Saving Money as Prices Increase

[Diggin It]

I don't think I asked your opinion about the things I am doing to save money. I asked if you are doing anything different as prices increased.

I use less electricity for one. In part by buying ready to use food products that don't take a lot of energy (electric or gas) to prepare. I watch my electric meter closely, taking daily readings so I can spot problems before they get costly.

The wood stove is/was fine, but without fans, the warm air doesn't circulate well. I went to low voltage (12VDC) computer fans to pull warm air into one room which helped much more than it sounds like it would.

This year, I'll be trying to use LP space heaters in a couple of rooms. I don't know yet if it will work out or not. In general, I keep the house cool in winter ... 60 degrees is fine for me, though most people wouldn't like it. Sweaters and an extra blanket or two help.

I make a pot of coffee, then turn the warmer plate off. Nuking it a cup at a time works out better for me.

I just got bad news as far as income, so I don't know what future options will be.

I've got most of the heavier work done that I bought the tractor for. It's nearly paid off now, but I may have to sell it and go back to a different type of grass cutter. Same with the log splitter I bought three years ago. It may have to be sold.

I run two 25 year old cars so i don't have payments. I've changed insurance companies every few years as rates have gone up.

I drive as little as possible to keep fuel costs down and insurance rates as low as I can find with low mileage discounts.

I do laundry once a month or so and hang clothes outside to dry when possible.

I eliminated all 'subscriptions' to everything. No paid TV streaming of any kind.

I shop discounts and closeouts including scratch and dent. Try not to pay full retail in most cases.

 

[HawkinsHollow]

I use less electricity for one. In part by buying ready to use food products that don't take a lot of energy (electric or gas) to prepare. I watch my electric meter closely, taking daily readings so I can spot problems before they get costly.

The wood stove is/was fine, but without fans, the warm air doesn't circulate well. I went to low voltage (12VDC) computer fans to pull warm air into one room which helped much more than it sounds like it would.

This year, I'll be trying to use LP space heaters in a couple of rooms. I don't know yet if it will work out or not. In general, I keep the house cool in winter ... 60 degrees is fine for me, though most people wouldn't like it. Sweaters and an extra blanket or two help.

I make a pot of coffee, then turn the warmer plate off. Nuking it a cup at a time works out better for me.

I just got bad news as far as income, so I don't know what future options will be.

I've got most of the heavier work done that I bought the tractor for. It's nearly paid off now, but I may have to sell it and go back to a different type of grass cutter. Same with the log splitter I bought three years ago. It may have to be sold.

I run two 25 year old cars so i don't have payments. I've changed insurance companies every few years as rates have gone up.

I drive as little as possible to keep fuel costs down and insurance rates as low as I can find with low mileage discounts.

I do laundry once a month or so and hang clothes outside to dry when possible.

I eliminated all 'subscriptions' to everything. No paid TV streaming of any kind.

I shop discounts and closeouts including scratch and dent. Try not to pay full retail in most cases.

Now that is some gold right there! Some really good stuff! Thanks! I love the coffee idea! And the 12v fans, brilliant! That is my biggest complaint about the wood stove. 80 deg in the living room, 65 in the back office.

 

[bunyip]

We use peltier effect fans on the wood heater for even distribution, good when the power is out too.

 

[Oaktree]

I plan on continuing on like I always have.

Same here. I've always been frugal and have always lived well below my means. We already do a lot of the things mentioned upthread.
Frugality isn't quite so ingrained in my wife unfortunately though she has gotten better in that regard since we've been together.

 

[Jchonline]

Off grid electricity here, so we paid for everything up front. Wood stove with unlimited fuel, we use alot. Propane only if we need it, we maximize use of excess solar during the day with a few mini-split heat pumps that also keep the house warm. Everything is paid off, so we only need insurance, internet, gas, food for the most part. We live in beautiful country so no need to travel.

 

[ultrarunner]

I'm grateful for the time I was able to spend with my grandparents learning the old ways but by no means were they lacking or going without living the simple farm life.

They built there own home separate from the farm when the day to day farming transferred to the oldest son.

I would say their biggest expense was tithe to the church.

