yay, we did it!

When I thought we had done everything possible to reduce the amount of our electric bill, we did it again! We’ve actually managed to bring our bill down this month to the pre rate increase amount, actually even a little less.

On average usage has been about 525 KWH per month. Electricity is not our heat source, but we have a freezer plus a side by side fridge, electric stove, electric water heater, water pump, washer, electric dryer, security light, the occasional use of garage lights, barn lights and air compressor and more. These things normally resulted in a bill of about $67 – $69 before the rate hike. When the rates went up our bill jumped up to $88 for the same KWH usage.

We already do the following things to lower our usage, cost and carbon footprint:

• CFL’s throughout the house and garage

• Minimizing light usage

• Being conscientious when using the oven, making full use of it when on

• Using dish pans at the sink instead of running a steady water stream, to prevent excess water usage and limit pump running

• Minimizing the number of toilet flushes for the same reason

• Insulated water heater

• Keeping most if not all electricity vampires on power strips which are turned off at night, when not in use or when we go away. Microwave, TV, stereo, computer, etc.

• Opening and closing the garage door manually rather than using the automatic garage door opener

• Not using the dryer whenever possible (I think I used it 3 times between spring and now)

• Washing clothes in cold water for the most part and doing only full loads

You get the picture. So what made our electric bill go down so dramatically? Well...we have been shutting off the water heater, having it on for maybe four or five hours a day for the past several weeks. And you know what? It hasn’t made a difference in our lives except to reduce the electric usage and money spent on the bill.

We usually turn it off in the evening after dinner and showers and then back on the following afternoon. If by chance I don’t have hot enough water in between for dishes, which is seldom, I simply heat a tea kettle full on the stove. I have never been without at least warm water since we began this practice. I was astonished that this simple practice reduced our bill by over 100 KWH and $20. Last months billing was $87. Our current billing is $66. Woo hoo!

one more small commitment

Some years back paper towels were never an item on our list of necessities. Somehow over the course of time they became one. I hate to think of the money spent and trees destroyed on behalf of my purchasing of them alone. Granted, over the past few years I have lessened the number of rolls purchased and made sure the ones I bought were made from at least some percentage of post consumer waste.

Recently I've been thinking back to the time when we actually managed without some of these costly (environmentally and monetarily speaking) products. As a result I've decided to return to my paper towel free days. We'll be using more cloth napkins at meal times and I'll be keeping a stack of clean cloth rags handy for spills and clean ups. Today I'll be taking some old cotton towels I have, cutting them down to size and hemming the edges. They'll be just the right size for everyday napkins and quick clean ups. Just one more small yet significant way I can tread a little more lightly. Being green usually helps save a little green, too. :)

What Would Mother Do? An addendum to ‘our simple life’

my mother in 1944

After writing yesterdays post I got to thinking about the inspiration behind my lifestyle.

During the late seventies and first half of the eighties, my husband and I really struggled to make ends meet. We were supporting his three children from a previous marriage. That left little for the two of us and our two children. Pay days was unpredictable in amount. My husband was an auto body repairman who was paid flat rate. That meant that when work was good, you made money. When work was slow, you didn’t. We always said it was a “feast or famine” job and that was not far from the truth.

Fortunately I grew up with parents who had grown up and lived through the Great Depression. I was raised in a frugal environment and learned a lot from my parents, my mother in particular. No matter where we were we had a wood burning stove that heated the house. I recall my mother baking the most beautiful pies in a wood stove in the kitchen, also.

My parents saved in any way they could. They raised a large garden every year. Even when my mom’s health declined and she became disabled and Dad had retired, Dad still planted and tended a garden, even canning the food himself. It was just what one did.

Dad (sometime in the 1940's)

Mom was a wonderful cook and loved to bake as well. Her pies and cookies became well know throughout the local area. She was often busy baking, taking in orders from the town folk for her delicious pies and cookies. Mom was somewhat of an entrepreneur that way. As children my sister and I would tag along into town as she peddled homemade aprons to the workers at local restaurants. Later, she would sell her crocheted items on consignment at a downtown gift shop.

