Shopping Ideas to Turn Black Friday Green

I've already discussed a few energy saving gift ideas and energy saving holiday decorations that will reduce your electric bills.  But often times you can save energy in some unexpected ways by using products that may not be marketed as 'energy savers'.

Today I'll look at five unexpected products that can reduce you and your friend's electric bills.

Indoor Gill

A good indoor grill can be an excellent alternative to using the oven or stove top. The Hamilton Beach 25325, for example, has a large enough cooking surface for a family of four and removable non-stick (and dishwasher safe) grill plates for easy washing.

An added benefit is that it serves as an excellent back-up plan for out door grilling when the weather or time doesn't permit.

Sound Conditioner

Do you sleep with a fan on just to create background noise? If so, you might consider a "noise machine" Marpac 980A sound conditioner. The 980A uses between 6 and 15 watts depending on the setting, which is generally much less than a fan that is on high enough to create adequate noise.

Ceiling Fans

Ceiling fans can go a long way to saving on both air conditioning costs and heating costs, and you may be able to find some great Black Friday deals at the big box stores.

Most fans require very little energy to operate, and can run in the reverse direction to force warm air downward in the winter.

Rechargeable Batteries

Rechargeable batteries have come a long way since the days of NiCd. Today's NiMH batteries perform better and handle more recharges than those old "Ni-cads".

Stick with NiMH (Nickle Metal-Hydride) for the best performance, and check out Michael Bluejay's Battery Guide for more excellent info on rechargeable batteries.