Frugal ideas
Tommy
is up, and running.
TIA, Tommy.
AllEmailDeletedImmediately
news:18109-489...@storefull-3113.bay.webtv.net...
> I'm curious to know some of your frugal ideals that you started. That
> is up, and running.
>
> TIA, Tommy.
well, tommy, contrary to the title of this newgroup, you've come to the
wrong place. only off topic discussions are allowed here. just take a
look around. :-)
----------------------
"I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just; that His justice
cannot sleep forever."--Thomas Jefferson
"Those who cast the votes decide nothing. Those who count the votes decide
everything." -- Josef V. Stalin
www.myspace.com/bodybuildinggranny
heavy on the country music. if you don't like country, scroll down for
some surprises.>
>
Tommy
off topic.
Thanks ;)
Gordon
3113.bay.webtv.net:
> I'm curious to know some of your frugal ideals that you started. That
> is up, and running.
>
> TIA, Tommy.
>
- Owning one car.
- A used car, paid with cash.
- Using Public transportion.
- Walking to destinations up to 1 mile away.
- Sticking to the basics at the Grocery store.
- Shopping the Grocery Outlet and Bread Outlet.
- No Cable TV.
- Make my own Coffee
- Freeware Programs on the computer.
- Watch Priemium TV programing on the computer.
- Don't use VCR anymore to time shift programs,
All the network programs are available on line.
- Reduce the amount of trash going to the curb and
get a smaller garbage tip cart (Garbage fee is
lower for the smaller cart).
- Use cell phone for LD.
- USe M to M for LD since it is free.
- Use passive solar for heat in the winter (just open
the shades and let the sun shine in.
- Share baby clothes with other moms.
- And above all: Just live simply.
AllEmailDeletedImmediately
> Yea,,,, I see>>> you took the "to juice or not to juice" topic to the
> off topic.
>
> Thanks ;)
>
i changed it.
phil scott
Motor home/ river boat living...very nice... no rent what so ever, and
as
plush as you care to make it...and freedom to travel abroad by simply
paying 100 dollars a month storage while you are away.
no ppty tax, gas expense is reduced by carrying a motorcycle or towing
a fuel efficient car.
doing ones business from the motorhome makes for ultra competitiveness
and expands the range of operations significantly... no commute.
Phil scott
Stephanie
- To get a handle on what I can buy for how much money, I keep a price book.
I know now how much stuff costs at different stores. When a special is
available in the flier or a sale, I know if it is really a good buy. I know
what to buy at the bulk store, and what is not a good deal.
- I pick up my new bicycle from freecycle today!
- Husband car pools so that we can go down to one car and still allow the
kids and I some field trips.
- Cut and split wood off our property rather than buying oil.
- Don't buy many cleaning products. A can of comet, my string arms and back
and some vinegar.
- Don't buy expensive toiletry items. Using a puff in the shower allows me
to use a tiny dot of liquid soap and still get a nice lather.
- If it ever stops raining, I will use my clothesline instead of the dryer.
I can't think of anything else.
Stephanie
> In article <18109-489...@storefull-3113.bay.webtv.net>,
> jeepp...@webtv.net (Tommy) wrote:
>
>> I'm curious to know some of your frugal ideals that you started. That
>> is up, and running.
>
> Prius 7 months ago, I sure am enjoying it!
>
> In order to conserve on water and energy, I replaced incandescent
> light bulbs at home with those energy saver bulbs.
>
For me I had to retrain myself to turn off lights every single time I leave
a room and only turn on those that I NEED.
> I also decided to shower only every other morning instead of every
> day. It saves on time getting ready for work and some hot water.
>
> I walk a lot more and I use public transit more, even though I own a
> hybrid vehicle.
Jeff
> Shawn Hirn wrote:
>> In article <18109-489...@storefull-3113.bay.webtv.net>,
>> jeepp...@webtv.net (Tommy) wrote:
>>
>>> I'm curious to know some of your frugal ideals that you started. That
>>> is up, and running.
>> With the price of gas nearly $1 more per gallon then when I bought my
>> Prius 7 months ago, I sure am enjoying it!
>>
>> In order to conserve on water and energy, I replaced incandescent
>> light bulbs at home with those energy saver bulbs.
