Woot! We are Still Reducing Electrical Usage

In the month of December we set out to reduce our consumption of electricity, and WOW did we ever. Still looking for new ways to save, we are continuing to save even more. Last month we got our usage down to 476 kwh.

It's the little things that add up. Unplugging when not in use turned out to be one of my biggest electricity sins. Our TV uses a ton of electricity even when off. Phantom drain is real.

I was planning in January to undertake water usage. unfortunately there have been many challenges in our neighborhood with the water. Seems road construction has lead to numerous water main breaks and thus, much flushing of the lines. Our water usage is through the roof! Yikes! We have had brown, dirty water. I'm not usually a fan of bottled water but have consumed more in the past three months than is environmentally friendly.

So, construction is slated to be over soon and I'll tackle water usage.

Until then, I'll be tackling smaller ways to save money.

Don't forget to register for the monthly newsletter. The button is to the right.

Day 31 Happy New Year

Happy New Year!

It has been 31 days and yet we keep finding ways to save electricity. Because it has been so beneficial for me and my family, I'll continue to blog household savings. In January, I'll be blogging ways to cut back on the heating bills. If any of my readers have experience in this area, I would welcome a quest post and link to your regular blog. Contact me at iNails at hotmail dot com.

I saved one of the biggest savers for last. If you heat with electricity, turning the heat back can save a bundle. We heat with a combination of oil and electricity so this has worked well for us. We were gifted a heated mattress pad which we warm up before bed. It costs pennies to use and keeps us toasty. I tend to turn it off once it's warm because I still haven't gotten used to the idea of sleeping on heating coils--that's another post.

I put in a programmable thermostat and programmed it to turn the heat way back starting a couple of hours before bed. Now, we really cut it back. At night the temp is set to 50 degrees. We bought some warm PJs and a sleep cap. I've even found I sleep much better when it is cold in the room. A bonus.

We have also curbed our use of the electric heat.

Don't forget, today is the last day to sign up for the monthly newsletter and get a chance to win.

Don't forget to register for the monthly newsletter. The button is to the right. At the end of December I am giving away a Kill-A-Watt meter and 2 microwave pizza trays. More goodies to come. All you have to do is register for the newsletter during the month of December to be eligible for the fishbowl style drawing.

Day 30 Saving Electricity

Okay, now that the holiday is almost behind me, I'll tackle the issue of holiday lights.

The lights are fun. Every year I look forward to going and looking at them. Once upon a time we would even put up quite a display of our own.

This year we did not put up lights outside. We set put to enjoy the most fantastic lights around. In fact, the light display we found ourselves going back to over and over again was on the Outer Banks of North Carolina. If you are familiar with the area just go south on the bypass road and hang a right at Pigman's BBQ and go straight. You can't miss it. But hurry, they come down on the 1st.

For me it's a better deal to let someone else put up the lights and pay the electric bill. I'll drive by and enjoy the scenery... and yes, throw a tip in the jar if provided. Or, the fish tank as the case would be here.



Don't forget to register for the monthly newsletter. The button is to the right. At the end of December I am giving away a Kill-A-Watt meter and 2 microwave pizza trays. More goodies to come. All you have to do is register for the newsletter during the month of December to be eligible for the fishbowl style drawing.

Day 29 As the Year Comes to Close

As the year comes to a close, I look back on accomplishments and look forward to new feats.

It's been very cold and I am pleased that we have learned to pull on a sweater instead of turning up the heat. We have learned to close doors and turn off lights.

I went back today to check my carbon footprint. What I found made me feel good about our efforts over the past year. Our previous reading was 11.8 CO2/yr and our new reading... Drum roll please..... Ta Dah...5.4 CO2/yr. We more than cut it in half! Wow.

That survey didn't include all of the little things we did such as giving ecofriendly gifts and sharing rides. It didn't include switching the Rv to solar.

So, go ahead, set a benchmark and see what your carbon footprint is. Then come back at the end of next year to see what a difference you have made.

Now, if diets were just that easy. I'll leave that for www.twitter.com/girlwithnoname A better body would be her area of expertise.

