AS A SINGLE DAD GOING THROUGH TOUGH TIMES THANK YOU SO MUCH ON HOW TO SAVE MONEY... WE LOVE YOU TWO AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HELPING ME AND MY BOYS.. THE DILLARDS.
My mother introduced me to your channel and she passed away suddenly so I have been watching you for comfort. You mean more to me than you will realize.
@ Ana. I get it...I watch General Hospital for the same reason....Been 3.5 years ....doesn’t get easier ...but a new normal does happen to make it bearable ....So sorry for your loss
Years ago I traveled for work. An assignment would be a minimum of 3 months and sometimes longer. I figured my electric bill would go down because I wasn't there to use it. (I live alone.) It didn't really go down but for a few cents. So I tried unplugging big things before I left on an assignment. My bill dropped 76%! I was amazed and excited to see how much lower I could get it. I unplugged EVERYTHING. I unplugged the dryer, the washing machine, TV, lamps, clocks, microwave, all kitchen appliances like toasters and coffee makers. I even thought I'd unplug the stove but I didn't want to pull it out and push it back in. I then remembered that the breaker box was on the wall opposite the stove. I turned the stove off at the breaker box and only turned it on when I was ready to cook, and then turned the breaker off immediately after cooking. My electric bill went down another 11%. It was astounding! One year I challenged myself to see how low I could get the electric bill. It was in July, when days are the longest. It was daylight till about 9:30 pm. I had no children or pets living with me so I could do this. I didn't turn on any lights. I put a candle or 2 in each room. When it hot dark enough that I would have turned on a light, I lit a candle in the room I was in instead. My electricity bill that month was $13. I was astounded again...but didn't want to keep doing that on an ongoing basis. I was taught to keep water heater at just the temperature where you don't have to use cold water to cool it to a useable temp. If you have to cool hot water down to be able to use it, you're wasting money and water. Why would you pay to heat water...only to have to cool it down to use it?! No...don't do it. You can also get an insulation covering for water heaters. Plus you can put foam encasements on any reachable hot water pipes. It saves money. You buy them once and you keep your electric bill down for years. I could go on and on...but this is plenty for now! I live listening to you two. I feel like we're a kind of kindred spirits....except I'm EXTREME at times. At one point I calculated that I use about 1/15 (one fifteenth) the utilities of most folks.
To Jonna B.: this is an interesting experience! But being home and retired, it’s a different life experience to live through 2020 and now this year (2021) when my husband has an oxygen machine on 24/7. Being a caregiver, as I am, presents its own challenges. I agree to turn off lights and use natural summer lights. Open drapes. Unplug all kitchen small appliances. But how do I unplug my dishwasher?? I use a gas stove and don’t touch this either. Refrigerator must be on to keep my husband’s medications cold. I agree to do laundry very late (after 10 pm) and early (4:30 am) because the power grid isn’t as busy during the nighttime. Computers are unplugged when not in use. But my real issue is having this oxygen compressor on 24/7. I can’t get around this. You have accomplished a lot! Thank you for sharing these great ideas! It always interests me to see how others can save. Pat in Colorado
@@patschneider5671 Thank you for your response. That was very kind of you. You're right: you can't turn off electricity for the fridge or an oxygen concentrator.
I'm happy to tell you I unplug unused things, turn off lights, turn up/down thermostat, wear extra layers in the winter, and my eldest who uses the toaster unplugs it between uses. Our elec/ric bill went down overall, every month. So grateful 🙏 for all your tips!
Y’all are such a nice couple; it is easy to see you genuinely love each other and your boys. You give us listeners so many bits of good advice to save money, resources and improve oneself in the process. Thank you so much!
Our electric bill was $361.90 last month. We were shocked. (We bought this place last winter!) We talked about all that we could do including keeping the living room light off of we're just watching TV. We also turned off the ac and opened windows and doors. On the hotter days, we closed up early to trap in the cooler air. The result? This month's bill... Drum roll please... $134. 37!!! Close to 1/3 of the previous month! Also, I monitored our usage on line. The two days I used my oven (full, of course!), my usage was nearly double!
I was absolutely shocked when I checked our usage to see the effect of turning on the oven. It doubled our electric usage for the hours that I was using the oven. Glad you problem-solved and were able to lower your bill.
In AZ, you can get a 1-time credit for planting up to 4 shade trees from the electric company's list 10-15 feet from your house on the south, east, or west side of the house.
@@sandrawhitfield7102 The ones they have on their list are desert shade trees that are drought tolerant, so require little care. Having them placed 10-15 ft from the house on the east, west, or south sides reduces heating and cooling costs.
Hubby and I have cut back and got our power bill down to $75 a month by stopping central heating and air, getting energy star window units in just the rooms we mainly use and only turn them on when we are in the room. Paid for the new air conditioners over the first 3 months and now we enjoy much lower monthly bills! 👍
I like the idea of plugging everything into power strips and turning it all off just by flipping a switch instead of unplugging things. I've got several around my house. I even have some that plug directly into outlets and they have power buttons. They also have USB ports. Another great way is to use solar. They sell solar powered light bulbs on Amazon that come with the solar panels as well as remotes. Power them up by the sun. Use them inside to light up the house. They cost about 12.00 each but if you can use 1 or 2 in each room, you can save loads. Also great in a power outage. Also really great for adding a light where you have no light. You could also get a portable power source, such as a Jackery and a portable solar panel to charge it...then plug stuff into that. Zero electricity used.
I agree with Larry. I put the microwave on the power strip and turn it off completely. $30 savings. Everyone I tell who tells me it is also their clock...get a wall clock and use a rechargeable AA battery to run it.
Try to spend one (summer) day not turning on any lights during the day to see if you really need them. Open those shades! Also, really ask yourself if you are waiting until clothes are truly dirty (smelly, stained etc.) before washing them. I think we are conditioned to wash clothes after one wearing "just because". Great video!
I know this is a 1 year old video, but I just watched it. Thank you so much for mentioning the energy group that can help deciphering your bill. My husband and I live in an apartment, and our electricity bill in the summertime is regularly $130+. That said, it’s higher than people I know who have 3 level homes and have their AC on constantly. I found a group in my area that provides phone in consultations, and their next one is in 2 weeks! I can’t wait to hear what they have to say!
I read a comment somewhere once where they got a nice fridge for free because it was “broken”. The entire coil panel was caked in pet hair and dust, he vacuumed it and had a brand new functional fridge for free!
I live in New Jersey, we have the Equal Payment Plan, it is based on a 12 month usage and divided by 12, average out to an equitable cost, every month, you know exactly how much you are paying each month. You are forwarded a monthly usage on each bill. However, if your usage goes over your average, this will be payed at the end of your billing cycle based on a years usage. This works for me !!
I don't have A/C and never had A/C growing up. However, the house I own has ceiling fans, but I rarely use it . A huge saving tip I do is shut off my main electric heater (e.g. heats the water) , which I turn it back on when I come back home from work. Great tips..thanks for sharing!
My electric bill averages 36 a month, Dec, Jan, Feb the highest when running the oil burners a few nights in sub zero temps. In the Summer I use hot water from coiled-up garden hoses on the South Side, In the winter I use hot water from the woodstove for daily chores. I also put a switch at the top of the stairs to turn off the electric water heater when the 40 gal tank is heated, I might use once or twice a week I use for heavy-duty water use, baths, laundry, etc.
I've done the putting warm items in the fridge thing several times, too. Mostly I've done it during holidays, family dinners, or when I'm super tired and don't want to stay up long enough for the item to cool~~but waiting until the next morning would be dangerous. And I'm with Larry on putting foods to cool on our screened deck. I call it our winter fridge. lol When we're having a long cold spell (where it doesn't get very warm during daylight hours) I keep things like Christmas candies, desserts, drinks, etc. on our screened deck on a table with lids. Great series!
Another thing that’s works amazingly well is a swamp cooler! Even though a swamp cooler won’t work well in extremely hot areas, it does work well in areas that don’t rise above 100 degrees in the summer. It’s literally pennies compared to AC cooling systems.
