So Today we started out our great experiment by doing a few things
First I sent Alex and Zach out to the electric meter to take a picture we are going to have one day of our "usual" usage a whole 24 hours and we will see how much we use.
Then tommorow we will start a few new things
There will be larger spans of "no TV time" something I do now because having it on all day long just irritates me. now we will have "no TV time" last longer
We will all be more diligent about the lights (still have not bought any CFLs we just dont have the cash this paycheck)
and finally we will not use any of the electric heaters upstairs.
This will be hard for us after all we live in WI and we are due for another cold snap that will last a few days ...by cold snap I mean temps falling well below 0 at night. Our windows are inadequate at best this is an older house and they needed to be replaced years ago I keep out the cold with the very frugal and ever fashionable
clear plastic painters tarp and duct tape
not pretty but extremely functional (the plastic gets reused later in the year and never just tossed out)
another way to make the rooms warmer is simple but usually takes some kicking of toys
closing the closet doors. We have large walk in closets in the converted attic space that serves as our sleeping area (we did not convert or it would be better insulated)
Our little wood burning stove that is in the living room downstairs heats the house very nicely using very little wood every day (stuff we have scrounged from the woods and our land) but it can not heat the closets and rooms as well so by closing off the closets we save wood, heat and when the rooms are warmer we are not as tempted to turn on the electric heaters.
other plans for our savings will include unplugging things we just dont use radios boom boxes chargers lamps etc
Then we will take more readings of the meter and make it a contest for the kids to see who can save the most to slow those numbers from speeding ever forward!
First I sent Alex and Zach out to the electric meter to take a picture we are going to have one day of our "usual" usage a whole 24 hours and we will see how much we use.
Then tommorow we will start a few new things
There will be larger spans of "no TV time" something I do now because having it on all day long just irritates me. now we will have "no TV time" last longer
We will all be more diligent about the lights (still have not bought any CFLs we just dont have the cash this paycheck)
and finally we will not use any of the electric heaters upstairs.
This will be hard for us after all we live in WI and we are due for another cold snap that will last a few days ...by cold snap I mean temps falling well below 0 at night. Our windows are inadequate at best this is an older house and they needed to be replaced years ago I keep out the cold with the very frugal and ever fashionable
clear plastic painters tarp and duct tape
not pretty but extremely functional (the plastic gets reused later in the year and never just tossed out)
another way to make the rooms warmer is simple but usually takes some kicking of toys
closing the closet doors. We have large walk in closets in the converted attic space that serves as our sleeping area (we did not convert or it would be better insulated)
Our little wood burning stove that is in the living room downstairs heats the house very nicely using very little wood every day (stuff we have scrounged from the woods and our land) but it can not heat the closets and rooms as well so by closing off the closets we save wood, heat and when the rooms are warmer we are not as tempted to turn on the electric heaters.
other plans for our savings will include unplugging things we just dont use radios boom boxes chargers lamps etc
Then we will take more readings of the meter and make it a contest for the kids to see who can save the most to slow those numbers from speeding ever forward!
The joy The fun of children includes diapers
I dont care what some people say Diapers has to be the absolute worst thing ever. I am not thrilled with disposable because the cheapskate in me cannot stand spending that much money on something that is only going to get pooped on and peed on.
The lazy spoiled brat in me HATES cloth diapers so much work. You make them you clean them you dry them you futz with them ( I am also too cheap to shell out money for them made by someone else)
When my 4th son was born I was BOUND and determined to diaper him with cloth I reasoned that I had to I mean it is better for the environment It is less epensive in the long run and darnit they are so cute!!
I begged my Dear Dave to move the washing machine up from the dungeon(basement) to our first floor bathroom but no luck so I thought well I will wash them by hand and air dry them
so in the tub was a bucket and I would wash them out after a long day taking care of the baby and his brothers what a CHORE
WELL today I pulled out those super cute diapers that my friend and I made because ... I am almost out of disposables I want to save those for nighttime
I put them on and well it has been 3 changes and I have not pulled my hair out as they get soiled I clean up the mess
we will see how this works no guarentees Dear Dave likes the idea of cloth but is not thrilled at the reality (we agree on so much!)
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