Growing up I watched my mother make meals from what others might consider nothing. We never, ever went hungry. I learned that as long as one has staple items in the home a meal can always be mustered up. It may have been a pot of beans, a pancake dinner or potato soup, but our bellies always got filled. If fresh fruit was abundant, one might even find a blackberry cobbler as the main course on the supper table. I didn’t say our diet was always balanced, but we never went hungry.

The funny thing is, as a child I never realized we were “poor”. My mom refashioned hand me down clothes to fit us. Butter, cottage cheese and sour cream were all made at home with milk from our cow. On the front porch my twin sister and I took turns cranking the handle on the butter churning jar. It didn’t occur to us this was work.

When a hog was butchered, mom used every little piece and part. I learned this when I came home from school one day and as I entered the kitchen, saw a boiled pig’s head sitting on the kitchen table staring at me! Once I realized this is how she made souse, by trimming all the excess meat, I could never eat pickled meat of any kind. I can tell you however, that my mom made the best pork sausage I’ve tasted to date. Growing up I thought sausage just tasted like that regardless, so the first time we had store bought, to say I was disappointed was an understatement. Over the years I’ve tried to replicate hers by adding seasoning to plain ground pork sausage, but to this day, it’s never quite the same…but sage is essential.

My mother passed away in the spring of 1980, just six weeks after my daughter was born.

She had been ill a number of years and despite the emotional pain of her absence, I was not sorry to see her suffering end. Through the years of raising my family and making ends meet through difficult times, I could always think back to what my mother might have done. I guess you could say she stayed with me, guiding me in the art of getting by.

So, even after disposable diapers were introduced, my babies wore cloth. That was never a conundrum; you only had to buy them once and when no longer needed, you passed them on to another mommy or used them around the house as cleaning rags. Even back then in the 70’s and early 80’s it just didn’t make sense to spend money on something you threw away…even when many a time I had to hand wash the diapers.

My parents instilled a lot of good values in me and taught me how to get by. I can count on one hand the number of store bought toys I had as a child, but I never felt deprived. Books were free at the library and as children used to do, we played outside games when weather permitted and otherwise, used our imaginations. I learned to sew by making my doll baby clothes from patterns my mother made. I learned to cook by watching my mother in the kitchen and asking lots of questions…she didn’t like anyone helping her at the stove. I inherited that tendency I must admit. Everyone knows I’m boss in the kitchen and to stay out of my way. : ) My mother inspired me to learn crochet work. She was an avid crocheter but didn’t have the inkling or patience to teach me, thus I taught myself.

Mother kept a clean, orderly home despite the number of children and grandchildren coming and going. She instilled that value to some degree in me. I remember her saying, “There are many reasons a person may be poor, but there is no excuse for being dirty, even if that means you have to haul water from the creek.”

As a teenager I thought the grass was greener on the other side, as they say. My big dream was to move away from the rural life and live in an apartment in the city when I was grown. I thought my parent’s ways were old fashioned and country life was boring.

Isn’t it funny how life can bring you back to your roots and what’s real and good and true?

my parents & siblings in approximately 1959 (?)
My twin sister & I are the youngest. That would be one of us with finger up nose.

Being Green and Thrifty

I’m committed to the best of my ability to lightening my steps on the planet and living as simply and naturally as possible. In regard to the environment I believe what I or others do really does make a difference. I guess you could me an environmental optimist? Of course if one doesn’t believe it matters, then they likely feel there is less reason to make the effort. But for me it’s just part a part of life, so I decided to make note here of the steps I take to conserve and live simply and frugally with less environmental impact. I thought it might actually help me to see where I might make some additional changes and it might even inspire others.

Keep indoor light use to a minimum and use low energy fluorescent bulbs. Lights out completely at bedtime.

Appliances and electronic devices such as microwave, computer, tv are shut down or unplugged at night to halt electric usage.

Keep toilet flushes to a minimum. Flushing causes the water pump to run (electric) and flushing often uses unnecessary amounts of water. We also keep the toilet lid down to lower bathroom humidity levels in the summer especially.