On the ice cube maker: I drink ice water almost exclusively. While I could turn off the ice maker, I'd be opening the freezer almost hourly and I think that would cost more money than the ice maker consumes
Cost of automatic coffee ready in the mornings - priceless! I have wasted more energy making "coffee" without the grounds, or forgetting to add water, etc., because I'm not awake enough to realize I've done it wrong in the mornings. Plus, it's an incentive to get out of bed on cold winter mornings when I'd rather sleep in! I think I save much more in money, time and stress by having an automatic coffee maker. I'll take the cost! I loved the refrigerator tips, by the way, especially the thermometer tips. But, oh, I'm with you about putting warm food in the fridge - I'm too worried about letting it grow bacteria, so if I'm heading to bed, it goes into the fridge, no matter how hot! To me, it's cheaper than throwing out food or missing work for being in Emergency with food poisoning.
I've loaded our coffee maker a time or two without water, but I caught it right away when I heard the coffee maker gurgling. In regards to placing food hot in the fridge, yes, it's better to do that than risk spoiling the food. Thanks for the comment, C Gt!
coffee wise, I usually only drink one cup a day and the older k cup style machine was constantly gross even with running vinegar through it for cleaning. I switched to a pour-over method that doesn't require a machine at all. I spent about 10 on the metal filter and I love that thing. But if you drink more than a cup or two a day, it would probably be annoying. We bought a little insulated caraffe to keep larger amounts warm. Paid a couple bucks at a thrift. I used it for my daughter's birthday party so adult guests could have warm coffee. I forgot to clean it out afterward. 24 hours later, that coffee was still warm. Amazed me.
I bought hubby one of those French press coffee makers and that really saves $$ ! I quit drinking coffee and cappuccino and I save our family lots of $$ !
When I cook cinnamon rolls or biscuits for breakfast, I leave the door of my gas oven open on cool mornings to heat up the kitchen and family room at NO charge!!! 😀
"Every degree saves you 1 to 3%." Cool beans! I have large ice bags to set hot food containers on to cool off faster than all alone on the counter. I use a motion detector night light in my bathroom most of the time. I'm the only one who goes in there. This lets me avoid turning on 2 lights and fan in the middle of the night waking my son. I'm sure I save lots of money. We must be doing something right even with keeping our home central air 68 degrees all year long. My son has MS - he can't tolerate anything above 70 degrees. I have a large easy to read thermometer on the wall so I can monitor them temp for his medical reasons. I have brittle asthma and I wheeze above 70 degrees. The most we are charged in any month has only been $93. But our neighbors in comparable apartments with different angles and times of the day the sun shines on their windows often pay $150 to $200 a month. AND they will sit out all day in the shade in the heat. I think we are able to keep are walls cool or warm seasonally instead of playing catch up running the central air in the evening. I unplug my toaster and can opener. Yay! I'm saving. I'm going to unplug most of our surge protectors until we need them. Be sure to dust/ vac the back of the frig clean. I used to. But where I live now, it is too hard for me to pull the frig out. So I asked Maintenace to do for me along with pulling the stove out to clean and check for mice. I will save the landlord money in the long run.
Great tips! I do every single one of them... I get on our electric company's website and check our usage daily... I will definitely check out the checklist also... I also hang up clothes outside year round (we live in IL)... Haven't used my dryer since March 7, 2020...
I love hearing people are hanging laundry outdoors. I have not had a dryer for 23 years. I hang laundry outdoors as long as the weather is warm enough. During Winter, I hang it in a spare room upstairs.
@@patwagner9308 I love hanging outside... I do it even in the winter... Luckily it is just me (and hubby when he is not working out of state) so I can pick and choose when I do laundry so I can pick the good days to do it...
@@goheen04 same here! One of the things my sister noted is you wait for pretty days to hang out laundry. Yes! And if flowers are in bloom, they can be enjoyed while out there hanging the fresh, clean laundry.
Since I live in a rural area we are charged $43 carrier fee only on electricity. My bill for July was $53.07. That means I only used $10. Amazing amount. There is 1 refrigerator and only lighting in room I use at that time. I looked at my needs and I spend my time outdoors where there is a constant breeze for comfort. I don't use air conditioning or fans. In 90s here but due to my constant breeze I am comfortable.
Thanks for doing this series. It's so nice to hear all the things that you do and to see the charts where you break down the costs of everything. I already do most of these things but it is nice to see the actual amount I save by using my crockpot and toaster oven. Even though I have an online account set up with my electric company, I didn't realize I could just get on there and check my use for a certain period of time. This will definitely make it easier to know if something I try actually saves electricity.
My husband works at a major power company. So yeah we are very cautious about lights, heating and cooling and cleaning the coils. In the cold winter like freezing temps we put cold stuff on the back deck. And also during power outages.
I often worked 12 hr noct shift as an RN and had to sleep during the day. I hung a blanket with tacks behind my curtain and it worked great as a black out curtain costing me nothing. I have use inexpensive shower curtains behind window curtains and have noticeably blocked cold or hot air from coming in the room, plastic doesn't breath and allow air transfer. $ stores have shower curtains, you can put two on a rod if wanted. They are large so I am able to put them right next to the top of the window sill, extend them a couple inches onto the wall over the sides and let hang 4-6 inches past the bottom of the window sill to help keep out the transfer of air from the window.
This idea is for the kitchen and saving on cooling. In the summer I cook with my toaster oven and rice cooker out in the garage to keep the heat and moisture out of our house. We have a gas oven and it sure heats up our whole house. In the winter time I’m glad to keep all the heat and moisture inside.
I bought a set of 3 usb rechargeable camping lanterns ( they are also waterproof and double as a bicycle headlight ) Also a usb headtorch, after watching your video. Cheapest I could find on ebay, but they are really good. Fantastic tip, thank you. ❤
I purchased a Solar Oven recently and have been making anything from Rosemary Bread, homegrown Raspberry Crescent Rolls, grilled garden veggies, etc... All with this the handy little Solar Oven (gosun Sport). Zero Fuel costs and usually takes on 25-30 minutes of cook time. Obviously there is an initial upfront cost but this solar ovens are portable, great for camping, while on a picnic, or off-grid living. Looking forward to my next meal in the solar oven.
Thanks for the recommend. I've seen another brand, but am unfamiliar with the one you bought. I have a homemade solar oven that my boys made years ago when they were in 4H. They went to the state competition with their project. It doesn't have the large "fins" on the side that the commercial models have. So, it only heats to 225-250 degrees. But, it's the same a a slow-cooker on "high". We have to reposition it every hour or two also to keep catching the direct light rays.
Thank you for sharing. Going to buy those light bulbs to change the old ones. There are a few thing I do in the house to help with bills like having some socket sealers for every outlet, also having outlet protectors even though there’s no babies in the house prevent cold/ hot air from coming in, put extra rolls of insulation in attic, thermal drapes, washing hands with cold water even in winter helps a bit; also using electrical appliances such as crockpot, instant pot, rice cooker, etc the energy consumption is very low compared to stove, don’t have to worry about spills and can do something else meanwhile, dishwasher only with cold water, skip pre soak, personally don’t use heat to dry just cancel after rinse and let dishes air dry, also on winter time like to warm the room where I’m staying with some candles, not the whole house also turn heat at night and wear sweaters and hats inside the house if is too cold. On summer grilling is a good option or having only cold meals. But I think best way to save $$ is making your kids paying for it, they will be very careful with every single minor thing. Ask me how do I know... 😂😂
I always fix my coffeepot everymorning After I had my morning coffee. Rarely drink it in evenings. I have a 1 cup pot for that.Then in morning I just plug it in turn it on and when I run to bathroom n wash my hands its ready. I sometimes then pour it in a thermos after I drink the first cup. Great tips.
My ice maker , I dont have 1 now, but it would make a big bin of ice would last at least 24 hrs. but I put water in fridge to cool just used for other so I'd turn that off.
Food hack, when you peel potatoes, save the skin(wash potatoes though) and spray oil and sprinkle salt(feel free to add additional herbs or spices). I put them in my air fryer until crispy and they are a hit in my home.
