That's exciting, isn't it? Good job! I am pretty excited about mine too. The meter reader was just here, so I went out to read the meter to compare it to last month's usage. We are down again this month too. In fact, our electric company post's the last 36 months usage for each account. So, I looked at it and this is the lowest our bills have been during the whole 36 month period. I guess those cfl's are making a difference. I even found a 3-way cfl for our 3-way floor lamp yesterday. I tried it out and it's not too bad.

Anyway, enough about me, just glad to hear about your bill and I am happy dancing right along with you.

Kathy

kabin:

I guess those cfl's are making a difference. I even found a 3-way cfl for our 3-way floor lamp yesterday. Kathy

Kathy - I didn't even realize that they made the 3-ways!!! That is one of the few bulbs that I have't replaced and though we don't use it often, I would like to switch that one out too. So, I'll look the next time I'm in WalMart or one of the Lowes/Home Depot stores.

Yes, it is exciting. It won't last long, considering the Louisiana heat about to kick in but it's definitely some evidence that what I've been doing has been paying off. It's encouragement to not only continue what I'm doing, but to find more ways to improve.

The next step (though it's taking forever because I'm relying on my hubby to do it, which is like pulling teeth!) is to seal the floors. As I've stated before, we live in a mobile home... well there are a couple spots where we have holes in the floor! Now, that sounds bad but let me explain: it's like right behind the washer/dryer there is a hole where the pipes/wires come through the floor. We have the same thing in the bathroom behind the toilet. That may not sound like a big problem (holes are small) but I still want him to seal them up. When the summer heat kicks in, every little bit counts!

Also, trailer windows are horrible! They let so much heat in and cold air out! We have those pull down blinds on all of them and that helps a lot (even during the day you can get the trailer almost totally dark when they are pulled down). But I was trying to think of other ways to seal them off. I've heard of people using bubble wrap during the winter but I'm not sure about using that in the summer. Plus, it may look bad from the outside????? Any thoughts anyone????

God bless,

Julie

Dear Julie Juju Mommy, Are there Covenants, C's (?), & Restricions in your trailer park?  Otherwise, what would be the problem with how it looks from the outside?  I just have a suggestion for how to affix the bubble wrap to he windows.  I'd use cleazr Con-Tact brand or gneric plastic in an amount larger than the ubble wrap, covering the wall near the windows + the buble wrap ....  Does that sound like a decent idea?  Yours in Him, Deb

Deborahmichelle:

Dear Julie Juju Mommy, Are there Covenants, C's (?), & Restricions in your trailer park? 

No... We live on land that belongs to good friends of ours (more like family). So, no restrictions whatsoever.

I didn't think about contact paper. I might try that: From the inside, cover the windown with white contact paper, put up the bubble wrap and then the white shades we have will "hide" it from the inside. Hmmm... Sounds like a project. Hehe.

Thanks for thes suggestion!

I do a lot of that too - but I don't know what I'm saving, because I've done it since I moved into my house 5 years ago (except for the CFL bulbs), and the house was empty for a year before I bought it, and had 14 people living in it before that - and since I live alone (the dog doesn't really use any power), I have nothing to really compare to, but I do know that my power usage was less than half of the previous owner's (when it was occupied).  The thing I think made the most difference was that as soon as I moved in, I installed a digital thermostat, which I may update soon, as the one I bought only had weekday (M-F together) and weekend options, and my evening schedule is so different every evening that I really think I need one with a daily program.

Now if my two new trees (one on the south of the house, one on the west) would just hurry up and grow so they shade those sides of the house... I don't have air condition at all, although the exhaust fan a friend of mine installed in the attic really helps!  And there's always the basement when it gets too hot.

karenteacher:

Now if my two new trees (one on the south of the house, one on the west) would just hurry up and grow so they shade those sides of the house... I don't have air condition at all, although the exhaust fan a friend of mine installed in the attic really helps!  And there's always the basement when it gets too hot.

That's another great point for us: Not only do we live in a trailer (so that makes for a lot less energy efficiency when compared to a well-insulated home) but we have no tress, except for small ones. If we were in the shade, it would be totally different. But with the Louisiana summer heat beating down on a tin roof.... well, the AC just can't keep up in the summer.

That's one thing I really look forward too when we start looking for a house (won't be for about 2-3 more years): I want to really look for something with trees and will really put a lot of money and effort into making our home better insulated and find ways to be more self-relient and use less energy.

Trees make a huge difference!!!!

Dear JuJuMomma, You know, bamboo grows "like wildfire," faster than any other kind of tree.  You mgiht want to plant some all around your trailer ....  Yours in Him, Deb

There are rolls of film that you can buy at places like Lowe's or Home Depot that you can cut to fit and apply to your windows. I think they go up by spraying the window with Windex and then applying the film over that. It isn't a permanent thing, but that film really does cut down on the sun's heat and glare coming thru the windows. And you can still see out of your windows. It also helps to cut down on sun damage to drapes and furniture. Edey

If you shade your outdoor AC unit, you may be able to save even more.