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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[Looking4Truth]

Recent history has shown there is at least a significant subset of federales who shoot first and ask questions later.

You got that right! I'm aware of recent history myself.

I find it amazing that we are instituting all these 'programs' for domestic security, but the borders are still wide open and visas are still being granted to nearly anyone who wants one.

Nahhh, we have to find another excuse to turn the screws some more on John Q. Public. /sarcasm off

[Looking4Truth]

Oops, wasn't trying to hijack the thread. Went off on a tangent there. Apologies.