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What new things are you doing to save $$$?
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<blockquote data-quote="hearts and roses" data-source="post: 170386" data-attributes="member: 2211"><p><span style="font-family: 'Garamond'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="color: darkred">Panicking. No, not really panicking just yet and how would that help anyway? lol.</span></span></span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family: 'Garamond'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="color: darkred">I drive a small hybrid and do not use the AC.</span></span></span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family: 'Garamond'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="color: darkred">H doesn't use his truck outside of to and from work and he does not use the AC either.</span></span></span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family: 'Garamond'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="color: darkred">Our dogs are overweight so we've cut back on their diet, which will net us almost one additional week's worth of food for them (they are on raw). And we buy their biscuits in bulk and break them up into smaller pieces.</span></span></span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family: 'Garamond'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="color: darkred">We do a light check often and turn off any unnecessary lights. H is bad about leaving the garage lights on when he's working on the house!</span></span></span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family: 'Garamond'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="color: darkred">We put our outside lights on sensor, so they only pop on when we want them to or when one of us comes home, then they shut off. </span></span></span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family: 'Garamond'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="color: darkred">I unplug as many appliances as possible when not in use, such as the tv, dvd player, radio, stereo, toaster, etc. Even when they are turned off, they still draw power. I've noticed a reduction in our electrical use already.</span></span></span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family: 'Garamond'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="color: #8b0000">I've put all of our bills on a 'budget' so we're billed the same every month, no matter the time of year. It helps me to budget my money and keep track of which times of the year we use more energy than others.</span></span></span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family: 'Garamond'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="color: darkred">We only run the AC on unbearably sticky nights. Otherwise, we keep everything closed up all day and open things up once the sun goes down and crank up a fan or two to get the night's cooler air flowing. Using a fan still uses less energy than an AC unit and it's better for the environment.</span></span></span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family: 'Garamond'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="color: darkred">I make my own cleansers often (usually white vinegar, lemons, and baking soda). I only do laundry once a week - Saturday (sometimes overnight into Sunday) and do about 4 loads a week on average. Sometimes I can skip a week for whites and get away with 3 loads every other week. </span></span></span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family: 'Garamond'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="color: darkred">We use our pool a lot now and have a baby pool for the pups to cool off as well. When that water is 'used' I scoop it out to water my plants/garden instead of just dumping it.</span></span></span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family: 'Garamond'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="color: darkred">I only buy food items that are not fresh when they are on sale, such as rices, cereals, canned goods, etc. Mostly we buy organic produce, which is through the roof expensive, so for the season, we will buy from a local farm. </span></span></span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family: 'Garamond'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="color: darkred">We also have a large garden this year again and we've already gotten some string beans and lettuce. We will have more than we can eat so I will be canning for the winter months and making sauces, etc. </span></span></span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family: 'Garamond'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="color: darkred">I've been making H's sandwich bread every week and a pizza dough during the week, so we're not buying bread anymore. I can get the flours I need cheap at ocean state Job Lot and they are organic to boot! Yum. And I make most of our desserts from scratch too.</span></span></span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family: 'Garamond'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="color: darkred">When those little cans of diced petite tomatoes are on sale, I load up. Beans too. Great for all dishes. I freeze all leftovers no matter how small an amount. I can use them in future dishes.</span></span></span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family: 'Garamond'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="color: darkred">We have a large compost heap in the way back of our yard, so we always have clean, very nutrient rich soils for the gardens. And of course, we recycle everything we can and reuse many food containers for leftovers. We also make our own ice.</span></span></span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family: 'Garamond'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="color: darkred">I've cut meat from my diet altogether and the only meat H eats is cold cuts for lunches and the occasional grilled hamburger, so we're saving a lot there. We eat whole grains, which I buy at the discount store. I make a HUGE amount on Sundays and we eat it all week in other dishes. It's filling and good for you.</span></span></span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family: 'Garamond'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="color: darkred">I bought an excellent BPA free water bottle (made my camelbak) that has a flip top and straw. It's great, has a handle, easy to clean, dishwasher safe and I can refill it over and over again without it tasting funny or smelling bad like regular plastic water bottles. Well worth the one time $7 cost.</span></span></span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family: 'Garamond'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="color: darkred">I buy all snacks and nuts, trail mixes, cleaners, and other stupid household stuff at ocean state job lot for way cheap. </span></span></span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family: 'Garamond'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="color: darkred">I have printed out a few ideas below - there are some things I hadn't thought about!