BellaOnline Forums Money Frugal Living A few radical electricity saving ideas

OK, i got a coffeepot that uses less watts, and am now looking at other appliances. If i can't get a more energy saving appliance in total, i can at least work on my user practices.

I am experimenting with -

- handwashing clothes (I already handwash dishes)
- using the fridge less often and with better awareness (i started a thread just on cheaper fridge practices)
- not using the AC until it reaches 100, and using a lot of fans strategically instead (this is the focus of a few of my threads here)
- using solar devices and solar chargers for everthing i can think of - solar lights inside and in the yard, solar USB chargers, a small solar panel for charging a portable marine battery for misc indoor and outdoor uses. (I also have some hand crank devices for emergencies, but don't plan to crank for my electric unless i have to)
- changing out lightbulbs. I have only compact florescent bulbs in everything at this point, but am exploring going even better with LED bulbs. At home depot the LED screw in bulbs are about 7 to 9 watts, which actually isn't worth buying yet. My CFL bulbs are only 13 watts. A 9 watt bulb isn't a huge difference, especially when said 9 watt bulb costs $10 or more. The 7 watt bulbs are a better watt savings but those cost $20 each.

While I wait for those prices to go down, I use less lights. Right now all my outdoor lights are the one dollar solar ones from walmart. I have one light on inside over my desk, using 13 watts. When I move over to read in bed, I will use that bulb, or even better, read from my kindle with a one watt led booklight.

I keep a solar powered three bulb LED mini-flashlight by the front door, so I can grab that to see by outside if I need focused light for something. It cost me $1.70 i think on Amazon and gives me free light whenever i want. It's better than squinting around using my cell phone as a night light anyway!