Hello from England. Our ‘summer’ is freezing and wet today today! Little tip - after using the kettle, top up with more water and leave it ready for next time. The water comes to room temperature so doesn’t take so long to boil. Also our hot water comes via a combo boiler so it takes a while for the hot water to come in. I discovered that running the hot tap to wash hands (even following the more thorough process of government guidelines) still was t long enough but the boiler was firing up immediately. So now we wash hands from the cold tap so the boiler doesn’t kick in. I hope this makes sense - it really works and it’s less money down the drain (literally). PS followed you detergent measuring tips and they really really worked. Love your ‘Larry & Hope’ shows🤗🤗😍😍☘️
I put a pan under the kitchen tap and a bucket in the shower to catch the cooler water until the hotter water comes out. I use the water in the pan for various uses in cooking or cleaning and the water in the bucket to water plants, wash down the lawn furniture, flush out the toilets and etc. This has saved a lot on our water bill as well as electric.
Your tip makes perfect sense! You have inadvertently been kicking on the water heater just in the 30 seconds it takes to wash hands. I would never have thought of this! Great thought!
For health reasons, I actually turned off some of the breakers and it’s only a minor inconvenience at night, for which I use a flashlight to go up the dark stairs. Also, I have a large home which takes a while to heat or cool. So this summer I am going to cool it at night when electric rates are cheaper and it the AC won’t be trying to work so hard in the heat. I already keep it pretty warm in the summer and cool in winter. Thanks for all the tips!
Putting food in the fridge to chill hot food for storage is a good idea as long it doesn't affect the other cold items in your fridge already. Food saftey is important keep hot food hot and cold food cold, stay out of the food danger zone where bacteria can grow really fast. Defrosting frozen food on the kitchen sink for hours is bad news as well. Defrosting should be done in the fridge. Keep food safe especially during holidays where leftovers are common. Sorry I came here to try save on electricity bills not rant on, thanks for the vids watching from Australia
I have a tip for cooking spaghetti. Put the water on to boil add your spaghetti put a lid on turn the heat off leave the pan for 15/20 mins test it should be cooked .
I use my ice and water dispenser through the door a minimum of 3 times daily and often run the dispenser out in hot weather. Sooooo I am not unplugging it. Also if I use that I don’t open the freezer as often.
No I don’t have to clean my coil as they are enclosed in the side of the fridge . A condenser coil and an evaporator coil. A liquid coolant is circulated through these coils by a Compressor and a Motor. The refrigerant liquid is cooled in the condenser; it then flows to the evaporator. At the evaporator, the air in the unit is cooled by contact with the liquid-filled coil.
@@UndertheMedian The fridge came with the house. It has always seemed cold to me, and now I can set it properly! Thanks again for all the great ideas - you two have completely refocused my life. I now have my "goal notes" taped up everywhere for reinforcement, and I have clarified my goals which has simplified my life considerably and reduced a lot of stress.
Larry, if our automatic ice maker was stopped, my hubby would NOT be happy. He drinks iced water on and off ALL day. So for us, the coffee maker can be unplugged but the ice maker is a stay-on MUST. LOL One of the suggestions that you gave about putting coffee in a thermos was done by my aunt in 1960's. Some of the old ways never die out. To save on the water and electric bill, if you are running the hot water tab, collect the cold water that runs out-- into a pan or bucket and use the cool water for other projects that do not require hot water such as watering plants, washing lawn furniture and etc. In the shower, run the exhaust fan or open a window to help cut down on the mold & mildew that can build up in your bathroom. We run the fan while we shower and let it run a bit longer when we are out. Also, wipe down the walls and spouts to keep the shower walls cleaner longer. {Using a squeegee makes it easy to do.} Wiping down can be done while you are just getting out so you don't have any extra steps after you have completed your bathing. This simple step has saved me time, cleaning materials($ saved) and energy. Not sure if you touched on this in other videos about the furnace, our furnace man told us to keep the pipe that the condensed water runs from cleaned out by pouring about 2 cups of bleach into it once a month to clear out lint and dust that that the furnace has accumulated. He told us that those particles will build up in the pipe over time and make your furnace run poorly even if you diligently change your filter every 3 months. I was shocked to see all the lint that came out of the drip pipe. You have given all excellent suggestions that I have used for years. Keep up the good work!
I have found if I scrub the walls of my fiberglass tub/shower first w baking soda , then rinse well and dry. Follow up with car wax, spread thin layer , let dry then wipe off w a soft rag. After this the water and soap film will just run off very easily or just quickly squeegee. 3:22
Regarding heat in winter, once i've had my coffee and get moving around, i warm up. So how about turning up the heat in the morning, and shutting it down for the day once the house warms and you get more active? Any benefit in that?
Electric rates go down from 9pm-10am. I try to do my laundry then. If I’m too tired to dry, I put it in the washer at night and dry it in the morning before 10. I don’t leave empty chargers plugged in and I unplug some things when I go away. ( electric vampires). I do a lot of things in your video and my bill is pretty low.
Consider trimming a piece of reusable furnace air filter over the fridge compressor vents or opening, plus sliding another one under the fridge to trap dust, they do keep the mechanical innards dust-free.
Hello you guys from Laval Québec. I enjoyed very much Hope's previous video on reducing air conditionning fees. I applied the suggestions because we had a heat wave that lasted a whole week. Looking forward for more tricks😍💗 see you soon !!!
I’m all about extreme but I’ve known for a while now about the correlation between LEDs and brain cancer. I will not have them in my home. I love the light of incandescent, but you can get fluorescents that yellow, so that’s what I’ll use now.
I watch you from the UK, and find your channel very enjoyable. We would be great "friends" because we already do a lot of what you mention. One small point - you kind of mentioned it with the coffee, but I don't drink coffee anymore, I make fruit tea or regular tea, and I use a large thermos, boiling the kettle twice in the morning, filling the thermos, and using the thermos to make teas through the day rather than re-boiling kettle each time. I even use a little of the water in a bowl with cool water and washing up liquid to wash the lunch dishes aswell. Only a small thing but nowadays everything counts especially with the current energy crisis UK is facing this winter. Thanks for all your tips & to all your subscribers whose comments I also note.
i would actually agree with you that switching to tea (especially if it's herbal) would probably help me to sleep better at night as well as having other health benefits. I've weaned myself off of coffee in the past, but it's been a while since I've been back on it. Thanks for the reminder that I do need to focus on drinking other things, too.
Just found your channel and you have some GREAT TIPS! I never knew about turning off the automatic ice maker in my fridge. I don't use ice so that immediately got turned off! Just found your channel and you have some GREAT TIPS! I never knew about turning off the automatic ice maker in my fridge. I don't use ice so that immediately got turned off! Also, I don't know if you mentioned this yet, but I just ordered THERMAL Curtains for my patio door and plan on hanging them up as soon as Amazon delivers the and then attaching Velcro to the sides of the patio door and curtain so it will trap in the cold air from getting in during the winter Keep up the GOOD work!
Blackout curtains, we live in a very warm area and in our afternoons the AC wasn’t able to keep up. We put up blackout curtains and that solved the problems. They can be expensive so we looked on Facebook Marketplace and outlet stores for ours. The difference in the temperature of the rooms with the blackout curtains versus those without is significant
Yes! This helps tremendously! I'm making a small curtain out of old sheets and other old fabric I have laying about. (Using the sheets on the outside so it looks one solid color. Lol!)
if you need to cool something rather than putting it into the fridge if it is in a pot put the plug in the sink run in enough cold water to allow you to put the pot in
I am in the process of replacing all of the lights with LED, I also put up solar LED lights and some using LED electric strips. Being elderly I can't afford to break a hip in the dark, but, the strips on low provide enough light.
Hi! Awesome tips! Thank you! I recently moved into a new place this year and unscrewed TEN lightbulbs. And I use a led motion-sensor nightlight for my bathroom and don't even use the light fixture in there at all. Is that a smart idea to save money?
Hello I recently discovered your channel and I am enjoying it. I am wondering do you have solar panels on your roof? I have them and live in the state of New Jersey I think they are well worth it.
our dining room light has several bulbs and so does our chandelier in the bedroom but we have both on dimmers which is a much more reasonable way to save than unscrewing bulbs. we do our wash in cold water only and we charge all of our small items like cell phones. iPads and rechargeable batteries with our small solar generator. we do unplug things that don't need to be on like our coffee grinder. we also use things like our dehydrator etc to double as space heater.