Don't forget to register for the monthly newsletter. The button is to the right. At the end of December I am giving away a Kill-A-Watt meter and 2 microwave pizza trays. More goodies to come. All you have to do is register for the newsletter during the month of December to be eligible for the fishbowl style drawing.

Day 27 Hail to the Cook

We love good food. Who doesn't?

I get sidetracked sometimes. And so here is an attempt to curb that and save some kWh!

Invariably, I'll preheat the oven and then leave it for a few minutes (or more) after it is preheated. Every minute the oven is cooking with nothing in it is a waste. Our oven/stove is electric. Boy was I surprised at how much I wasted.

So, I now have another use for the handy kitchen timer that stays clipped to my top most of the time. It will take some time to see if it makes a difference. I hope that 5 years from now I'll be evaluating my electric bill and we will be creating more electricity than we use--and selling it to the Electric Company.

Don't forget to register for the monthly newsletter. The button is to the right. At the end of December I am giving away a Kill-A-Watt meter and 2 microwave pizza trays. More goodies to come. All you have to do is register for the newsletter during the month of December to be eligible for the fishbowl style drawing.

Day 26 Save the Electricity

Okay, I know it is splitting hairs for some of you, but I have decided it is worth the effort for me to power down monitors overnight and on weekends. After tracking the usage with a meter, I have decided to adopt the habit. The laptop hard drive basically turns off automatically. The Desktop was a power hog--but NO more.

Don't forget to register for the monthly newsletter. The button is to the right. At the end of December I am giving away a Kill-A-Watt meter and 2 microwave pizza trays. More goodies to come. All you have to do is register for the newsletter during the month of December to be eligible for the fishbowl style drawing.

Day 23 Save Electricity While You Sleep

I admit it, sometimes I fall asleep with the TV on. Until now, I never gave it much thought. So, okay, I don't really want to get up out of bed to unplug the TV before I fall asleep and sometimes I'm just so tired. Turns out my TV has a sleep timer on it. I can simply set the timer for 120 minutes and it will turn of when the time is up. So on nights when I'm peppy, sure, I'll get up and unplug the TV. But on the other nights- the ones when I drift off- it's okay because it will turn of automatically. Cool

Don't forget to register for the monthly newsletter. The button is to the right. At the end of December I am giving away a Kill-A-Watt meter and 2 microwave pizza trays. More goodies to come. All you have to do is register for the newsletter during the month of December to be eligible for the fishbowl style drawing.

Day 22 Save the Earth by Using Less

Don't forget to sign up for the monthly newsletter. Everyone who signs up this month is entered into a drawing fishbowl-style for a variety of goods related to the electricity saving theme.

To save water, time, electricity, and effort, only wash clothes when you have a full load. I'm realizing that I really don't need to run 14 cycles when 6 get the clothes plenty clean. To continue the effort, only dirty clothes get washed. If something has been worn once it may have another wearing in it before it gets washed. It's amazing how much laundry there is. many times a family member tried something on, took it off, and tossed it aside. Maybe it's dirty, maybe just wrinkled. Who knows? So in the hamper it went. No more! Only dirty clothes get washed from now on.

Don't forget to register for the monthly newsletter. The button is to the right. At the end of December I am giving away a Kill-A-Watt meter and 2 microwave pizza trays. More goodies to come. All you have to do is register for the newsletter during the month of December to be eligible for the fishbowl style drawing.

Day 21 Simple ways to Save on My Electric bill

It turns out that a cell charger uses quite a bit of power just being plugged in. That means when the phone is fully charged, well, every minute after that is a waste of electricity. The power drain is amazing and sickening at the same time.



Today I'm timing my phone to see how long it takes to charge and then unplug it. Once I know how long it takes, I'll be able to set a kitchen timer and then unplug the phone. I just love kitchen timers. not sure how much difference it will make. I sure won't be leaving it plugged in overnight anymore! I also found a cool lot of solar cell phone chargers and am snapping one up to use on the go and when camping.



Don't forget to register for the monthly newsletter. The button is to the right. At the end of December I am giving away a Kill-A-Watt meter and 2 microwave pizza trays. More goodies to come. All you have to do is register for the newsletter during the month of December to be eligible for the fishbowl style drawing.