</span></span></span></p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="hearts and roses, post: 170386, member: 2211"] [FONT=Garamond][SIZE=3][COLOR=darkred]Panicking. No, not really panicking just yet and how would that help anyway? lol.[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Garamond][SIZE=3][/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Garamond][SIZE=3][COLOR=darkred]I drive a small hybrid and do not use the AC.[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Garamond][SIZE=3][/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Garamond][SIZE=3][COLOR=darkred]H doesn't use his truck outside of to and from work and he does not use the AC either.[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Garamond][SIZE=3][/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Garamond][SIZE=3][COLOR=darkred]Our dogs are overweight so we've cut back on their diet, which will net us almost one additional week's worth of food for them (they are on raw). And we buy their biscuits in bulk and break them up into smaller pieces.[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Garamond][SIZE=3][/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Garamond][SIZE=3][COLOR=darkred]We do a light check often and turn off any unnecessary lights. H is bad about leaving the garage lights on when he's working on the house![/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Garamond][SIZE=3][/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Garamond][SIZE=3][COLOR=darkred]We put our outside lights on sensor, so they only pop on when we want them to or when one of us comes home, then they shut off. [/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Garamond][SIZE=3][/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Garamond][SIZE=3][COLOR=darkred]I unplug as many appliances as possible when not in use, such as the tv, dvd player, radio, stereo, toaster, etc. Even when they are turned off, they still draw power. I've noticed a reduction in our electrical use already.[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Garamond][SIZE=3][/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Garamond][SIZE=3][COLOR=#8b0000]I've put all of our bills on a 'budget' so we're billed the same every month, no matter the time of year. It helps me to budget my money and keep track of which times of the year we use more energy than others.[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Garamond][SIZE=3][/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Garamond][SIZE=3][COLOR=darkred]We only run the AC on unbearably sticky nights. Otherwise, we keep everything closed up all day and open things up once the sun goes down and crank up a fan or two to get the night's cooler air flowing. Using a fan still uses less energy than an AC unit and it's better for the environment.[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Garamond][SIZE=3][/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Garamond][SIZE=3][COLOR=darkred]I make my own cleansers often (usually white vinegar, lemons, and baking soda). I only do laundry once a week - Saturday (sometimes overnight into Sunday) and do about 4 loads a week on average. Sometimes I can skip a week for whites and get away with 3 loads every other week. [/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Garamond][SIZE=3][/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Garamond][SIZE=3][COLOR=darkred]We use our pool a lot now and have a baby pool for the pups to cool off as well. When that water is 'used' I scoop it out to water my plants/garden instead of just dumping it.[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Garamond][SIZE=3][/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Garamond][SIZE=3][COLOR=darkred]I only buy food items that are not fresh when they are on sale, such as rices, cereals, canned goods, etc. Mostly we buy organic produce, which is through the roof expensive, so for the season, we will buy from a local farm. [/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Garamond][SIZE=3][/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Garamond][SIZE=3][COLOR=darkred]We also have a large garden this year again and we've already gotten some string beans and lettuce. We will have more than we can eat so I will be canning for the winter months and making sauces, etc. [/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Garamond][SIZE=3][/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Garamond][SIZE=3][COLOR=darkred]I've been making H's sandwich bread every week and a pizza dough during the week, so we're not buying bread anymore. I can get the flours I need cheap at ocean state Job Lot and they are organic to boot! Yum. And I make most of our desserts from scratch too.[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Garamond][SIZE=3][/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Garamond][SIZE=3][COLOR=darkred]When those little cans of diced petite tomatoes are on sale, I load up. Beans too. Great for all dishes. I freeze all leftovers no matter how small an amount. I can use them in future dishes.[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Garamond][SIZE=3][/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Garamond][SIZE=3][COLOR=darkred]We have a large compost heap in the way back of our yard, so we always have clean, very nutrient rich soils for the gardens. And of course, we recycle everything we can and reuse many food containers for leftovers. We also make our own ice.[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Garamond][SIZE=3][/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Garamond][SIZE=3][COLOR=darkred]I've cut meat from my diet altogether and the only meat H eats is cold cuts for lunches and the occasional grilled hamburger, so we're saving a lot there. We eat whole grains, which I buy at the discount store. I make a HUGE amount on Sundays and we eat it all week in other dishes. It's filling and good for you.[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Garamond][SIZE=3][/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Garamond][SIZE=3][COLOR=darkred]I bought an excellent BPA free water bottle (made my camelbak) that has a flip top and straw. It's great, has a handle, easy to clean, dishwasher safe and I can refill it over and over again without it tasting funny or smelling bad like regular plastic water bottles. Well worth the one time $7 cost.[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Garamond][SIZE=3][/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Garamond][SIZE=3][COLOR=darkred]I buy all snacks and nuts, trail mixes, cleaners, and other stupid household stuff at ocean state job lot for way cheap. [/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Garamond][SIZE=3][/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Garamond][SIZE=3][COLOR=darkred]I have printed out a few ideas below - there are some things I hadn't thought about![/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT] [/QUOTE]
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What new things are you doing to save $$$?
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