Their home in snow country is radiant heat from wood or coal fuel... the coal bin never touched... the Wedgewood stove was wood and electric and wood was 98% of the time... and grandma was know county wide for her cooking and baking... all on that wood stove.

Electricity only for lights and radio and deep freeze... Refrigeration was from cellar.

No car and no phone and no TV...

They spent evenings reading and the crop reports...

No meds and no doctors believing when it is your time it is your time...

Hobbies were simple... Grandma Baking and Garden and Grandfather furniture making all with hand tools... he made all the furniture.

They did not begrudge younger people always in a rush saying each has to make their own way and as long as you attended church you were on the right path... they often walked the miles to Sunday church...

They were happy and content with Grandma never being happier as when kids stopped by and she could cook...

So staying close to home, ditching pay TV and raising your own organic meats and produce are opportunities to save.

 

[Jstpssng]

HawkinsHollow,

Comments about efficiency is either a truth or not. opinions do not come into play in physics. You made a comment regarding saving money by using such a device. Your friends here just informed you that there are no cost savings.

One point I did not see yet was, the Heat pump is in fact far more efficient, many modern units have a coefficient of nearly 3. This means for every 1 Btu you buy in power, you get 3 Btu's back!

Yet you can use one of those small heaters to heat a smaller area such as the living room where people tend to congregate and relax; and leave the rest of the house at a cooler temperature. The oil filled are quieter and give a more steady heat than an infrared type heater. I have one on an external thermostat, set to keep the kitchen and bathroom at 50’ when I’m not home to tend the wood stove. Last year it cost me 7.00$/month through the winter to keep the place from freezing... and I was away for several days on a couple of occasions. The infrared units I’ve seen have a computer chip, which shuts them down when the power goes off. They would be useless for my purposes.

 

[YanmarFever]

I'm grateful for the time I was able to spend with my grandparents learning the old ways but by no means were they lacking or going without living the simple farm life.

They built there own home separate from the farm when the day to day farming transferred to the oldest son.

I would say their biggest expense was tithe to the church.

Their home in snow country is radiant heat from wood or coal fuel... the coal bin never touched... the Wedgewood stove was wood and electric and wood was 98% of the time... and grandma was know county wide for her cooking and baking... all on that wood stove.

Electricity only for lights and radio and deep freeze... Refrigeration was from cellar.

No car and no phone and no TV...

They spent evenings reading and the crop reports...

No meds and no doctors believing when it is your time it is your time...

Hobbies were simple... Grandma Baking and Garden and Grandfather furniture making all with hand tools... he made all the furniture.

They did not begrudge younger people always in a rush saying each has to make their own way and as long as you attended church you were on the right path... they often walked the miles to Sunday church...

They were happy and content with Grandma never being happier as when kids stopped by and she could cook...

So staying close to home, ditching pay TV and raising your own organic meats and produce are opportunities to save.

^^^^^ priceless !!

 

[etpm]

So you are telling me one of these
View attachment 719730
Heats a slightly drafty 1950's rancher as effectively as an oil filled radiator using the SAME EXACT amount of watts?
I would have to argue that. OK, maybe they are not "way more" efficient, excuse that false claim. But they are also less noisy than those fan ones and safer.

Now maybe put them both is an insulated box without windows or doors opening, maybe.

Regardless, it makes me feel like it's using less energy, and feeling good is good enough for me and Bobby McGee!

Well I'm glad you feel like you are using less energy. The sellers of those oil filled units count on that. But electric resistance heaters are all 100% efficient at turning the electricity into heat. Even if a fan is involved, because all the energy consumed by the fan gets turned into heat. It could be that your radiator somehow heats your drafty room better than the heater shown, but that's the fault of the room, not the heater, and has nothing to do with heater efficiency. Since saving money is what this thread is about perhaps fixing that drafty room would make you feel better, warmer, and would actually save energy.
Eric

 

[drssg]

I take my used motor oil to a local small engine repair shop, and the owner would often make some comment like, "Great! I feel warmer already!"

I finally asked him if he really heats the place with used motor oil, and he took me back and showed me his furnace. He said it makes him less cranky when people stand with the door open in the middle of the winter.