[HippieSurvivalist]

So my electric bill, with an annual rate hike of like 20%, hit close to $200 this past summer. So far, having taken several steps, I've got it down to about $ 145 per month, on an annual budget.

We're on a strict "no lights on in an empty room" rule. We already ditched cable, so there's a lot less TV watching. I only leave exterior lights on if we're expecting company at night. We're down to about 4 loads of laundary a week, from 7-10. This past week, I was able to get away with running the dishwasher only 3 times, down from 5-6 per week. I'm keeping my fridge really clean, which supposedly helps save electricity. This is also aided by the fact that I'm buying a lot less pre-prepared food, cooking more fresh food, which means less stuff to refridgerate.

Regarding natural gas, I simply have refused to turn on my heat so far! I'm also taking fewer showers (nat gas water heater) --which is OK, since I'm not a particularly stinky person and don't get sweaty during most days. My kid is not bathing daily either--she's a hippie kid!

I've cut way back on lawn mowing--now doing it once a month, if that! Sure my home looks somewhat neglected, but who cares?

Biggest change: not driving. I was able to go a whole week without driving my car. One of the cars is, in fact, currently out of commission with no insurance being paid on it, sitting in the driveway. How did we do this? It's a lot less convenient, but we're relying on public transport, walking, bicycling and car pooling. I was also able to use a bunch of vacation days, which negated the need for driving at all since I could keep my daughter home with me and so niether of us had to go into town.

Also, garbage collection has gone from weekly to every other week. Saves about $10 per month.

I'm looking for ideas--what are other people doing to save a few bucks?

HippieSurvivalist

 

[ecilop]

When you are not using appliances like your TV, stereo system, etc., unplug them. Even though they are turned off, they still use current. Although they don't use that much, if left plugged in 24/7, it adds up.

 

[S.James]

down to about $ 145 per month,

Whats the Kw per hR rate you are paying . Hell my bill is only 30 bucks a month , goes to about 45-50 during the winter .

How big is your house ???

I cant let this one slide , sorry .........................::

Regarding natural gas, I simply have refused to turn on my heat so far! I'm also taking fewer showers (nat gas water heater) --which is OK, since I'm not a particularly stinky personyea , right , ask the person next to you , you STINK , know it or not . and don't get sweaty during most days. My kid is not bathing daily either--she's a hippie kid!poor girl , shes off to a bad start in life .

So , Stinky Hippy is a fitting name .................:rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl:

don't get sweaty during most days.

Thank God you dont have a real job , thanks to us taxpayers , enjoy while you can as teachers are the second in line to be shot by the Socialist hoards ...............::



P.S. Your conservation is duly noted , and should followed during the upcoming harsh winter . Thanks for the GREAT post HS !!!!!

 

[Idaho]

I turn the breaker off to my hot water heater some days. The water actually stays warm enough to take a shower two days after.

 

[mongoose]

anual 20% hike?

you say that as if it a regularly scheduled event, i certianly hope not, that is gonna be devestating to regular folks who work 40hrs a week for a living.

is your state utility company run or regulated by the state?
in our part of rural Texas we use co-operatives, which must run at no profit and at end of the year return all unused funds to co-op (customers).

 

[Straight Razor]

Only one bottle of scotch a week...it was a sacrifice, but...

And I took a bath back in 2004...

 

[S.James]

I call BS!

Crow now being served , with a salad of STFU and a side of dumb ass .

hmmmmm i bathe a whole hella lot less than every couple days.... keeps the undesirables away...

Must be hard to keep walking away from ones self .................

 

[Grinnan Barrett]

I have ceiling fans in every room. I have put extra insultation in my attic. I changed out my heating and cooling system to a much better and more energy efficient unit. Cut my bill by 40 % first thing. Putting Reflective screening on windows. Put in storm doors. Insulated the garage door. Put in heat reflective Window shades. Got more efficient Gas water heater system. Went to digital Thermostat. Will be using the new thermal barrier in my attic with spray on aluminum barrier.

Dont cool rooms not in use. Cut down heat to those rooms in winter. Do not turn heat al way off.

 

[S.James]

http://s137.photobucket.com/albums/q233/KIDGLOCK/?action=view&current=POSGPUpper.flv

 

[HippieSurvivalist]

I have ceiling fans in every room. I have put extra insultation in my attic. I changed out my heating and cooling system to a much better and more energy efficient unit. Cut my bill by 40 % first thing. Putting Reflective screening on windows. Put in storm doors. Insulated the garage door. Put in heat reflective Window shades. Got more efficient Gas water heater system. Went to digital Thermostat. Will be using the new thermal barrier in my attic with spray on aluminum barrier.

Dont cool rooms not in use. Cut down heat to those rooms in winter. Do not turn heat al way off.

I suspect our goals aredifferent: I'm trying to stay warm! Even so, what is reflective screening and heat reflective window shades?

