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.

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My Monday Staycation

It's Monday again. I woke up exhausted and dreaming of a vacation. Just a mini would do. So, I headed out for a professional meeting and raced back to the office afterward--to look for vacation ideas on the internet.

I don't know where the word came from or who coined it. Staycation. I've laughed at the word. What kind of word is that? But, it applied here. I still can't believe I'm using it. I'm sure I'll get plenty of ribbing about it tomorrow.

I took my first "staycation." Two hours in a restaurant with my favorite sparkling water and a yummy appetizer. I enjoyed it. There was no racing through dinner. For less than $20 I was able to mentally get away for a while. $20 was a true value on a day like today. It satisfied the need without a trip away.

Maybe vacationing is more about being fully present and enjoying where you may be.

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A Crazy Way to Save on Heating Bills

I have found the most inconvenient and disruptive way to save money on heating bills. No heat at all. Ugh...

For the past few months we have had issues with the city water supply due to a roadway drainage improvement project. We heat with a boiler system. No water means no heat. Add to that, the system and plumbing was damaged considerably by debris that was allowed into the line. So, off and on, we have had no heat.



Aside from being an inconvenience, we have not been able to implement our planned heating bill reduction strategies. The new timeline will be February 1st. Plan to spend the month with us and examine sensible ways to lower your heating bills--without freezing.

So, cross your fingers, the repairs will be done soon and I can make up with the city over this incident. On with improvement!

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