We try to wear our clothes until they actually need washed. That means a pair of jeans can be worn several days or more depending on use. Wash clothes (only full loads) in cold water. When weather permits we dry them by hanging them on the clothes line. In winter I will hang lighter weight items on hangers and hang from hooks above the heat registers in the living area. We use environmentally responsible and natural products to wash and treat stains with. No fabric softeners. Most of our clothes are cotton so softener/anti static is not necessary. I do occasionally toss a lavender sachet bag into the drier.

Keep a compost bowl in the kitchen for vegetable scraps, peelings, etc. This gets set out for the ducks to munch from daily. What they don’t eat gets tossed into the compost bin. Other scraps when available are given to Shadow and Mr. G.

Keep a recycle bin in the kitchen into which all recyclable items go. This is taken to the garage when full and sorted accordingly. By purchasing consciously and recycling we keep our trash to a maximum of one bag or less per week. When bins are full, we drop at local recycling center, combining that trip with other necessary errands to save fuel.

Keep our trips in the car to a minimum to conserve gas, emissions and an affordable way of life. When fueling the vehicle, we try to do so when air is cooler to prevent evaporation.

Use hand cultivator in the garden when we can rather than use gas powered rototiller.

Avoid the use of pesticides or herbicides in our garden and yard.

Raise plants from organic seed, grow a garden and preserve as much as possible. This means eating fresh, nutritious whole foods as well as spending far less on food throughout the summer and winter.

Buy organic and purchase items from local small retailers and farmers as much as possible. We purchase milk, eggs and butter from our neighboring Amish.

Use energy efficient appliances.

Avoid doctors and prescription medicine as much as possible.

Make my own herbal teas.

Make my own natural deodorant.

Shower 2-3 times per week as opposed to daily and sponge bath in between.

Use our bath towels more than once before tossing in the hamper.

Cook from scratch.

Use dry beans instead of canned beans for soups, chili, etc. Much, much cheaper!

Mend our clothing.

Care for what we have.

Avoid buying plastic food bags, but save food safe plastic bags of all kinds (bread wrappers, baggies, etc.) and reuse. Wash large baggies for reuse rather than throwing them out unnecessarily.

Save and reuse glass jars and plastic containers

Use canvas bags when shopping.

Save buttons, fabric, old jeans to mend with, makes patches or recycle into other items.

Although we do have area rugs, we don’t have carpet in our home. This keeps dust, dirt and the need to vacuum to a minimum. I shake out throw rugs and use a dust mop or broom elsewhere and vacuum the big rugs when necessary.

Make my own items for gift giving.

Purchase clothing and household items second hand whenever possible.

Use cloth rags and natural products for cleaning rather than paper towels and commercial products.

Don’t own an air conditioner. Close windows and use blinds to keep heat out in summer.

Open blinds and use passive solar heat in cool weather and adjust thermostat to allow furnace to ignite less often but run longer when it does. Dress warmly, too!

Don’t use cosmetics, perfumes, air deodorizers (other than all natural ones I make) and other unnecessary and toxic items. (Witch hazel is a great and inexpensive facial toner and aftershave splash.)

We use an answering machine in place of extra phone company features like call waiting and caller ID.

Save our change. Once I had saved change for several years and when I finally got around to sorting and rolling it up to take to the bank I had over $400. That was a real nice chunk of spare change!

Rather than going out for coffee or stopping on the way for coffee, we make our own and carry a cup or even a thermos when out and about.

Dine out rarely and if we dine out we usually cut the bill by using coupons and ordering water.

Use scrap paper and the backs of used paper and junk mail and used envelopes for notes and lists.

Buy in bulk when it’s a deal we can’t pass up and we know we’ll use it. (I have 8 lbs. of pasta in my freezer!)

Freecycle…need I say more?

Other General Money Saving Tips

If you must borrow from your savings, consider it a loan and pay it back immediately.

When you get to the bottom of the shampoo bottle, rinse it out. The same applies to dish soap, cream rinse, laundry soap. You’ll be surprised how much is still in there.

Cancel your newspaper. Read the news online. The same applies to magazine subscriptions. Tap the wealth of info online.

