I Am Power Less – 3 Ways I’m Trying to Save Money on Electrical & Gas

Lead Foot
You heard about the gas prices? Oh, of course you have. You don’t live in a cave. Or if you do, you must have some mighty strong WiFi to be reading this blog. In the spirit of our new national pastime, that is bitchin’ about costs at the tank, I’m conducting an experiment where I cruise, coast and relish every downtown slope I drive. Sure, I’m only going about twenty miles an hour on some streets, but my slow speed also puts me in the same category as the silver haired safe senior driver, there’s a reason they’ve lived so long. And instead of hopping in the car for short jaunts, I’m doing what oodles of Americans are doing these days. Hoofin’ it. I figure with the combo of walkin’ and coasting, some money will be saved.

My Life Electric
I like the light. At night I tend to be, and please forgive me, a big old energy hog. I don’t turn the lights off when I leave the room, I let the TV serenade me even though I’m not in the living room, and I separate my clothes for the laundry in like colors. But the new thrifty Sunny is going to be not just cost effective but ecologically impressive as well. My new rules?

1. Turn off lights when I leave a room
2. Turn off the TV when I’m not actually watching it
3. Do bigger loads of laundry
4. No more fridge lingering, I’m going to get in and get out, stat.
5. At night I’ll unplug my laptop and power down the monitor. Even a idle computer, when plugged in, can drain electrical.

I've Got Gas
I live in San Francisco, which means I do something that would seem totally insane in other parts of the country during the summer. I use the heater in the month of July. At night, it can be a wee bit nippy and before bedtime I turn on the furnace. But you know, I got blankets and I know how to use them. Also I find pleasure in an oven baked potato and a crispy oven baked mac & cheese. Instead, I’ll trim my gas measurement (but doubtfully my waist one) in cooking these things in the microwave, saving some hard earned coin by going electric instead of gas.

That’s my experiment and I’m stickin’ with it. I’ll compare this month’s bills with next month and see if these changes made a difference.

Have any tips? Let me know in the comments!