I keep telling my husband to turn off the lights. He's worse than the kids. One tip I can recommend is to change out the furnace filter when it gets dirty so the furnace doesn't work as hard.
The furnace filter is a great tip, too. Our HVAC friend told us that not changing the filter is the number one problem that he sees. Someone will call because their furnace is just running and running. Usually the filter is totally clogged. Once it's changed, problem solved.
Oh yes, Larry mentioned my way of cooling pies and such by running them outside to cool. I even have a laundry basket with small holes to keep critters out . I place a rock on top. I don’t do pies in Summer. I throw braker on hot water heater at night, and still have plenty water for dish washing am. I cut back on when feel water getting tepid. Short baths. Catch first water that has not warmed up in bucket to flush commode or water plants. It is controversial, but I even sometimes use dishwater in a pan to water vegetables in garden.. That is why the old timers had great kitchen gardens. Love your enthusiasm. You make thrifty fun.
When I had a garden, I also caught the water from the bath or shower that would have gone down the drain while warming up. I know farmers who put used dish water on flower gardens. When I was a child our kitchen door was a Dutch door, so things could be cooled on the ledge in the middle of the door.
Another frugal tip! This one is a seasonal one for us, but when it's not blistering hot outside, we open the curtains (or even the windows) for light & fresh air. Our house is pretty old, and doesn't have central air, so when we aren't using the heater I take the batteries out of the thermostat. (I have little ones who like to climb up and press buttons. Lol! They are learning though. 😊 ) They've been known to turn on the heater or the fan. Can't have that!
I vacuum the kitchen floor once a week, just before I mop. With a hairy pet onboard, it's essential that I vacuum those coils every week. I know, it seems extreme, but the clumps of hair that come from under my fridge every week are amazing.
Don’t forget to vacuum your cold air return vents at the same time. We had a couple of pets in the house for several years and it was always shocking how much pet hair was on those things! Every. Single. Time. !!!
I have been saving a fortune on my Washing Bill !!!!! 3KW Washing Machine, 3 KW Tumble Dryer, 3 KW Iron !!!! ( About £5 to £10 each Time !!!! ) Now I use a Manual Washing Machine or else a Small Electric one with a 350 Watt Motor and no heating. I use a Mangle to get most of the Water out of my clothes !!!! Then I hang the Clothes on a Washing Line !!!! And they don`t need Ironing because the Mangle makes them flat !!!! I heat my House with 3 Candle Heaters and a Butane Camping Gas Stove with a Heating Adapter !!!! I have lots of Detectors but they never sounded. With the financial help from the Government the electricity Company is Paying me £7 per month !!!! I have Computers and Economical Cooking Devices. I had my Gas Meter Removed so I never have a Gas Bill !!!! I reckon I`ve spent about £1,000 this Winter on Candles, Butane Gas Cannisters etc. And I have a lot that I haven`t used yet !!!! I live with my 2 Dogs and I`m Single !!!! I have an Electric Blanket on which costs almost nothing to run, apart from them going wrong after a few months and replacing them !!!! My Yearly Electricity bill was £1,600 two years ago !!!! When the Government Help Ends my Bill should be £50 per month !!!! So I am Happy with That !!!!
Maybe look into better appliances that are energy savers.yes,they may cost more upfront,but if they run better,it saves money.especially refigerators.if they dont seal properly,or have inconsistent temps
Yes, very important. We replaced a 40 year old freezer last year for an energy efficient one. The newer one is twice the size and far less expensive to run.
In the winter overnight I decrease the electricity level in the whole house and put on socks and warm clothes. I also have the beautiful gas fireplace that actually heats up the whole house. So for at least 12 hours or so the house is toasty warm for a lot less. In the summer I also close off the grates for the air conditioning in rooms that we are not using. I would love to adjust the central air but I hate to be hot 🥵 and I just can’t do it!
42 degrees is too high for meat and dairy. If you are vegan like we are that 42 may actually be okay. But, everywhere I checked said 40 degree for safety. But, I don't know how 42 degrees would impact things like non-dairy milk. Better safe than sorry.
Great video. I've heard most of these tips before, but it was good to be reminded of them...Cold showers can save on the hot water, if you're brave enough...Do you have any advice for using the AC efficiently?
I have a windows unit for high degree days . I only got that 3 years ago. I generally throw open the windows and point a box fan out at night on the top floor . It pulls cool air in all over the house. I shut it down in the AM. I live in Wisconsin. Most days I don’t turn on the AC at all. Recently I have the AC on in the PM only until the outside temperature gets below 70. Then I shut it down and open the windows.
@@2JobsStillPoorUSA , you're absolutely right. Statistically, you can raise your AC by 4 degrees with no noticeable difference in comfort if you use fans in the rooms you are sitting. Fans cost just pennies per hour to run. Your AC costs a lot more than the fans.
We live in a fairly large town, but unfortunately, their utility website is not too great. I would love to see my usage by hour, or even by day. Ours only shows a month by month comparison. Like you, I also enjoy charts! 😉
I didn't heat the attic this past winter. Nor did I use the big window a c unit this summer. If I can get away without it, I don't plan on turning the heat on until Oct.
We always aim for October 1st, too. It's always fun to try to make it to that date without turning on the heat. When we lived in a 2nd floor apartment we didn't use the heat until mid-November. The floors were so poorly insulated that all the heat from the first floor apartment wafted up into our apartment.
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AS A SINGLE DAD GOING THROUGH TOUGH TIMES THANK YOU SO MUCH ON HOW TO SAVE MONEY... WE LOVE YOU TWO AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HELPING ME AND MY BOYS.. THE DILLARDS.
My mother introduced me to your channel and she passed away suddenly so I have been watching you for comfort. You mean more to me than you will realize.
Ana, we are so incredibly sorry for your loss. We are grateful to have you with us and trust that God will send comfort and peace.
@Ana Armalah....so very sorry for your loss....hugs for your heart ❤
@ Ana. I get it...I watch General Hospital for the same reason....Been 3.5 years ....doesn’t get easier ...but a new normal does happen to make it bearable ....So sorry for your loss
❤️❤️❤️
Ohhh No, sorry to hear. Take good ❤ care
Years ago I traveled for work. An assignment would be a minimum of 3 months and sometimes longer. I figured my electric bill would go down because I wasn't there to use it. (I live alone.) It didn't really go down but for a few cents. So I tried unplugging big things before I left on an assignment. My bill dropped 76%! I was amazed and excited to see how much lower I could get it. I unplugged EVERYTHING. I unplugged the dryer, the washing machine, TV, lamps, clocks, microwave, all kitchen appliances like toasters and coffee makers. I even thought I'd unplug the stove but I didn't want to pull it out and push it back in. I then remembered that the breaker box was on the wall opposite the stove. I turned the stove off at the breaker box and only turned it on when I was ready to cook, and then turned the breaker off immediately after cooking. My electric bill went down another 11%. It was astounding!
One year I challenged myself to see how low I could get the electric bill. It was in July, when days are the longest. It was daylight till about 9:30 pm. I had no children or pets living with me so I could do this. I didn't turn on any lights. I put a candle or 2 in each room. When it hot dark enough that I would have turned on a light, I lit a candle in the room I was in instead. My electricity bill that month was $13. I was astounded again...but didn't want to keep doing that on an ongoing basis.
I was taught to keep water heater at just the temperature where you don't have to use cold water to cool it to a useable temp. If you have to cool hot water down to be able to use it, you're wasting money and water. Why would you pay to heat water...only to have to cool it down to use it?! No...don't do it.
You can also get an insulation covering for water heaters. Plus you can put foam encasements on any reachable hot water pipes. It saves money. You buy them once and you keep your electric bill down for years.
I could go on and on...but this is plenty for now!
I live listening to you two. I feel like we're a kind of kindred spirits....except I'm EXTREME at times. At one point I calculated that I use about 1/15 (one fifteenth) the utilities of most folks.
WOW!!! That is incredible!!
@@brandi8040 Thank you. Necessity is the mother of invention....I needed my bills to be lower.
To Jonna B.: this is an interesting experience! But being home and retired, it’s a different life experience to live through 2020 and now this year (2021) when my husband has an oxygen machine on 24/7. Being a caregiver, as I am, presents its own challenges.
