This IS a recession, and I did some research
Okay, I am getting ready to move again, and this time EVERYTHING falls under my responsibility, even if not directly on my shoulders (I will not be living alone)... Speaking about how to save money on things that we can control, I was led to research and see ways that one can save money on things like electricity and water and such.
Because I am parked in front of a computer all day and have no issues with my ability to type, I will share my research with the three of you. Yes, three, I think I picked up a new reader last week.
Anyway, a lot of this shit is common sense that we all have and simply need to be reminded of. Most of these are applicable whether your house is heated with gas or electric, and we know that your spot will be cooled electrically, so no worries or questions there, no?
Know that the largest chunk of energy is consumed on the heating and cooling of the place, so that should be the first place one begins on this.
In the winter, that magic number on the thermostat is 68°, based upon all I remember and have read. One should accustom themselves if they're not ready for such a leap by dialing back one degree at a time until they're comfortable. Know that this is a benefit to your pockets AND household plants if you have any, as they're fine in the cool, so long as it ain't "cold." The FURTHER benefit of a lower thermostat is that the fridge/freezer won't have to work as hard if ambient everything is already cooler as well. This will save on energy AND perhaps eek a bit more life out of the appliances.
Also, if you're leaving the house for an extended period (think days, here, not hours) then down that number to 55°, a number that saves you from heating a house that you're not in, while still leaving your pipes safe from freezing and bursting if you live somewhere with a real winter, such as NC. Another time to lower it would be at night when you're sleeping and presumably under some covers and can handle it... What I have read to this point says that it could ALSO go down to 55 at this time, but I would not suggest going lower than you can comfortably handle, actually.
Strategies for saving on ELECTRICITY in the winter time are also applicable if you heat with gas as well.
In the summer, the magic number is 78°, which I will TRY on for size to see if I can handle it, but I am not so sure about. My theory has always been that you can put on enough clothes to comfortably warm yourself, but you can't take off enough when it is hot. The number is an EQUALLY asinine 85° at night, a time in which I just can't sleep if I am too hot, but may have to compromise a degree or 3 in the name of actually SAVING money instead of pissing it away to Duke Energy every month. Either way, the point of this is to have the thermostat as high as you can take it in the summer time.
Also, make sure doors are closed and properly sealed (as in just below the door) from taking in outside air. Slap your kids if they exhibit a habit of running in and out of the house. In fact, you might want to do this in the winter as well, unless the thermostat is already at a ridiculously low setting. In fact, you might want to go ahead and get in on the exercise of slapping up your kids anyway, workout on their friends too...
Know that a dark house is easier to keep cool, so get some opaque blinds and keep the sumbitches closed. If you need motivation to do this, know that it works to your advantage, in that you can make sex in any room in your house without your neighbors seeing. Know that ceiling fans will help to augment the cooling effect potentially lost by having the house on the whole a little warmer, circulating air works like that. Be careful, though, to TURN THE FAN OFF when you're not in the room, as fans are for cooling PEOPLE and not rooms.
Don't make the AC HAVE to work any harder with outside shit... Cook on the stovetop, or in the microwave instead of the oven. Better yet, invite some friends over and cook on the grill outside. Know that lights make heat as well, so make a point of having them off, hell even having them off when you are IN the room unless you just NEED them for whatever reason (which should only be if you're READING something, in my opinion). Do these things ESPECIALLY on especially hot days.
Generically speaking...
At the end of it all, the whole conservation of energy thing, which is what leads to the very saving of money on things as described above, is more about an application of common sense than anything. Yes, there are some things that we might not have thought of, or some that we DO but neglect anyway. Either way, with due diligence done, all that remains in this situation is the most difficult things that all of us come across EVERY day of our lives, and those will be discipline, restraint and preparation.
Wish me luck!
Because I am parked in front of a computer all day and have no issues with my ability to type, I will share my research with the three of you. Yes, three, I think I picked up a new reader last week.
Anyway, a lot of this shit is common sense that we all have and simply need to be reminded of. Most of these are applicable whether your house is heated with gas or electric, and we know that your spot will be cooled electrically, so no worries or questions there, no?
Know that the largest chunk of energy is consumed on the heating and cooling of the place, so that should be the first place one begins on this.
