We've been having fun with saving here and there. We've always been thrifty but
sometimes it seems we are more thrifty than others. :D Upon being inspired by Cheryl from Holcomb Happenings (link is on my sidebar) I have begun hanging the majority of our clothes up in the livingroom to dry. We have an exercise bar in one of the doorways of the livingroom, another bar running across another doorway and my basket collection across even another doorway. :) I have been hanging two or three loads a day up in this manner and am in hopes of us saving drastically on our gas bill.
Speaking of gas bill, I have also been trying to not use our gas range as much as usual. I've been doing quite a bit of crockpot and woodstove cooking. We use a small electric griddle and roaster as well.
Our electric bill was $58 less this month than one year ago this time. Our temperatures were a bit colder this year as well. By using our wood stove we've really saved a lot! Hey, more money for "junkin'", ya' know! :D We have always been able to find fallen trees and such on people's property and they were always more than happy for us to help "clean up" by getting the trees out of their way. :D We use hickory and oak for burning.
As far as time, it doesn't take much for us to throw a log on the fire and empty the ashes from the stove. The most time is being spent cutting and hauling the wood but we look at it as a great way for us as a family to work together. It's sort of like gardening. It's fun work for us to do together and be together. It builds character and strength as it also teaches living skills.
****Note to Dana: The Little House on the Prairie Survival movie can be seen free off from Youtube. I have the tape here somewhere but found it easier to look it up that way and view it this time. :)
6 comments:
Hi, Susan~
All those little things can make a big difference.
I would definitely use a wood stove if I had one! The heat is so warm, much better than the heat pump we have.
My parents use a wood stove. We used to have a lot of fun going to get wood together. I can still remember the smell of the chainsaw and sawdust!
Hope you're having a good week. :)
I love the heat of the wood stove. I will have to post a picture of my clothesline in the living room one day. I actually have hooks on two walls and the line stretches between the hooks. I then hang my clothes on hangers.
Great job on getting your power bill down from last year. Our water pack is higher than normal in the mountains, so our power bill should be lower this coming summer (a lot of our power comes from hyrdroelectric dams).
Have a great evening with your family.
~Cheryl
Hi Susan!
I wish that we had a wood stove. Hopefully that will happen this summer. We have acccess to 82 acres from which to cut wood so that part is taken care of.
I have a retractable indoor line I bought at Ace hardware years ago. It runs down my hallway and I use it daily. I washed a load of towels and hung them up before bed last night and they're dry this morning. Yeah!! A load of clothes will go on the line in just a little bit and will be dry in a couple of hours. Works for me. :)
I washed a pair of my bedroom shoes the other day and since they have rubber soles on them, I knew they wouldn't dry really well on the line. My solution was to clothespin them to the tail of my aprons which hang above a heat vent. Doesn't everyone have bedroom shoes hanging off their aprons??? LOL. Where there's a will.......
Hope you have a great day.
Beth
I loved using our wood stove when we had it at our old house, I wish we could have one again.
Thanks for the info on the video, I am going to check it out!!
Dana
I'm sorry but I still didn't find it, I must be looking for the wrong thing, this is what I put into the search bar
The Little House on the Prairie Survival movie
Am I looking up the wrong thing? I know your busy so if you don't get a chance to get back to me that is ok, I totally understand!!
Thanks again,
Dana
Susan,
Doesn't it feel so good to save money? You are doing great.
Your snow is beautiful. Love all the pictures you posted.
Sure enjoy your blog.
Love you my friend,
Cathy
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