Buckets of rain

We’ve already received quite a bit of rain this season, and there’s likely more on the way. One way to utilize that rain and save money at the same time is to catch it in barrels. First, create a home gutter system that guides rainwater into barrels. Then buy a solar-powered pump, like the RainPerfect debuting this month from ITT Corporation. It will pump water from a barrel into your sprinkler system or garden hose, up to 100 gallons per charge. Or, if you have house plants, just use your barrel to fill up your standard low-tech watering can.