How a Texas Mom Slashed Her Water Bill for Less Than $10

With prices rising out of control in every direction, it's not surprising that people are trying to find new ways to cut costs.

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The drought across the state isn't helping, with 80% of Texas facing water restrictions, according to KRIV. A Houston, Texas mother of five shared some good advice on TikTok about one way to reduce the bills that are coming in -- without making a huge investment of time or money.

How to Save Money on Your Water Bill

The mom, who goes by @TeamHayHomeSchools on TikTok, says replacing a worn-out flapper valve in all her toilet tanks has slashed the family's water bill by $50 a month because it wastes less water with each flush.

She said she was able to put one in all four of the toilets in her house for $30. @teamhayhomeschools purchased her parts on Amazon, but you can also buy a new, water-saving toilet flapper valve for under $10 at many stores. Walmart has a water-saving brand for $7.44 for sale on their website.

Ways to Reduce Water Usage

If you're looking for more ways to cut back on how much water you're using, the Environmental Protection Agency suggests these tips:

Fix any leaks
Run the dishwasher (it uses less water than washing dishes by hand)
Take shorter showers
Turn off the faucet when brushing teeth

Money Saving Tips

Looking for more ways to stretch your ever-shrinking dollar? Here are some easy ones, from U.S. News & World Report:

Find free events
Quit an expensive habit
Challenge yourself to reuse your stuff
Buy clothes from thrift stores
Ask if an item will go on sale before you buy it
Turn your thermostat down.

This Temple, Texas DoorDasher Helped an Elderly Woman Get Fresh Start

Shelby Moeller never imagined that an odd request while delivering for Door Dash would lead to a life-changing experience for him as well as an elderly woman who needed more than food.

He described his initial encounter on Facebook, thanking people who offered to help the 78-year-old woman he named 'Jane Doe' to protect her privacy. On March 20th, he was able to share some amazing news on Facebook.

"Many of you probably remember my post last week about door dashing and coming across an elderly woman in deplorable conditions. When I made the post, I was thinking that I just needed to raise awareness that our elderly right here in our community are often alone, forgotten, and in need of help. I never imagined that through my post, God was going to provide a small but mighty army of volunteers that would jump in and save Jane Doe."

Jane Doe had to be moved out of her apartment while biohazard disinfecting was done by Spotless Crime Clean. All furniture, carpet, and most of her possessions had to be thrown away. There was also no edible food, as everything in the kitchen was either expired or infested with insects.

Shelby was able to spend some time with the woman, who he described as his 'new adopted grandma'. He learned about her background, and how she had struggled throughout her entire life, being reduced to having nothing multiple times. She had developed some hoarding behaviors, and he believed that some of that was due to her fear of losing everything again.

Take a look at the before and after photos of the amazing transformation of her home that changed a Central Texas woman's life and helped her start over in a healthy environment.

Hook ‘Em! 7 Celebrity Graduates From University of Texas at Austin

When you think of the University of Texas at Austin, what comes to your mind first? Is it celebrities? Of course, some celebrities are more vocal than others about their alma mater. Matthew McConaughey lets everyone know where he came from, so no surprises there. The actor is also a Professor of Practice at the university's Moody College of Communication, and graduated in 1993 with a Radio/TV/Film degree from UTA.

Aside from McConaughey, you might be surprised at some of the famous people who picked up a degree in the Lone Star State's capital city.

The Top 10 Worst Places to Live in Texas

While it's always a good idea to know about areas with the lowest crime rates and best recreational opportunities when you are looking for a place to live, it’s also important to know which places to avoid. Even if you move to a neighborhood with a low crime rate, you could also be close to less safe communities.

Here are the top 10 worst places to live in Texas according to moneyinc.com.

Source: How a Texas Mom Slashed Her Water Bill for Less Than $40

Filed Under: houston, news, texas