Day 19 Woohoo! The Savings are Heating Up.

Fans? It's winter here in Virginia!

Okay, I get it. And yes, I have ceiling fans.

Wow, was I surprised to find that reversing my ceiling fans could help with heating the house and reducing the electric bill. I don't have to run the portable heater as long with the fan reversed and pushing the warm air back down. I can't believe it. It really works.

So, come summer, I'll be reversing them again--to take advantage of the savings.

Don't forget to register for the monthly newsletter. The button is to the right. At the end of December I am giving away a Kill-A-Watt meter and 2 microwave pizza trays. More goodies to come. All you have to do is register for the newsletter during the month of December to be eligible for the fishbowl style drawing.

Day 18 Cutting Our Dependence on Electricity

Looking for ways to cut the electricity has become a bit of a CSI experience in our home. I'll find myself standing in front of an appliance, scratching my head, and wondering exactly what it costs to operate. Then, out come my trusty new friend, the Kill-A-Watt meter to measure the usage and set the issue to rest.

Some things aren't so simple to measure but yet we know they make a difference. Insulation, for instance, helps conserve but is difficult for homeowners to measure--without waiting for the fuel and electric bill.

Sadly, my home is an oldie and needs some attention in the insulation area. I found some great videos on YouTube.com that show it step by step. My hope is by bring the insulation up to par we will reduce the number of times the furnace cuts on and off, thus saving electricity. We may also be able to nix some of the electric heater usage.

Don't forget to register for the monthly newsletter. The button is to the right. At the end of December I am giving away a Kill-A-Watt meter and 2 microwave pizza trays. More goodies to come. All you have to do is register for the newsletter during the month of December to be eligible for the fishbowl style drawing.

Day 17 Save Electricity, Save Our Earth

The salon is super busy. There is a waiting list for last minute clients and I'm running shorter and shorter on time. EEEKKK.

We own an RV and during the summer it's a pretty cool source of fun for our family. I would rather camp in a tent but hubs isn't as much into that as I am. He enjoys the TV and a cold one from the handy fridge. And so we have the nifty rig parked in the yard when not on the road. But the batteries have to stay topped off (mostly so it's ready to use at a minute's notice) and there is the rub. It's another thing to plug into my home's electricity.

It feel so sinful when I find a way to get around the rules! He he he. I got a nifty trickle charger that has a small (12 inch x 12 inch) solar panel. Hubs altered it just a bit. After all, modification is his middle name. When we are not using the rig, the battery can stay topped up. This won't recharge a dead battery but it makes a nice accessory to help with the energy savings and electricity reduction plan around here.

Don't forget to register for the monthly newsletter. The button is to the right. At the end of December I am giving away a Kill-A-Watt meter and 2 microwave pizza trays. More goodies to come. All you have to do is register for the newsletter during the month of December to be eligible for the fishbowl style drawing.

Day 16 Electricity Reduction Made Simple

Simple is what I need these days. The Christmas holidays are here and I am NOT ready. No, it's not what you think. My gifts have all been purchased and they are neatly wrapped and stacked to make Christmas day easier. The plight this Christmas is that expenses have risen faster than income. As I look to formulate a budget for the year I am forced to make a few concessions. I'm not sure what they will be, but I know they must be far reaching to prepare for the year ahead.

The electricity challenge has helped take the edge off and I hope to keep up the habit once the month is over. Perhaps do a once a year checkup and add some new behaviors to the bag of tricks.

So, simple things are better these days. I've got a lot on my mind. This is where timers come into play. I like the idea of timers. Lights make it appear like someone is home to ward off burglars. Well, these little gadgets can also make sure that lights don't stay on too long. I like the idea of having outdoor lighting on timers. Likewise the entry door and bedroom light. I picked up extra "timer dogs" so that my outdoor lights could run through a couple of different cycles, which cut out an hour or so of lighting time. Yippee!

Don't forget to register for the monthly newsletter. The button is to the right. At the end of December I am giving away a Kill-A-Watt meter and 2 microwave pizza trays. More goodies to come. All you have to do is register for the newsletter during the month of December to be eligible for the fishbowl style drawing.