I agree to turn off lights and use natural summer lights. Open drapes. Unplug all kitchen small appliances. But how do I unplug my dishwasher?? I use a gas stove and don’t touch this either. Refrigerator must be on to keep my husband’s medications cold.
I agree to do laundry very late (after 10 pm) and early (4:30 am) because the power grid isn’t as busy during the nighttime.
Computers are unplugged when not in use.
But my real issue is having this oxygen compressor on 24/7. I can’t get around this.
You have accomplished a lot! Thank you for sharing these great ideas! It always interests me to see how others can save.
Pat in Colorado
@@patschneider5671 Thank you for your response. That was very kind of you. You're right: you can't turn off electricity for the fridge or an oxygen concentrator.
Unfortunately unplugging my washing machine causes the internal computer restart problems
I'm happy to tell you I unplug unused things, turn off lights, turn up/down thermostat, wear extra layers in the winter, and my eldest who uses the toaster unplugs it between uses. Our elec/ric bill went down overall, every month. So grateful 🙏 for all your tips!
Y’all are such a nice couple; it is easy to see you genuinely love each other and your boys. You give us listeners so many bits of good advice to save money, resources and improve oneself in the process. Thank you so much!
Our electric bill was $361.90 last month. We were shocked. (We bought this place last winter!)
We talked about all that we could do including keeping the living room light off of we're just watching TV. We also turned off the ac and opened windows and doors. On the hotter days, we closed up early to trap in the cooler air. The result?
This month's bill...
Drum roll please...
$134. 37!!!
Close to 1/3 of the previous month!
Also, I monitored our usage on line. The two days I used my oven (full, of course!), my usage was nearly double!
I was absolutely shocked when I checked our usage to see the effect of turning on the oven. It doubled our electric usage for the hours that I was using the oven. Glad you problem-solved and were able to lower your bill.
In AZ, you can get a 1-time credit for planting up to 4 shade trees from the electric company's list 10-15 feet from your house on the south, east, or west side of the house.
That's awesome! What a great program.
It costs way more for the upkeep of the trees.
@@sandrawhitfield7102 The ones they have on their list are desert shade trees that are drought tolerant, so require little care. Having them placed 10-15 ft from the house on the east, west, or south sides reduces heating and cooling costs.
Is that a tax credit or from the utility company?
@@username00009 It's a credit from the utlity company.
My electric bill last month was $ 19.00. I hate giving money to the electric co. I do not go without.
Hubby and I have cut back and got our power bill down to $75 a month by stopping central heating and air, getting energy star window units in just the rooms we mainly use and only turn them on when we are in the room. Paid for the new air conditioners over the first 3 months and now we enjoy much lower monthly bills! 👍
I like the idea of plugging everything into power strips and turning it all off just by flipping a switch instead of unplugging things. I've got several around my house. I even have some that plug directly into outlets and they have power buttons. They also have USB ports.
Another great way is to use solar. They sell solar powered light bulbs on Amazon that come with the solar panels as well as remotes. Power them up by the sun. Use them inside to light up the house. They cost about 12.00 each but if you can use 1 or 2 in each room, you can save loads. Also great in a power outage.
Also really great for adding a light where you have no light.
You could also get a portable power source, such as a Jackery and a portable solar panel to charge it...then plug stuff into that. Zero electricity used.
I do that even with my microwave
I agree with Larry. I put the microwave on the power strip and turn it off completely. $30 savings.
Everyone I tell who tells me it is also their clock...get a wall clock and use a rechargeable AA battery to run it.
Hi frugal family! Diving into this now! Have a beautiful weekend!
Hi Kate! Nice to hear from you. You have a great weekend as well!
Try to spend one (summer) day not turning on any lights during the day to see if you really need them. Open those shades! Also, really ask yourself if you are waiting until clothes are truly dirty (smelly, stained etc.) before washing them. I think we are conditioned to wash clothes after one wearing "just because". Great video!
I know this is a 1 year old video, but I just watched it. Thank you so much for mentioning the energy group that can help deciphering your bill. My husband and I live in an apartment, and our electricity bill in the summertime is regularly $130+. That said, it’s higher than people I know who have 3 level homes and have their AC on constantly. I found a group in my area that provides phone in consultations, and their next one is in 2 weeks! I can’t wait to hear what they have to say!
We are so excited for you that you were able to find a local resource to help you drop your electric costs. Let us know how it goes.
Cooking pasta tip. Bring to rapid boil, add pasta, turn off heat, cover with lid, come back 10 min, and it's done
Really??!! Jen, you just changed my life! So, does this work with all thicknesses of pasta or just thinner things like spaghetti? Thanks so much!
Jen MV: Cooking pasta tip is great!
Even better, PRE SOAK it. This only works with normal pasta, not gluten free. People do it backpacking all the time saves a lot of time.
@@UndertheMedian you can also do this with rice it works amazingly perfect rice EVERY time!!!
Great tip!
I read a comment somewhere once where they got a nice fridge for free because it was “broken”. The entire coil panel was caked in pet hair and dust, he vacuumed it and had a brand new functional fridge for free!
Great story!
Having worked a little in the food service repair area I was told a refrigerator coil that is 25% clogged used 400% more energy
I live in New Jersey, we have the Equal Payment Plan, it is based on a 12 month usage and divided by 12, average out to an equitable cost, every month, you know exactly how much you are paying each month. You are forwarded a monthly usage on each bill. However, if your usage goes over your average, this will be payed at the end of your billing cycle based on a years usage. This works for me !!
I don't have A/C and never had A/C growing up. However, the house I own has ceiling fans, but I rarely use it . A huge saving tip I do is shut off my main electric heater (e.g. heats the water) , which I turn it back on when I come back home from work. Great tips..thanks for sharing!
My electric bill averages 36 a month, Dec, Jan, Feb the highest when running the oil burners a few nights in sub zero temps.
In the Summer I use hot water from coiled-up garden hoses on the South Side, In the winter I use hot water from the woodstove for daily chores.
I also put a switch at the top of the stairs to turn off the electric water heater when the 40 gal tank is heated,
I might use once or twice a week I use for heavy-duty water use, baths, laundry, etc.
Thanks for all the great tips! You sure have saved your viewers a lot of money. Have a blessed week Hope and Larry!
I've done the putting warm items in the fridge thing several times, too. Mostly I've done it during holidays, family dinners, or when I'm super tired and don't want to stay up long enough for the item to cool~~but waiting until the next morning would be dangerous. And I'm with Larry on putting foods to cool on our screened deck. I call it our winter fridge. lol When we're having a long cold spell (where it doesn't get very warm during daylight hours) I keep things like Christmas candies, desserts, drinks, etc. on our screened deck on a table with lids.
Great series!
Another thing that’s works amazingly well is a swamp cooler! Even though a swamp cooler won’t work well in extremely hot areas, it does work well in areas that don’t rise above 100 degrees in the summer. It’s literally pennies compared to AC cooling systems.
Thank you for all the tips and tricks, great advice as always! 😊
On the ice cube maker: I drink ice water almost exclusively. While I could turn off the ice maker, I'd be opening the freezer almost hourly and I think that would cost more money than the ice maker consumes
They make table top ice makers.
When we get moved back into our home, everything is going to be electric power so this was a super helpful set of strategies. Thanks for sharing!
Cost of automatic coffee ready in the mornings - priceless! I have wasted more energy making "coffee" without the grounds, or forgetting to add water, etc., because I'm not awake enough to realize I've done it wrong in the mornings. Plus, it's an incentive to get out of bed on cold winter mornings when I'd rather sleep in! I think I save much more in money, time and stress by having an automatic coffee maker. I'll take the cost! I loved the refrigerator tips, by the way, especially the thermometer tips. But, oh, I'm with you about putting warm food in the fridge - I'm too worried about letting it grow bacteria, so if I'm heading to bed, it goes into the fridge, no matter how hot! To me, it's cheaper than throwing out food or missing work for being in Emergency with food poisoning.
The automatic coffee maker is MUCH less expensive than daily coffeehouse treats.
I've loaded our coffee maker a time or two without water, but I caught it right away when I heard the coffee maker gurgling. In regards to placing food hot in the fridge, yes, it's better to do that than risk spoiling the food. Thanks for the comment, C Gt!
