I consistently use less than $6 a month.....The Lessons of Frugality

misc.consumers.frugal-living | Saturday, July 27, 2002 2:17 AM | gigwatt

[dennisw]

 

 

The Lessons of Frugality

Since I went mostly off the grid, in January of 2000... I have
learned the lessons of frugality... lessons like replacing all my
incandescent 'hot' bulbs with Compact Florescent Bulbs... when
I made the change in bulbs, I was fully on the grid, and the
savings were immediate... I paid $3.95 to $5.95 for the CF
bulbs  at  the  IKEA  superstore... the  price  variance  was
dependent on the wattage of the bulb...

The reduction in my electric  bill was enough to pay for all
the new bulbs in about 12 months... I started solar cooking
in a home made cardboard box cooker,  in the back yard...
and now solar cook about  200  days a year... this  saved
me some significant costs from not using my Electric Oven
and Electric Stovetop... and it is amazing,  that we  use all
those KWH  to heat  up a  pan or soup... or other  foods,
when we have all that sun available... a solar cooker can be
just as hot as a indoor oven...and it's free sun...

I started opening up a few windows at night, to let any
accumulated heat out of the house... and turned off my
AC...since my house is well insulated, I find that keeping
a few windows open day and night, is a big help...I have
not felt uncomfortable during hot summer days...

As I mentioned, in January of 2000. I went mostly off
the grid, by buying 12, 90 watt PV panels..... I used 4
panels for awhile  to charge up 4 Golf  Cart  batteries...
and later increased that to 8 panels and 8 GC batteries...
keeping the remaining  4 panels in reserve,  for  a new
fridge and freezer later on... the panels gave me good
and consistent  power on  sunny days,  and  adequate
power on cloudy days...

I unplugged my old freezer, and fridge... they were old
and inefficient, and were another major power drain...so
unplugging them was a must in the my experiment to live
frugally and comfortably, if possible, fully off the grid...

Eventually I will get a new fridge/freezer, combo, that is
super efficient, and that will  be useful... I  do miss, ice,
ice cream, and storing frozen foods for the solar oven....
but for now, I will have to wait awhile on a new fridge...

I discovered that the use of small fans around the house
did not use very much of my sun produced power...so I
could use them day and night... and when I replace my
old Desktop Computer with a laptop computer... there
was another electric savings I could count on... I  leave
my laptop on many hours each day, and the power drain
is very small on my PV system...

Then... I bought a small WinTV module,  that plugs into
the back of my computer and now...I have replaced my
VCR/Monitor combination with the laptop again... with
only the laptop's power usage... I can watch TV now on
the laptop's screen, instead of using the big monitor and
VCR to watch TV...so this was another power savings...

I did discover that Wall Warts (which are those plug in
transformers that operate low voltage devices around the
house), were a big waster of power... so one day,  I  re-
plugged each wall wart on to a power strip, with a switch..
so that the Wall Wart could be off when not in use.... this
dropped my monthly KWH usage about 65 kwh.....I had
a lot of video equipment on wall warts, and was amazed
at the power they consumed,  24 hours a day,  7 days a
week... so, putting the Wall Warts on switchable power
strips, was another saving....

Nowdays... I use mostly my own PV power... and am
happy with that arrangement... I have plenty of good
cooked food, from the non electric Solar Cooker... and
fans for cooling, with my windows open at night.. and it
often does get a little cool at night..., I  have  plenty  of
lights, and can operate my laptop, with the TV included,
as long as I like...and when power outages occur around
the neighborhood, I don't even know it...because they
don't happen at my house...

My power is sufficient to operate my Microwave oven,
too... so, if I need indoor cooking, then it is available...

The things that were changed in my lifestyle, is that I no
longer use my central air conditioner and central heater...
and gave up my electric dryer and washing machine.. I
use a small one gallon washing machine that I invented,
and it works OK...

Maybe soon, I will  have a small 6 or 8 cu ft, fridge
and freezer, combo...with an equal sized fridge and
freezer.... it has to be energy efficient enough to
operate on my PV setup full time...

My grid bill is consistently down to less than $6.00 a
month... which includes $5.52 for a basic line charge...
with the bill actually being about $5.85, more or less,
for power, fuel surcharge, and city sales taxes... and
if the line charge was ever removed... then the electric
bill for the month, (for four or five kwh) would be
close to 30 cents a month... Fat chance that they will
ever remove the line charge...

When  I  move out  of the city... I  will  take my PV
system with me... so I  will not have any kind of grid
connection  at all... I  now have experience  with the
PV system,  and know  what works, and what does
not work...and for me,  the non-grid way, is the only
way... I don't think I could ever go back to living on
the grid..