Day 15 Erin is Moving Forward to Saving

I know, this one seems a little silly. Even my hubs was like, "That's stretching it."

Don't care! I'm into the savings and the way I see it, this one will save some. I have scads of low voltage lights on one side of the house. All of these units have 18w bulbs in them. Back when they were installed, I wanted it , well, BRIGHT. The truth is I don't spend much time out there at night and they really don't need to be that bright. Several of the bulbs have burned out and it's time to fix them. This time I'm putting 4w bulbs in the light fixtures.

The savings may be small, but they are mine all the same.

Don't forget to register for the monthly newsletter. The button is to the right. At the end of December I am giving away a Kill-A-Watt meter and 2 microwave pizza trays. More goodies to come. All you have to do is register for the newsletter during the month of December to be eligible for the fishbowl style drawing.

Day 14 of Erin Snyder Dixon's Electricity Reduction Challenge

In areas where there is little ambient light, I am installing solar lighting. In trying to design the plan, I found that only half of my yard gets adequate midday sun to recharge the solar lights. That actually worked in my favor. Low voltage lights will remain on one side and solar will go on the other, and around the swimming pool.

The Solar post lights on either side of the driveway gate turned out very well and I think I will be happy with them. I'm not sure of the savings they should garner.

Don't forget to register for the monthly newsletter. The button is to the right. At the end of December I am giving away a Kill-A-Watt meter and 2 microwave pizza trays. More goodies to come. All you have to do is register for the newsletter during the month of December to be eligible for the fishbowl style drawing.

Day 10 Do the Save Electricity Happy Dance

It's so exciting. While I have no way of knowing how much energy I am saving, I still feel validated. Newsletter subscriptions are coming in. By the way, I do a SMALL newsletter every month chronicling ideas for saving money and the earth.

I am about a third of the way through the challenge. I'm finding so many ideas that I think I could continue for months...but not here. I'll try not to bore you to tears.

You may have noticed form my photo that I have an incredible amount of unruly hair. While drying it with the hair dryer is quite a workout for my arms, it makes a dent in my electrical usage. If I dry it all the way through, it takes about an hour. No, that doesn't happen very often. Usually I get it dry enough that it's passable.

My goal is to put down the hair dryer. I have hair that is best left to air dry anyway. Not everyone can do this. I'm lucky. Even with a different hairstyle, I could cut back on how many minutes I use the dryer. A handy kitchen timer could be set for the target time, thus giving me an idea of how long it has been running.

I can remember being a kid and my father making us girls stand outside while the electric meter spun gleefully round and round. I don't remember what he said. Hey, I was kid and went something like, "blah, blah, blahblah, blah...."

This goes for other beauty gadgets like the curling iron and rollers. The goal is to cut back. Even if I gave up using some of these items one day a month/week it would make a downward difference in my bill. That's what I'm after. Little changes with rewards I can measure!

Don’t forget that we are giving away prizes at the end of December. To be eligible simply register for our monthly newsletter on the right. We don’t spam and we NEVER share your email address. One of our lovely prizes is a Kill-A-Watt meter to help identify what gadgets really draw in current. Pass it along. More prizes coming.I will also be sending out tweets that go along with the challenge www.twitter.com/BeautyWriter saving electricity is truly a beautiful thing.

Day 9 Erin's Elecricity Challenge

This one probably goes without saying...except we don't actually DO it.

You guessed it! Turning the lights out when we leave the room. When prompted, I always respond with something like, "I was going right back in there." The truth is I get pretty sidetracked, hence the kitchen times clipped to my collar. Ha ha ha.

Repeat after me: "I do pledge to make an effort to turn out the lights in the room as I leave. I agree to thank the person who reminds me and not to make up an excuse. I also agree to use daylight if overhead lighting is not needed."

It doesn't seem like much, but in my house, it's huge. People can always tell when I'm home because the house id lit up like a Christmas tree. I go to one room for something and then flit off for something else. Before I know it there are lights on in every room! And don't even think about what happens if I need to run to do a quick errand. Oh my. This could save me a tone of money.