In the winter, that magic number on the thermostat is 68°, based upon all I remember and have read. One should accustom themselves if they're not ready for such a leap by dialing back one degree at a time until they're comfortable. Know that this is a benefit to your pockets AND household plants if you have any, as they're fine in the cool, so long as it ain't "cold." The FURTHER benefit of a lower thermostat is that the fridge/freezer won't have to work as hard if ambient everything is already cooler as well. This will save on energy AND perhaps eek a bit more life out of the appliances.
Also, if you're leaving the house for an extended period (think days, here, not hours) then down that number to 55°, a number that saves you from heating a house that you're not in, while still leaving your pipes safe from freezing and bursting if you live somewhere with a real winter, such as NC. Another time to lower it would be at night when you're sleeping and presumably under some covers and can handle it... What I have read to this point says that it could ALSO go down to 55 at this time, but I would not suggest going lower than you can comfortably handle, actually.
Strategies for saving on ELECTRICITY in the winter time are also applicable if you heat with gas as well.
In the summer, the magic number is 78°, which I will TRY on for size to see if I can handle it, but I am not so sure about. My theory has always been that you can put on enough clothes to comfortably warm yourself, but you can't take off enough when it is hot. The number is an EQUALLY asinine 85° at night, a time in which I just can't sleep if I am too hot, but may have to compromise a degree or 3 in the name of actually SAVING money instead of pissing it away to Duke Energy every month. Either way, the point of this is to have the thermostat as high as you can take it in the summer time.
Also, make sure doors are closed and properly sealed (as in just below the door) from taking in outside air. Slap your kids if they exhibit a habit of running in and out of the house. In fact, you might want to do this in the winter as well, unless the thermostat is already at a ridiculously low setting. In fact, you might want to go ahead and get in on the exercise of slapping up your kids anyway, workout on their friends too...
Know that a dark house is easier to keep cool, so get some opaque blinds and keep the sumbitches closed. If you need motivation to do this, know that it works to your advantage, in that you can make sex in any room in your house without your neighbors seeing. Know that ceiling fans will help to augment the cooling effect potentially lost by having the house on the whole a little warmer, circulating air works like that. Be careful, though, to TURN THE FAN OFF when you're not in the room, as fans are for cooling PEOPLE and not rooms.
Don't make the AC HAVE to work any harder with outside shit... Cook on the stovetop, or in the microwave instead of the oven. Better yet, invite some friends over and cook on the grill outside. Know that lights make heat as well, so make a point of having them off, hell even having them off when you are IN the room unless you just NEED them for whatever reason (which should only be if you're READING something, in my opinion). Do these things ESPECIALLY on especially hot days.
Generically speaking...
- Those little spirally lights, while they cost more, happen to last damn near FOREVER (I know I have one right now I have used almost 10 years) as opposed to like 6 months AND save you cash by consuming less, so the premium in price is absolutely worth it in the end.
- Wash clothes and dishes when you have a full load... You have something else to wear or eat with/off of, so please don't fire up those money pits until you're gonna get your cash back out of them.
- Shorten that shower... You really don't have a reason to be in the shower 30 fucking minutes unless you're touching yourself and there is really no reason to be doing that anywhere other than in view of the computer.
- Your computer is making heat AND consuming energy, so is your television, so is your stereo... Turn them off, simple as that. Furthermore, keep them and lamps as FAR away from the thermostat as possible, they would tell it that the place is a little warmer than it actually is. "I just have the TV on for noise," is another thing I will have to unlearn, especially when looking at the fact that The Katie sleeps in silence and I do not.
- Keep the systems running efficiently - know where the filters are and how to check/change them... Wait on them to go on sale or find them online for cheap and be ready to do so at a moment's notice. Keep them clean.
- Turn that hot water heater down! Look, I am a fan of a shower so hot that I damn near hurt myself, but that is a habit that I will have to unlearn. 120-125ish°, here I come!
At the end of it all, the whole conservation of energy thing, which is what leads to the very saving of money on things as described above, is more about an application of common sense than anything. Yes, there are some things that we might not have thought of, or some that we DO but neglect anyway. Either way, with due diligence done, all that remains in this situation is the most difficult things that all of us come across EVERY day of our lives, and those will be discipline, restraint and preparation.
Wish me luck!
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