Official SS Poll: What do you do to eliminate bills / cut down expenses?

[NH Homesteader]

Ooh the electric bill is a battle in my house. My husband is so forgetful and he refuses to be cold so he cranks the heat in the winter. Apparently he doesnt own any sweatshirts? Haha. We have an outdoor pellet boiler but the blower uses a lot of electricity so the warmer it is, the more it runs.

We have no credit cards and drive older vehicles so no car payment. We have a very low mortgage that will be paid off in 6 years. My biggest financial battle is student loans. Almost wish I never went to college (never mind grad school).

 

[tortoise]

I could check off almost everything on that list, but my family income is shrinking and I need to be much more serious and careful. I'm pretty sure our animals are an expensive hobby with a side of meat. I don't even want to calculate at this point. Our sale lambs died. A fox killed ALL of our meat chickens this year. I couldn't get my rabbits to breed - can't figure out why. A late frost wiped out apple and raspberry crops. Feels like I'm paying for everything twice - once for the animals and then at the grocery store!

 

[Mini Horses]

You know, I have "a lot of food sitting around" here, too. Freezers, frig, shelves. I'm working at using it and really haven't bought much of anything for last 2 months. I'm making myself use what is here. It has become a challenge now. So far a supply of TP has been my only buy in 3 weeks! I'm eating great and giving food away. Need to cook a chunk of that pig I butchered couple months ago. Believe my kids have eaten more than me. That's fine, plenty there....I mean, couple hundred pounds.

Hens have picked back up laying after all the moulting.

Only couple months until we will be into Spring.....that sounds better than couple more months of winter!!

 

[lcertuche]

To save money write every purchase down to find out where it all is going. Sometimes we get in the habit of buying something without thinking. I use to always get a bottled soda or water every time I checked out and then DH did the same, and then then Wildbunch. Finally it was no less than $6 at checkout just for a drink. I rarely buy drinks any more but DH and the Wildbunch still will grab one but now they get them from the .50 cent machine out front of the store so we are down $2.50 because it's only the 4 or 5 getting the canned sodas instead of bottled. Buying lunch every day or grabbing a coffee before work, hitting the snack machines on break. It adds up if you don't know where the money is going.

 

[Wannabefree]

I rented my house out and became somewhat of a drifter the last couple years because one person doesn't need 3br 2 baths.....although now I'm regretting it a bit because I'm staying with family till it sells...but I'm saving a bundle!!!

 

[Mini Horses]

Been doing this with my water heater for years. Makes a big difference. Adding to this, limit the amount used DURING a shower. I wet down, turn water off, lather, then water on & rinse. (RV camping taught me this) My water heater, used this way, keeps enough hot for 2-3 days without flipping switch back on so long as I don't run dishwasher, lot of hot water for something else, etc. Next two BIG users of power -- clothes dryer & electric stove -- on day to day basis, that is. Of course, heat is always a concern IF electric.

So, clothesline, inside racks. Solar oven. Or cook in batches to freeze in smaller portions & reheat. As said, cook & use oven heat to warm house for that time of use. Cook far less in summer, limited AC use. I open windows when cool at night & close in day to keep cool inside -- shades on South windows (plus they are multi-pane, gas filled, e glazed, etc).

My whole house heat system is electric heat pump. I have a propane heater (looks like wood unit it replaced) which heats entire downstairs very nicely, far less expense. Upstairs I close off in winter as unused. It's always above freezing up there but cool for daily use. Rare use.

I don't get extreme or uncomfortable but use methods such as these to reduce use of utilities when possible.

 

[Mini Horses]

I have been asking my husband to do that. He is convinced it'll take too much electricity to re-heat when we then it back on. Hmm... Haven't tried it yet but now I really must!

Don't share, just do. Unless you forget to turn back on...he'll never know. You can cut off all day...on early evening....back off before bed. The water WILL still be hot for AM/PM showers. That's probably only time he even considers hot water.

 

[lcertuche]

My sister puts a drying rack in her bathroom or bedroom to dry clothes. I'm thinking I need to string a clothesline on my back porch to save on electricity. With a big family like mine it would save a lot.

People from our church brought us a lot of firewood today and said they have a lot more. They've already brought us about 4 cord today and have at least that much more to bring later in the week. Last winter when we didn't have money for firewood and was burning pine boards they brought us a cord of wood.

They won't take money and say they just need to get rid of it. I'm pretty sure they don't have to cut and split it to get rid of it but do it as servants of Christ.

 

[Wannabefree]

I quit smoking. Saved at least $10 so far. I hate everything.

 

[Denim Deb]

have a goal and look forward to the reward!

Ok, I read that as have a goat!