Don’t forget that we are giving away prizes at the end of December. To be eligible simply register for our monthly newsletter on the right. We don’t spam and we NEVER share your email address. One of our lovely prizes is a Kill-A-Watt meter to help identify what gadgets really draw in current. Pass it along. More prizes coming.I will also be sending out tweets that go along with the challenge www.twitter.com/BeautyWriter saving electricity is truly a beautiful thing.

Day 8 Counting Electrical Savings

This will take some getting used to. I intend to use the microwave more.

The microwave takes less energy than heating up the oven. I went online and purchased some cooking items made just for the microwave. http://tinyurl.com/6c5pqt

I'll give microwaving pizza a shot and see if my family diggs it. i can't promise I'll be cooking entire meals in it. After all, I love to cook and it brings me great joy.

It just means I'll be saving the oven for when I can cook several things at once. While I'm at it, I'll set one of my timers (everyone knows how much I love little digital kitchen timers) so that I don't leave it preheating too long.

The moral of the story is to use the appropriate tool for the job. Why heat up a TV dinner in the oven when it can be done in the microwave?

Don’t forget that we are giving away prizes at the end of December. To be eligible simply register for our monthly newsletter on the right. We don’t spam and we NEVER share your email address. One of our lovely prizes is a Kill-A-Watt meter to help identify what gadgets really draw in current. Pass it along. More prizes coming.I will also be sending out tweets that go along with the challenge www.twitter.com/BeautyWriter saving electricity is truly a beautiful thing.

Day 7 of My Fabulously New Low Electric Bill

Wow, I'm really getting into this now! You guys have been great spurring me on to find more prizes and new ways to cut my electric bill.

With current events on every one's mind, how we consume and what we consume is increasingly important. People who never clip coupons are suddenly doing so. So, I know a change is happening when folks who normally consume without much thought strike up conversations with me and want more information about the challenge. Hmmmm.

"What's this electricity challenge all about?"

You see, I am a writer by trade and I also run a salon spa. Normally I'm involved in covering beauty, fashion, and business issues. The Electricity challenge was born out of the starting of a personal blog. I never thought that so many people would identify with the challenge.

So, now I talk about energy as well as beauty as a daily routine. it makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. hey, maybe I can turn the thermostat down another degree? Hmmm. Ideas, ad more ideas.

Today's electricity saving endeavor is quick and simple. I've purchased thermometers for the refrigerator and freezer. I placed them inside and waited 24 hours. Oh my goodness! I found that my freezer and fridge were WAY too cold. Was wondering about those frozen veggies in the fridge a few weeks back. Hmmmm, may have the answer.

So, I adjusted the temps down and intend to check it in a day or so. The cool thing about the thermometers is that they show a range in color so you don't have to guess what temperature the fridge or freezer should be to keep your stuff safe and fresh!

While I was at it I vacuumed the coils. Don't know if that helps, but it was something that needed to be done anyway.

Don’t forget that we are giving away prizes at the end of December. To be eligible simply register for our monthly newsletter on the right. We don’t spam and we NEVER share your email address. One of our lovely prizes is a Kill-A-Watt meter to help identify what gadgets really draw in current. Pass it along. More prizes coming.I will also be sending out tweets that go along with the challenge www.twitter.com/BeautyWriter saving electricity is truly a beautiful thing.

Day 4 Electricity Challenge- Continuing to Save Money

The computer is my friend! And the printer, fax, TV, stereo, ipod...

Over the years I got into the habit of leaving everything plugged in so they would always be charged. Some things I used often while others, maybe once a month.

I've invested in some smart power strips. Devices can be plugged in and then when not in use, i can simply flip the switch and STOP the phantom power drain at the source. The smart power strip can tell when I turn off the computer and it will turn off the printer and other peripherals.

The power strips I picked up also function as surge suppressors to protect my devices. Now that could save some money.

Don’t forget that we are giving away prizes at the end of December. To be eligible simply register for our monthly newsletter on the right. We don’t spam and we NEVER share your email address. One of our lovely prizes is a Kill-A-Watt meter to help identify what gadgets really draw in current. Pass it along. More prizes coming.I will also be sending out tweets that go along with the challenge www.twitter.com/BeautyWriter saving electricity is truly a beautiful thing.