I only use an old style percolater. I set it up the night before, then plug it in, in the morning,
Great tips!! Reinforces what my mom and dad taught me!! Thank you!!🙏🏻
coffee wise, I usually only drink one cup a day and the older k cup style machine was constantly gross even with running vinegar through it for cleaning. I switched to a pour-over method that doesn't require a machine at all. I spent about 10 on the metal filter and I love that thing. But if you drink more than a cup or two a day, it would probably be annoying.
We bought a little insulated caraffe to keep larger amounts warm. Paid a couple bucks at a thrift. I used it for my daughter's birthday party so adult guests could have warm coffee. I forgot to clean it out afterward. 24 hours later, that coffee was still warm. Amazed me.
I stopped drinking coffee. That's saving me a lot of money on electric and on coffee.
I bought hubby one of those French press coffee makers and that really saves $$ ! I quit drinking coffee and cappuccino and I save our family lots of $$ !
I put cooled coffee in the Refrig and enjoy it over ice.
When I cook cinnamon rolls or biscuits for breakfast, I leave the door of my gas oven open on cool mornings to heat up the kitchen and family room at NO charge!!! 😀
Thank you very much. God bless you for doing this.😊from Románia.
Our pleasure!
yes, clean the fridge coils and the dryer vent hose at least 4 times a year....
"Every degree saves you 1 to 3%." Cool beans!
I have large ice bags to set hot food containers on to cool off faster than all alone on the counter.
I use a motion detector night light in my bathroom most of the time. I'm the only one who goes in there. This lets me avoid turning on 2 lights and fan in the middle of the night waking my son. I'm sure I save lots of money.
We must be doing something right even with keeping our home central air 68 degrees all year long. My son has MS - he can't tolerate anything above 70 degrees. I have a large easy to read thermometer on the wall so I can monitor them temp for his medical reasons. I have brittle asthma and I wheeze above 70 degrees. The most we are charged in any month has only been $93.
But our neighbors in comparable apartments with different angles and times of the day the sun shines on their windows often pay $150 to $200 a month. AND they will sit out all day in the shade in the heat. I think we are able to keep are walls cool or warm seasonally instead of playing catch up running the central air in the evening.
I unplug my toaster and can opener. Yay! I'm saving.
I'm going to unplug most of our surge protectors until we need them.
Be sure to dust/ vac the back of the frig clean. I used to. But where I live now, it is too hard for me to pull the frig out. So I asked Maintenace to do for me along with pulling the stove out to clean and check for mice. I will save the landlord money in the long run.
Great tips! I do every single one of them... I get on our electric company's website and check our usage daily... I will definitely check out the checklist also... I also hang up clothes outside year round (we live in IL)... Haven't used my dryer since March 7, 2020...
That is awesome! We're in Illinois, too.
I love hearing people are hanging laundry outdoors. I have not had a dryer for 23 years. I hang laundry outdoors as long as the weather is warm enough. During Winter, I hang it in a spare room upstairs.
@@patwagner9308 I love hanging outside... I do it even in the winter... Luckily it is just me (and hubby when he is not working out of state) so I can pick and choose when I do laundry so I can pick the good days to do it...
@@goheen04 same here! One of the things my sister noted is you wait for pretty days to hang out laundry. Yes! And if flowers are in bloom, they can be enjoyed while out there hanging the fresh, clean laundry.
I love using my clothesline. It is so relaxing. But in winter I hang it in the basement. It will never dry outside at 30 below.
Since I live in a rural area we are charged $43 carrier fee only on electricity. My bill for July was $53.07. That means I only used $10. Amazing amount. There is 1 refrigerator and only lighting in room I use at that time. I looked at my needs and I spend my time outdoors where there is a constant breeze for comfort. I don't use air conditioning or fans. In 90s here but due to my constant breeze I am comfortable.
This was very informative (and fun too!). Thank you for another excellent video Hope and Larry!
Our pleasure! So, glad you were with us and found it helpful.
Thanks for doing this series. It's so nice to hear all the things that you do and to see the charts where you break down the costs of everything. I already do most of these things but it is nice to see the actual amount I save by using my crockpot and toaster oven. Even though I have an online account set up with my electric company, I didn't realize I could just get on there and check my use for a certain period of time. This will definitely make it easier to know if something I try actually saves electricity.
Rr
My husband works at a major power company. So yeah we are very cautious about lights, heating and cooling and cleaning the coils. In the cold winter like freezing temps we put cold stuff on the back deck. And also during power outages.
Great tips in last few videos. The best one for my situation is to get a small oven. What a saving.
I often worked 12 hr noct shift as an RN and had to sleep during the day. I hung a blanket with tacks behind my curtain and it worked great as a black out curtain costing me nothing. I have use inexpensive shower curtains behind window curtains and have noticeably blocked cold or hot air from coming in the room, plastic doesn't breath and allow air transfer. $ stores have shower curtains, you can put two on a rod if wanted. They are large so I am able to put them right next to the top of the window sill, extend them a couple inches onto the wall over the sides and let hang 4-6 inches past the bottom of the window sill to help keep out the transfer of air from the window.
I do sometimes set things out overnight in the winter time to cool on the porch. With a lid. I’ve never had a problem…
This idea is for the kitchen and saving on cooling. In the summer I cook with my toaster oven and rice cooker out in the garage to keep the heat and moisture out of our house. We have a gas oven and it sure heats up our whole house. In the winter time I’m glad to keep all the heat and moisture inside.
I bought a set of 3 usb rechargeable camping lanterns ( they are also waterproof and double as a bicycle headlight ) Also a usb headtorch, after watching your video.
Cheapest I could find on ebay, but they are really good. Fantastic tip, thank you. ❤
I purchased a Solar Oven recently and have been making anything from Rosemary Bread, homegrown Raspberry Crescent Rolls, grilled garden veggies, etc... All with this the handy little Solar Oven (gosun Sport). Zero Fuel costs and usually takes on 25-30 minutes of cook time. Obviously there is an initial upfront cost but this solar ovens are portable, great for camping, while on a picnic, or off-grid living. Looking forward to my next meal in the solar oven.
Thanks for the recommend. I've seen another brand, but am unfamiliar with the one you bought. I have a homemade solar oven that my boys made years ago when they were in 4H. They went to the state competition with their project. It doesn't have the large "fins" on the side that the commercial models have. So, it only heats to 225-250 degrees. But, it's the same a a slow-cooker on "high". We have to reposition it every hour or two also to keep catching the direct light rays.
Thank you for sharing. Going to buy those light bulbs to change the old ones.
There are a few thing I do in the house to help with bills like having some socket sealers for every outlet, also having outlet protectors even though there’s no babies in the house prevent cold/ hot air from coming in, put extra rolls of insulation in attic, thermal drapes, washing hands with cold water even in winter helps a bit; also using electrical appliances such as crockpot, instant pot, rice cooker, etc the energy consumption is very low compared to stove, don’t have to worry about spills and can do something else meanwhile, dishwasher only with cold water, skip pre soak, personally don’t use heat to dry just cancel after rinse and let dishes air dry, also on winter time like to warm the room where I’m staying with some candles, not the whole house also turn heat at night and wear sweaters and hats inside the house if is too cold. On summer grilling is a good option or having only cold meals. But I think best way to save $$ is making your kids paying for it, they will be very careful with every single minor thing. Ask me how do I know... 😂😂
I always fix my coffeepot everymorning After I had my morning coffee. Rarely drink it in evenings. I have a 1 cup pot for that.Then in morning I just plug it in turn it on and when I run to bathroom n wash my hands its ready. I sometimes then pour it in a thermos after I drink the first cup. Great tips.
My ice maker , I dont have 1 now, but it would make a big bin of ice would last at least 24 hrs. but I put water in fridge to cool just used for other so I'd turn that off.
Food hack, when you peel potatoes, save the skin(wash potatoes though) and spray oil and sprinkle salt(feel free to add additional herbs or spices). I put them in my air fryer until crispy and they are a hit in my home.
I love this idea! Thanks!
I love watching you both. Great tips and so much fun to see how close you are and how well you get along’m.
