many new electronics charge via USB cable — remotes! Phones! Gadgets! Combine all your charging stations into one simple place with this hardware upgrade.
Nerding out: how we wired our house for ethernet
Setting up a wired LAN in your house is somewhat unusual, because most people do just fine with a wireless connection. But it does offer some distinct advantages over an exclusively wireless network, like faster speeds, lower latency, and better reliability. If you’re a hardcore enough nerd, this might be your next home project.
SPRING HAS SPRUNG! Everything’s growing in this week’s reader photos
Dudes, I woke up this morning and looked out the window and the world looked SO GREEN after all the rain Iowa got this week. It’s been warm here for weeks, but it’s not spring until the plants are growing. And it looks like people in the Offbeat Home Flickr pool are feeling the same fresh verdantness. Let’s take a look at the world with fresh eyes, and enjoy the Clicky Link bounty.
My major DSL and Cable Internet providers are out. Am I destined to live in the netless stoneage?
We moved fast, and found out Internet service in our new building is lacking. Are there alternative options other than “local DSL” and “local cable” internet providers?
Go paperless at home: 7 ideas for less clutter, less stress, and more free mindspace
So much paper comes into my house that I just don’t care about. Bills that don’t change month-to-month but that I should keep for my records, receipts, healthcare info, manuals — it’s all stuff I don’t WANT but I need to keep, just in case. Sound familiar? In an effort to make all our lives less cluttered, here are seven ways to get after a paperless house.
We lost the TV and found bowling dates, sleep, and a travel budget
While in college, we gave up TV in order to see more of each other. Seven years and two kids later, and we’re still without TV — and it’s enabled us to live more richly!