Share and borrow when you can if it’s an item you need to use or loan only once in awhile.

Eliminate satellite or cable tv or opt for the economy package. Or, consider an online movie rental subscription like Netflix as an alternative to more costly cable or satellite.

If you take family vacations, gear them towards spending quality time together as opposed to spending lots of money (and energy). Keep it simple and you’re more apt to feel you’ve really had a vacation.

Avoid shopping altogether unless you have a specific need…not a specific desire, but a specific need.

Bring new life to old garments by embellishing and accessorizing.

Borrow books and movies from the library.

Never make spur of the minute purchases.

When it comes to gifts, tell others what you really want.

If you get a raise or income increase, act as if you didn’t and manage without it if possible. Put it away into your savings.

Live on Less and Love It!

It's not what you have that counts, it's how you use what you have!

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Paradigm Shift- living in context/redefining success

The old paradigm of success has always been based on achievement and financial gain, but as Bob Dylan once wrote, “the times they are a changing.”

I consider success to be the ability to live within the context of ones personal values. Life is a journey, not a goal. As such, if one is striving for the old paradigm of success they might find themselves always striving to do more and to have more and never truly be enjoying the journey. When we take the pressure off ourselves to accomplish so much we begin to experience living.

Goals are not evil by any means. Thank goodness we all have them! But just because ones idea of success may not be primarily financial or materialistic in nature, does not mean they aren’t successful.

Like most things, I believe success is an inside job, determined by what brings you meaning, contentment and joy. I think the times they are a changin’ and that we are seeing a paradigm shift in which the definition of success is changing to mean a life lived true.

At What Cost? Frugal Living Is Its Own Reward

A few days ago there was a discussion on Wise Bread about whether frugal living was a goal or a tactic. The conclusion was, it is both. I primarily see frugality as a facet and fundamental part of a simple, freer lifestyle. As a result, consumerism is no longer the ideal. Frugal living is its own reward. Frugality is very freeing and fulfilling. I feel I have gained everything worthwhile and lost nothing of true value. It helps to create balance, it allows one to learn what is of true value and it lowers ones environmental impact among other things. These are all results which for me contribute to a more authentic, satisfying and spiritual life experience.

However, I still have friends who cannot quite grasp my choosing to live this simple and frugal lifestyle. The other day a friend suggested I could probably get a job as a cook at a nearby restaurant, without a clue to how incongruous her suggestion was. So, like an idiot I smiled and said, “Yes, I probably could” for lack of a better or thought out response.

Yes, I probably could get that job…or another, but at what cost? Let’s say I worked thirty hours a week. After the cost of taxes and gas alone I might bring home $90 a week, likely less because I’m estimating low. Then deduct the physical toll, the imbalance it would create, the loss of time in which I now garden, can and cook from scratch. I would be right back where I started from; too wiped out to care or have the time and energy to do what I do now. Our cost of living would certainly increase due to the above reasons. Been there, done that so I know what my limits are and what my current efforts are worth. I require balance and the ability to accomplish at my own pace. I have yet to work a job that allowed me that and I’ve worked long enough to know.

My friend doesn’t understand that going back into the workforce would destroy the life I have attained. Sure, a few extra dollars would be more than welcome in my pocket, but like I said, at what cost? No thanks, at least not right now. I value the life I have, the peace I have, the creativity of living life as I do. My life is pretty darn perfect for me. I can step outside and sit under the shade tree and feel so very blessed by my surroundings; the garden of good things we’ve worked hard to produce, the ducks waddling by as they search for bugs in the grass, the flowers we’ve planted in their vast array of color and truly, truly know this is the life I desire. I look around and I look within and feel my life is exactly how I wish it to be and know without a doubt I am not willing to sacrifice the peace and contentment I live in.

Being frugal is challenging at times but it allows such creativity. I thoroughly enjoy making something out of nothing…always have. Whether it be gardening, decorating our home, cooking or crafting, creativity is essential to my well being as is balance and freedom. Being frugal is a necessary choice and facet to our lifestyle that allows me to live a life free from the daily grind of employee obligation that depletes me. Yes, frugal living is its own reward.