I challenge YOU !!

ok, first things first.  I think my lap top has a virus, I can't open up internet Explorer and when I do, it shuts right off, its been running ****ty all day.  ok, next

After Watching Oprah today and seeing people cutting back to save money, my DH and I decided to try and save on electricity, our bill is over $250.00 a month.  CRAZY I know!!  anyhow.  I have agreed to unplug both computers from bedtime to 2:00pm daily, unplug bubbles and filter in fish tank for 8 hours a day (we have 2) and hang out clothes instead of using the dryer.  I'm hopeing this will also get me off my Arssss, during the day, and hopefully save a few bucks, so it will have a 2 fold success rate.  so my challenge to you, is how about we all cut back on something, using cash in stead of credit cards, car pooling, cutting back restaraunt eating, anything. we all have our own issues.  Wanna join me in my challenge?  so starting at Bedtime, I won't be around till 2:00pm tomorrow, I'm ok, don't worry about me.

AAwwee Cheryl  i'm gonna miss you!  but you do whatever you have to do... I'm gonna stop going out to eat!  My electric bill is only $50 so I dont know what to cut back on.... 

I follow Dave Ramsey, the Total Money makeover. Got rid of credit cards for purchasing 2 years ago. We have a debit card or cash. DS has the electric bill as his portion of rent. Darn- should have given him the fuel bill.

I will cut back on needless car trips- you know the one trip to get ____. Will try to combine errands. I know my food bill will be lower now

20 years ago  we switched all lighting  in house  to   florescent.   That saved us about  800 kw a month  which  keeps our  light bill at around  70  dollars a month.
We  use  propane for   heat (now wood) propane for  dryer and  cooking.

I now make my own  laundry  detergent  and   that saves  a little  and I never go to town needlessly and havent  for  a few years.   Not much  i  can cut back on  but  i will try   to maybe  hang some clothes out   need to go get  thos pullies that keep clothes off the ground first.   they just put a new clothes line up for  me.    
Have a great day.  

Let's see:
1. Done running the pool pump for the summer!
2. Will try to convince the kids to turn off some lights around here!!!!!!!  (wish me luck with that one!)
3.  I usually combine trips for groceries, etc while I am working, so that's about all I can do there!
4.  We have no credit cards...just using cash or debit cards..WOOHOO!!!
5. Planning on buying each of the kids an electric matress pad for their beds so we can turn the furnace down at night (electric bill is cheaper than oil!)

That's all I can think of for now!  (My computer stays on, sorry!)

my computer stays running too, except that my laptop sometimes gets shut off to not burn out the wireless card...our electric bill usually stays round 50 in the winter and 100 in  the summer. We ren't using credit cards to purchase anymore but still have to pay them off. My student loans just came in and are due starting 12/10- 600 a month so DH and I are really going to have to start cutting down to pay that. Also we aren't going out to eat anymore as to help with my diet so that should save us lots....we don't turn the heat on past 65, and just replaced our old wood windows for new ones so that should help too!


I need my computer but luckly I use my work laptop at work and use hte internet here whenever, I work Sunday-Thursday until 8pm and I also have internet access (unlimited) on my cell phone so that helps....


Goodnight all!

Great post, Cheryl...let's see.

Yup, closed the pool, son moved out BIG SAVINGS!!LOL, but also I am sytematically changing all our light bulbs for the florescent ones, as they go, I buy a 4 pack every time I see them on sale.

I go to work in Conway, NH so combine all my running around, groceries, bank etc for those days and my SUV sits the other 4or5days a week.

WE burn wood and have put 8 cord up, will keep two stoves going on the days I am home to eliminate using too much oil.

Invited my brother from VT to close up his house and come live with us for the winter to help us both...I think more and more peeps are going to have to be creative this year...good luck all...

awesome reply, we all have to do our share, and the "American Way" of buying things on Credit should be over.  I am home alone all day and the tv, and 2 puters and lights and wash and drying are going all day, where alot of peole have nohting going cause they are all at school or work, so I am doing my share, plus I really need to get off my butt.  we are working on the bulbs too, but they are expensive,  we don't use much lights tho, I will say that, the hot tub is our big killer. and that is year round... thanks, Cheryl

This is a tough one - to economize when you live alone. I only drive 3 to 4 thousand miles a year, not much opportunity to save there. I only keep my heat at 60 in the winter and have already done that for years. I don't have a lot plugged in - I'm at work most days. And since surgery - I only eat out maybe once a month.

We put in a new more efficient furnace gonna save us anywhere from 40 to 50 % on our oil consumption.  We are going to be putting in the programable thermostats. Putting plastic on the inside and outside of the big windows and getting storm windows for the sky lights.
Kids are taking the bus this year instead of my driving them.
 Im going to buy a bunch of turtle necks and sweaters so I can keep heat lower but not freeze my tail end off lol. I will try keeping the computer off for a certain amount of time a day.:-)