Hello from England. Our ‘summer’ is freezing and wet today today! Little tip - after using the kettle, top up with more water and leave it ready for next time. The water comes to room temperature so doesn’t take so long to boil. Also our hot water comes via a combo boiler so it takes a while for the hot water to come in. I discovered that running the hot tap to wash hands (even following the more thorough process of government guidelines) still was t long enough but the boiler was firing up immediately. So now we wash hands from the cold tap so the boiler doesn’t kick in. I hope this makes sense - it really works and it’s less money down the drain (literally). PS followed you detergent measuring tips and they really really worked. Love your ‘Larry & Hope’ shows🤗🤗😍😍☘️
I put a pan under the kitchen tap and a bucket in the shower to catch the cooler water until the hotter water comes out. I use the water in the pan for various uses in cooking or cleaning and the water in the bucket to water plants, wash down the lawn furniture, flush out the toilets and etc. This has saved a lot on our water bill as well as electric.
@@katherinerichardson1767 what a brilliant idea thank you - I’ll definitely be doing that in future especially as we’re on a water meter👏🏻👏🏻🎉☘️
Your tip makes perfect sense! You have inadvertently been kicking on the water heater just in the 30 seconds it takes to wash hands. I would never have thought of this! Great thought!
Great tips! Wonderful ideas from the group below. Pat in Colorado
Turn off lights if they dont need to be on.
Unplug unused items,if able
For health reasons, I actually turned off some of the breakers and it’s only a minor inconvenience at night, for which I use a flashlight to go up the dark stairs. Also, I have a large home which takes a while to heat or cool. So this summer I am going to cool it at night when electric rates are cheaper and it the AC won’t be trying to work so hard in the heat. I already keep it pretty warm in the summer and cool in winter. Thanks for all the tips!
Putting food in the fridge to chill hot food for storage is a good idea as long it doesn't affect the other cold items in your fridge already. Food saftey is important keep hot food hot and cold food cold, stay out of the food danger zone where bacteria can grow really fast. Defrosting frozen food on the kitchen sink for hours is bad news as well. Defrosting should be done in the fridge. Keep food safe especially during holidays where leftovers are common. Sorry I came here to try save on electricity bills not rant on, thanks for the vids watching from Australia
I have a tip for cooking spaghetti. Put the water on to boil add your spaghetti put a lid on turn the heat off leave the pan for 15/20 mins test it should be cooked .
I use my ice and water dispenser through the door a minimum of 3 times daily and often run the dispenser out in hot weather. Sooooo I am not unplugging it. Also if I use that I don’t open the freezer as often.
Great tip about the ice maker. I had no idea it used that much electricity!
No I don’t have to clean my coil as they are enclosed in the side of the fridge . A condenser coil and an evaporator coil. A liquid coolant is circulated through these coils by a Compressor and a Motor. The refrigerant liquid is cooled in the condenser; it then flows to the evaporator. At the evaporator, the air in the unit is cooled by contact with the liquid-filled coil.
I have that same power strip. I've already started my stock piling. I love love love your videos. You guys are the bomb!!!!!
Larry and Hope god bless you and thanks for the information thanks for your videos thanks 💘 😊
I just ordered the thermometers - thanks for the tip!
Excellent. That thermometer has really helped us to know if the fridge was set too high or too low.
@@UndertheMedian The fridge came with the house. It has always seemed cold to me, and now I can set it properly! Thanks again for all the great ideas - you two have completely refocused my life. I now have my "goal notes" taped up everywhere for reinforcement, and I have clarified my goals which has simplified my life considerably and reduced a lot of stress.
Yes we do
Larry, if our automatic ice maker was stopped, my hubby would NOT be happy. He drinks iced water on and off ALL day. So for us, the coffee maker can be unplugged but the ice maker is a stay-on MUST. LOL
One of the suggestions that you gave about putting coffee in a thermos was done by my aunt in 1960's. Some of the old ways never die out.
To save on the water and electric bill, if you are running the hot water tab, collect the cold water that runs out-- into a pan or bucket and use the cool water for other projects that do not require hot water such as watering plants, washing lawn furniture and etc.
In the shower, run the exhaust fan or open a window to help cut down on the mold & mildew that can build up in your bathroom. We run the fan while we shower and let it run a bit longer when we are out. Also, wipe down the walls and spouts to keep the shower walls cleaner longer. {Using a squeegee makes it easy to do.} Wiping down can be done while you are just getting out so you don't have any extra steps after you have completed your bathing. This simple step has saved me time, cleaning materials($ saved) and energy.
Not sure if you touched on this in other videos about the furnace, our furnace man told us to keep the pipe that the condensed water runs from cleaned out by pouring about 2 cups of bleach into it once a month to clear out lint and dust that that the furnace has accumulated. He told us that those particles will build up in the pipe over time and make your furnace run poorly even if you diligently change your filter every 3 months. I was shocked to see all the lint that came out of the drip pipe.
You have given all excellent suggestions that I have used for years. Keep up the good work!
I have found if I scrub the walls of my fiberglass tub/shower first w baking soda , then rinse well and dry.
Follow up with car wax, spread thin layer , let dry then wipe off w a soft rag.
After this the water and soap film will just run off very easily or just quickly squeegee. 3:22
Thank you.
Regarding heat in winter, once i've had my coffee and get moving around, i warm up. So how about turning up the heat in the morning, and shutting it down for the day once the house warms and you get more active? Any benefit in that?
I love the puns...fabulous video. Thank you both. :)
Good listening
Electric rates go down from 9pm-10am. I try to do my laundry then. If I’m too tired to dry, I put it in the washer at night and dry it in the morning before 10. I don’t leave empty chargers plugged in and I unplug some things when I go away. ( electric vampires). I do a lot of things in your video and my bill is pretty low.
You share very helpful tips. I like your teamwork, enthusiasm . Thankful to Kate for suggesting your channel !!!
Welcome! We're glad to have you with us.
Consider trimming a piece of reusable furnace air filter over the fridge compressor vents or opening, plus sliding another one under the fridge to trap dust, they do keep the mechanical innards dust-free.
Hello you guys from Laval Québec. I enjoyed very much Hope's previous video on reducing air conditionning fees. I applied the suggestions because we had a heat wave that lasted a whole week. Looking forward for more tricks😍💗 see you soon !!!
Wonderful, Jacqueline!
Loved the info on those smart power strips!
I’m all about extreme but I’ve known for a while now about the correlation between LEDs and brain cancer. I will not have them in my home. I love the light of incandescent, but you can get fluorescents that yellow, so that’s what I’ll use now.
I watch you from the UK, and find your channel very enjoyable. We would be great "friends" because we already do a lot of what you mention. One small point - you kind of mentioned it with the coffee, but I don't drink coffee anymore, I make fruit tea or regular tea, and I use a large thermos, boiling the kettle twice in the morning, filling the thermos, and using the thermos to make teas through the day rather than re-boiling kettle each time. I even use a little of the water in a bowl with cool water and washing up liquid to wash the lunch dishes aswell. Only a small thing but nowadays everything counts especially with the current energy crisis UK is facing this winter. Thanks for all your tips & to all your subscribers whose comments I also note.
i would actually agree with you that switching to tea (especially if it's herbal) would probably help me to sleep better at night as well as having other health benefits. I've weaned myself off of coffee in the past, but it's been a while since I've been back on it. Thanks for the reminder that I do need to focus on drinking other things, too.
Just found your channel and you have some GREAT TIPS! I never knew about turning off the automatic ice maker in my fridge. I don't use ice so that immediately got turned off!
Just found your channel and you have some GREAT TIPS! I never knew about turning off the automatic ice maker in my fridge. I don't use ice so that immediately got turned off!
Also, I don't know if you mentioned this yet, but I just ordered THERMAL Curtains for my patio door and plan on hanging them up as soon as Amazon delivers the and then attaching Velcro to the sides of the patio door and curtain so it will trap in the cold air from getting in during the winter
Keep up the GOOD work!
The thermal curtain idea is a great one! Thanks for sharing.
I love your drum roll!
Blackout curtains, we live in a very warm area and in our afternoons the AC wasn’t able to keep up. We put up blackout curtains and that solved the problems. They can be expensive so we looked on Facebook Marketplace and outlet stores for ours. The difference in the temperature of the rooms with the blackout curtains versus those without is significant
Yes! This helps tremendously! I'm making a small curtain out of old sheets and other old fabric I have laying about. (Using the sheets on the outside so it looks one solid color. Lol!)
