Being Frugal on the On-Grid Farm pt. 1

I have had one full year at home now.  Although, admittedly, my mind and heart have both wandered at times.  You've heard me talk about how hard it is to undo that independent woman mentality that our mothers pushed (not mine though-nonetheless, I still followed the culture).  I have had applications, interviews, and even accepted an offer but hubby was thoroughly against it, and so I acquiesced, probably burning all bridges in that regard.  Now, I must continually remember that hubby's job is to make the money and mine is to stretch it and save it.  (It can be hard growing up in the generation that loved Guess jeans, Liz Claiborne purses and all things department store.)

Since we are still on-grid, and probably will always be until SHTF occurs, this past year's goal was to lower our energy bill.  I put us on the equal pay plan, basing it on the previous year's average.  We paid $180 every month.  I was very nervous about how my being home would affect this.  I would be cooking more, using the oven and stove more.  Would I have to have more heat or air throughout the year since I was home?   I have music on while I am home alone, and since I don't have a radio yet I am still using the computer and how much does that cost?  With effort and nagging, I saved over $300 last year.  I don't have my new monthly bill yet since my savings covered December and I only owed 84.00 this month.  I am guessing it will be about $160 or so.  Now I have to see what else I can do for this year to lower it even more.  (Hmmm, solar would probably help, wouldn't it?)

What did I do to reduce it last year?  I started by adjusting the thermostat.  In the winter,  I keep it cold at 55 degrees. If it is a particularly cold day and I won't be in the living room much where I can build a fire or on the weekend when the family is home, I bump it up to 60 in the day if there are too many complaints, and lower it back down at night.  Yes, my house plants are not super happy, but they stay in sunny spots that aren't too bad. I also looked up peak hours.  October - March peak hours were 6 am - 1 pm and April through September they were 1 pm to 6 pm.  Again, that was last year.  This year it is different!  So if you plan on working around peak hours in your home, check yearly.  This year it is October 1 through May 31,  7 am to noon, and June 1 to September 30, 1 pm to 7 pm.  I use this schedule, I really do.

For example, I won't start a load of laundry until after lunch or after supper in the winter, unless of an emergency (work clothes not in the hamper, cat puke on the rug.  I also did a lot of hand washing with my mobile washer last summer.  Theoretically, I can do this inside as well, using either a 5-gallon bucket in the shower or even using the tub. I just haven't done this yet.   I guess I had better on that soon to keep those kilowatts down!  As you know, I don't wash jeans or heavy towels by hand.  I am not a complete martyr.  And, I also do not hang clothes outside on the line in 30 degree weather, 50 and sunny, maybe.  What I do now during these cold and cloudy months is put a load of clean clothes in the dryer for about 10-15 minutes to help with wrinkles and heavier fabrics.  Then I take my over-the-door-rack and other clothes drying racks and put them in a smaller area and use a space heater to help dry them.  I am hoping this is a little cheaper than a dryer for the full time.  I don't know if it is or not, really.   Plus, I get a little warm area when I come back in for doing outside chores in the chilly air.  The best place is the bathroom while everyone is at work or school.  But sometimes the mess is just in the way.  Right now I am using my "incubator hole."  My egg incubator is sitting in a space behind the closet door where it is by a register, out of the sun and stays over 60 degrees outside the incubator per the instructions.  So, I am utilizing that space for my clothes drying.

The family rolls their eyes, shakes their heads, but does it anyway.  I ask not only that they turn off lights and ceiling fans, but also to unplug box fans, chargers, coffee makers, etc.  I unplug the TV/cable box at night (sometimes that doesn't get plugged back in until hubby gets home) and turn off power surge with the computer and wifi and printer and something else plugged in...wonder what that goes to???  Oh, the pencil sharpener.  Forgot about that.  Oh my, I need to get rid of that.  I have a pocket knife that would work just fine!  How much does this save?  I dunno.  But, again, I feel better knowing that I am at least trying.

Someday we may have some solar energy at our disposable, but even that requires an upfront cost that makes it hard to jump on board, especially when you have so much fence to buy!

Is there anything that you do to conserve energy or lower your power bill?