Gig



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[Ditter]

What a selfish b-witch. She would be down there screaming for gov. assistance if one of hers was trapped in that mine. Lets remember never to let Cindy be in charge of ANYTHING.

[Rebelbase]

"seems just that, extreme. "

IMO, its a relative matter. For those of us living in cities or suburbia it does seem extreme. I did'nt pay attention to location in the article, is this guy living in a metropolitan area?, if so, yes that would be extreme.

For those living in isolated areas of the Western U.S., Canda or Alaska, its more a way of life...extreme to the city bound masses.

[TheFilter]

I live in a small town and actually, these are some good ideas. I wouldn't bother to cook my food in a solar box or get rid of my freezer, but substituting light bulbs for more efficient ones and using a laptop seem like harmless moneysavers. Someday I would love to have a solar house, since the sun's free!

We are in the UK and the transformers for all of our US voltage equipment are what kill us. We really need to start turning powerstrips off, too. Electricity is expensive here! :(

[esopman]

Thanks for posting this. I sometimes forget how liberals think. 'Grid (power) bills of less than $6/mo.' Sheesh. My ammo bill is a few times that just to keep a few Winchester .357 whiteboxes around for practice.

On a more serious note: It is important not to depend on the 'system' for everything; but the appropriate and targeted use of the benefits of civilization is a gift from God. (Contrast: we have central air, but heat with wood...)

Blessings on Freepers Everywhere.

[beowolf]

A 6 to 8 cu ft. fridge wouldn't hold my daily beer ration....some frugalities are not worth the savings!-)

[cynicom]

gig has too much time on his hands.

[DainBramage]

Good point.

[Joe Hadenuf]

Has the privatisation of the electricity system reduced Californians to this?

Uh, nice try, but this guy lives in TEXAS......

system only costs me about $250 for the Golf Cart Batteries, then there was $61 for the Inverter, and another $67 for the Battery Charger... and this simple, (and cheap) investment provides my home with some power during any storm, or hurricane (I live in Houston), or any future problem that may happen to the grid. In fact, I could provide myself, this limited power for several days if there was a prolonged power interuption.

[Donna Lee Nardo]

I don't see how the post solely reflects the thinking of liberals. In fact, it doesn't. Frugality, the appreciation and care of God's nature and all His creation; and becoming less dependent on the government are Conservative traits, no?

[Joe Hadenuf]

Actually this was meant for you.

Has the privatisation of the electricity system reduced Californians to this?

Uh, nice try, but this guy lives in TEXAS......

system only costs me about $250 for the Golf Cart Batteries, then there was $61 for the Inverter, and another $67 for the Battery Charger... and this simple, (and cheap) investment provides my home with some power during any storm, or hurricane (I live in Houston), or any future problem that may happen to the grid. In fact, I could provide myself, this limited power for several days if there was a prolonged power interuption.

[Snowy]

I think this person has the right idea. I wish I could do some of this, not because I am a "greenie", but because I hate our electric company!

[nanny]

I agree. It really upsets me to feel totally at the mercy of a utility company. This man sounds like he is doing what he wants to do, saving a little money, and having a good time. Why is everyone so upset with him?

I am very interested in solar power, but it seems to expensive to get the setup. Believe me, it is wasted energy in sunny states like Texas.

[muggs]

I use as much energy as I possible can, just to pi** a**holes like this off.

Are you my son? I know he's registered, but I don't know his screen name. He runs the A/C with the window open and a space heater on, all at the same time.

[dennisw]

The URL for this post>


http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&th=d064cc25cef87f7&rnum=1

[LibWhacker]

Dad?!

(lol . . . jk)

[billbears]

I started opening up a few windows at night, to let any accumulated heat out of the house... and turned off my AC...since my house is well insulated, I find that keeping a few windows open day and night, is a big help...I have not felt uncomfortable during hot summer days...

Where does this fruit live? Here in Eastern NC, the temp is supposed to top 100 with a heat index of 115. Last night at 11 o'clock it was STILL 86 with a heat index of 93. I like AC and durn if I'm going to start cooking out of a cardboard box in the back yard. And how exactly are you going to cook BBQ in a cardboard box anyway? LOL

[muggs]

No, it's Mom.

[LibWhacker]

Oops, sorry! :-)

[Joe Hadenuf]

Where does this fruit live?

In Texas....

[lewislynn]

Where does this fruit live?

In Texas....

LOL! ....way to stay on top of things Joe..