 

[Paulycracker]

Well, to cut back, the first thing I did was move somewhere I didn't have to pay the utilities. And by God, it worked too, darn near 100% of the time. Well, at least all of the time.

And before the 'wittiest' beat me to it, you could always cut back on your hours on the computer. :taped::thumb:

Kidding, kidding...:

 

[cadethepagan]

It's been hard to get my wife to adhere to the "empty room lights off" rule. She will even leave the tv on when not watching it. I don't know if she is afraid of the dark or being by herself or what but when I come home from work (after 10pm) all the light in the entire house are on. So I systematically walk through the house and turn them off. I made a good investment by replaceing my light bulbs with flourescent. I'm also going to turn the water heater down a bit. I'm use to luke warm or cool showers.

-Cade

 

[Josiah922]

Already replace all lights with the more efficient 5 to 15 watt models.

Building 2 large solar window heaters for this winter. Should produce a little heat from the sun for FREE.

Also looking at a hot water heater timer.

Looking at a small solar setup that will just supply a few lights to the house.

Will be replacing the fridge next year. Hopefully with a more efficient model.

 

[Paulycracker]

It's been hard to get my wife to adhere to the "empty room lights off" rule. She will even leave the tv on when not watching it. I don't know if she is afraid of the dark or being by herself or what but when I come home from work (after 10pm) all the light in the entire house are on. So I systematically walk through the house and turn them off. I made a good investment by replaceing my light bulbs with flourescent. I'm also going to turn the water heater down a bit. I'm use to luke warm or cool showers.

-Cade

You could always wear a white robe and jump out and scare her half to death with a recorded chipmunks cartoon tape. Then explain that bogeymen aren't real. :thumb:

I tried the energy efficient bulbs, but they don't seem to last longer and have mercury. Also, I tend not to use my air unless it's bad. And I like to open the windows at night and close them in the day to keep the cool in.

 

[rncmomx2]

We only eat out 1 time every other week, I only go to town 1 time a week, we homeschool (no lunch money, picture money, yearbook, fundraiser etc), we buy all (except undees and personalls) daily wear clothing second hand (lucky to have a goodwill that only the very rich spoiled kids parents donate to, we buy jackets and winter wear at the end of the season sales at wallyworld, we run our ac at 70-but we have the good fotune to have a very insulated house (no BS our bill runs around $45.00 a month), we barter for items instead of purchasing them, we buy for quality not price which = a product that will last and not have to be replaced frequently, we do not have cable/satalite, we/our kids do not waste money on game systems (rot your pocketbook and your brain), we reuse items (grocery bags (free) become trash bags), we sell a less used item and replace it with a more usefull item (one out one in), we do not turn our heat on until the weather drops to below the 30's at night (when it's 30's outside its's upper 60's inside) and wear a extra layer (we wear thermals or polar fleece pj's, we have down comforters and thermal blankets), we burn what little trash we have instead of having trash pick-up (only 2 small grocery bags a week), we buy what we need and not what we want.

 

[Renegade Chipmunk]

WE try to conserve in every concievable way we can.i.e. Water,Gas, Electric. Other expenses. It takes the efforts of both of us to watch it, but it does work. We have never been high users of the energy grid. I have always unplugged unused electrical appliances, because I worry about a house fire. ( A phobia of mine )( in my extended family, 4 families have lost their homes to fires over 40 years.) Also, many thousands of rounds of ammo being exposed to a burning house, would spell disaster for the responders.
When we leave for an extended trip out of state, I turn off the gas at the meter.
It requires having to re ignite pilots, but, I don't mind. I also turn off the water. And snap off all circuit breakers that aren't needed to keep the house going. Refrigerator is the only thing left really operating. The security system operates via the phone line, and a recharging battery. I notify the local police about our departure, and where we'll be with a phone number to reach us. They check on the place frequently. I like that!

The one bill I hate every month is the cable bill. It is 100 bucks a month for a bundle. Without it, our televison won't work after Feb. 2009. A gottcha if there ever was one.
Anything to screw the public, and pick our pockets.

 

[hellspawn]

Conserve hahaha why I pay for what I use....

 

[Cryptophylaxis]

For everyone who lives in a cold area prone to getting snow, look at your roof the next time it snows. The areas that the snow melts from first are the ones that are lacking in insulation. Look at your neighbors homes. Do they have uneven big wet empty patches on their roof and clumps of snow in other areas? That means their attic is bleeding out their heat.

That lack of insulation is letting your expensive heat escape. New insulation is far cheaper than one good cold seasons worth of letting your heat leech out of your poorly insulated attic.

I also close off areas of the house that don't get much use during the winter so I can save on the heating bill. If I'm only in a certain room for 15min out of the whole day why heat the darn thing?

 

[Ioninc]

I don't eat animals, much cheaper to let them be there when I really need them. Corn flakes and peaches, salsa and chips........yes!!!!!!

 

[FlungPup]

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