I found my Black our curtains at Walmart, for less than $20.00.
I cover large cardboard pieces with aluminum to reflect hot sunshine..move them from the east to the other windows as the sun moves
I use blackout curtains. I bought all of mine at Tuesday Morning. Great selection & prices. Great place for 100% cotton sheets.
U can double layer them too. I double layer sheer curtains as well on all the windows :)
Thank you. I always enjoy your videos!
Those are some great tips!
if you need to cool something rather than putting it into the fridge if it is in a pot put the plug in the sink run in enough cold water to allow you to put the pot in
I am in the process of replacing all of the lights with LED, I also put up solar LED lights and some using
LED electric strips.
Being elderly I can't afford to break a hip in the dark, but, the strips on low provide enough light.
Hi! Awesome tips! Thank you! I recently moved into a new place this year and unscrewed TEN lightbulbs. And I use a led motion-sensor nightlight for my bathroom and don't even use the light fixture in there at all. Is that a smart idea to save money?
Hello I recently discovered your channel and I am enjoying it. I am wondering do you have solar panels on your roof? I have them and live in the state of New Jersey I think they are well worth it.
our dining room light has several bulbs and so does our chandelier in the bedroom but we have both on dimmers which is a much more reasonable way to save than unscrewing bulbs. we do our wash in cold water only and we charge all of our small items like cell phones. iPads and rechargeable batteries with our small solar generator. we do unplug things that don't need to be on like our coffee grinder. we also use things like our dehydrator etc to double as space heater.
Great Ideas! Thanku
I keep telling my husband to turn off the lights. He's worse than the kids. One tip I can recommend is to change out the furnace filter when it gets dirty so the furnace doesn't work as hard.
The furnace filter is a great tip, too. Our HVAC friend told us that not changing the filter is the number one problem that he sees. Someone will call because their furnace is just running and running. Usually the filter is totally clogged. Once it's changed, problem solved.
I have central air (it runs through the furnace ducts) and change my filter monthly.
U can turn off the lights at the meter box. We have just adjusted :) during the day we dont need lights on anyway
Oh yes, Larry mentioned my way of cooling pies and such by running them outside to cool. I even have a laundry basket with small holes to keep critters out . I place a rock on top. I don’t do pies in Summer. I throw braker on hot water heater at night, and still have plenty water for dish washing am. I cut back on when feel water getting tepid. Short baths. Catch first water that has not warmed up in bucket to flush commode or water plants. It is controversial, but I even sometimes use dishwater in a pan to water vegetables in garden.. That is why the old timers had great kitchen gardens. Love your enthusiasm. You make thrifty fun.
When I had a garden, I also caught the water from the bath or shower that would have gone down the drain while warming up. I know farmers who put used dish water on flower gardens. When I was a child our kitchen door was a Dutch door, so things could be cooled on the ledge in the middle of the door.
If you want to go even further and you own your home, you can set up a gray water capture system for your kitchen and laundry room.
Another frugal tip! This one is a seasonal one for us, but when it's not blistering hot outside, we open the curtains (or even the windows) for light & fresh air.
Our house is pretty old, and doesn't have central air, so when we aren't using the heater I take the batteries out of the thermostat. (I have little ones who like to climb up and press buttons. Lol! They are learning though. 😊 ) They've been known to turn on the heater or the fan. Can't have that!
I open curtains in winter for heat and close them as the sun goes down. I also will keep them closed during sunlight in summer to avoid heat in.
I vacuum the kitchen floor once a week, just before I mop. With a hairy pet onboard, it's essential that I vacuum those coils every week. I know, it seems extreme, but the clumps of hair that come from under my fridge every week are amazing.
Great example of applying a tip to your own personal situation. That makes perfect sense to us.
Don’t forget to vacuum your cold air return vents at the same time. We had a couple of pets in the house for several years and it was always shocking how much pet hair was on those things! Every. Single. Time. !!!
I have been saving a fortune on my Washing Bill !!!!! 3KW Washing Machine, 3 KW Tumble Dryer, 3 KW Iron !!!! ( About £5 to £10 each Time !!!! ) Now I use a Manual Washing Machine or else a Small Electric one with a 350 Watt Motor and no heating. I use a Mangle to get most of the Water out of my clothes !!!! Then I hang the Clothes on a Washing Line !!!! And they don`t need Ironing because the Mangle makes them flat !!!! I heat my House with 3 Candle Heaters and a Butane Camping Gas Stove with a Heating Adapter !!!! I have lots of Detectors but they never sounded. With the financial help from the Government the electricity Company is Paying me £7 per month !!!! I have Computers and Economical Cooking Devices. I had my Gas Meter Removed so I never have a Gas Bill !!!! I reckon I`ve spent about £1,000 this Winter on Candles, Butane Gas Cannisters etc. And I have a lot that I haven`t used yet !!!! I live with my 2 Dogs and I`m Single !!!! I have an Electric Blanket on which costs almost nothing to run, apart from them going wrong after a few months and replacing them !!!! My Yearly Electricity bill was £1,600 two years ago !!!! When the Government Help Ends my Bill should be £50 per month !!!! So I am Happy with That !!!!
Maybe look into better appliances that are energy savers.yes,they may cost more upfront,but if they run better,it saves money.especially refigerators.if they dont seal properly,or have inconsistent temps
Yes, very important. We replaced a 40 year old freezer last year for an energy efficient one. The newer one is twice the size and far less expensive to run.
Thanks for sharing!!!!!
I did not know about filling the oven. But i also use my toaster oven more.
Thanks for this info 😊
I found you by chance and enjoyed your video, so I subscribed to your channel. Thank you.
In the winter overnight I decrease the electricity level in the whole house and put on socks and warm clothes. I also have the beautiful gas fireplace that actually heats up the whole house. So for at least 12 hours or so the house is toasty warm for a lot less. In the summer I also close off the grates for the air conditioning in rooms that we are not using. I would love to adjust the central air but I hate to be hot 🥵 and I just can’t do it!
When adjusting the fridge temp only go in small increments and allow a day or two for the temperature to stabilize. Then adjust again, if needed.
👍thank you, our frig pamphlet says 42 degrees I’m turning it down in am
42 degrees is too high for meat and dairy. If you are vegan like we are that 42 may actually be okay. But, everywhere I checked said 40 degree for safety. But, I don't know how 42 degrees would impact things like non-dairy milk. Better safe than sorry.
Great video. I've heard most of these tips before, but it was good to be reminded of them...Cold showers can save on the hot water, if you're brave enough...Do you have any advice for using the AC efficiently?
I have a windows unit for high degree days . I only got that 3 years ago. I generally throw open the windows and point a box fan out at night on the top floor . It pulls cool air in all over the house. I shut it down in the AM. I live in Wisconsin. Most days I don’t turn on the AC at all. Recently I have the AC on in the PM only until the outside temperature gets below 70. Then I shut it down and open the windows.
@@cogit8able hi! I’m in Wisconsin also and as long as it is not humid out I have all those windows open!
Fans. Lots of air movement helps i keep my AC at 78 to 80 and keep a fan going. Be sure you maintain inside and outside coils.
@@2JobsStillPoorUSA , you're absolutely right. Statistically, you can raise your AC by 4 degrees with no noticeable difference in comfort if you use fans in the rooms you are sitting. Fans cost just pennies per hour to run. Your AC costs a lot more than the fans.
I have my computer and printer connected through a surge protector. Will flipping the switch on the protector work the same as unplugging the devices?
We live in a fairly large town, but unfortunately, their utility website is not too great. I would love to see my usage by hour, or even by day. Ours only shows a month by month comparison. Like you, I also enjoy charts! 😉
I didn't heat the attic this past winter. Nor did I use the big window a c unit this summer. If I can get away without it, I don't plan on turning the heat on until Oct.
We always aim for October 1st, too. It's always fun to try to make it to that date without turning on the heat. When we lived in a 2nd floor apartment we didn't use the heat until mid-November. The floors were so poorly insulated that all the heat from the first floor apartment wafted up into our apartment.