>>
>
>
> For me I had to retrain myself to turn off lights every single time I leave
> a room and only turn on those that I NEED.
I've got a neighbor that simply doesn't understand that concept. He
has decorative lighting on all the time in rooms he is seldom in and
just leaves the regular lights on.
The only time these lights ever get turned off is when all the power
for the house is shut off. Which is not infrequent due to non payment...
Not heating/cooling lighting areas you aren't in is probably the
greatest way to save. It's certainly cheaper to implement.
I suspect there are many similar households using vast quantities of
electricity while the house is idling.
Jeff
ra...@vt.edu
> - Owning one car.
> - A used car, paid with cash.
> - Using Public transportion.
Not practical or available everywhere, but good for
places it is available.
> - Walking to destinations up to 1 mile away.
> - Sticking to the basics at the Grocery store.
> - Shopping the Grocery Outlet and Bread Outlet.
Not sure, but for me the bread outlet store is a good bit
farther away, so the local grocery may cost more for the
bread but save on gas.
> - No Cable TV.
No cable would mean no TV except DVD or tape. I live
where an antenna just doesn't work.
> - Make my own Coffee
Who doesn't make their own, except maybe some folks
who don't drink coffee? I personally
make a full pot every morning and fill my thermos. This
lasts me all day and there is enough coffee in the pot
for my wife and I to have a cup or two before leaving
the house. Not buying coffee after leaving the house
is the frugal part.
> - Freeware Programs on the computer.
> - Watch Priemium TV programing on the computer.
> - Don't use VCR anymore to time shift programs,
> All the network programs are available on line.
I don't see how not using a VCR is frugal. I already
have a VCR, purchased for $35 more than 5 years ago.
Not using it would really not save me anything except
a few pennies worth of electricity. It's also hard
to share watching with my wife or friends on a computer.
> - Reduce the amount of trash going to the curb and
> get a smaller garbage tip cart (Garbage fee is
> lower for the smaller cart).
Not true everywhere. Same fee for large or small
garbage can here.
> - Use cell phone for LD.
> - USe M to M for LD since it is free.
Depends on your specific cell phone plan. Certainly
worth analyzing your usage and picking a plan that
is best suited to that usage pattern.
> - Use passive solar for heat in the winter (just open
> the shades and let the sun shine in.
> - Share baby clothes with other moms.
Bill Ranck
Blacksburg, Va.
Gordon
> Gordon <go...@alltomyself.com> wrote:
>
Perhaps I should have said YMMV.
The OP asked for our personal experiences. THese are
mine, and they work for me. As you have pointed out,
they are not necessarily universal and therefore may
not work as well for everyone else.
>> - Owning one car.
>> - A used car, paid with cash.
>> - Using Public transportion.
>
> Not practical or available everywhere, but good for
> places it is available.
>
>> - Walking to destinations up to 1 mile away.
>> - Sticking to the basics at the Grocery store.
>> - Shopping the Grocery Outlet and Bread Outlet.
>
> Not sure, but for me the bread outlet store is a good bit
> farther away, so the local grocery may cost more for the
> bread but save on gas.
We usually drive by one or the other about once a week,
So we pop in at that time.
Which brings up another savings:
- Trip planning. We don't just jump in the car
and go because we percieve a need to. We make
a list. At some point when we have to go out,
we gather up the lists and plan a route to hit
as many stops as possible.
>
>> - No Cable TV.
>
> No cable would mean no TV except DVD or tape. I live
> where an antenna just doesn't work.
So it won't work for you. A DTV converter and rabbit ears
is all I need to get good reception and a decent picture.
There is a new technology called TVoIP (TV over Internet).
You just need a reasonable computer and a good internet
connection.
>
>> - Make my own Coffee
>
> Who doesn't make their own, except maybe some folks
> who don't drink coffee?
People who spend too much for Coffee at Starbucks.
> I personally
> make a full pot every morning and fill my thermos. This
> lasts me all day and there is enough coffee in the pot
> for my wife and I to have a cup or two before leaving
> the house. Not buying coffee after leaving the house
> is the frugal part.
Right. But I only drink one cup a day. So I just make
the single cup and drink it. If I work the night shift
I will make up larger cup and put it in a thermal mug.
>
>> - Freeware Programs on the computer.
>> - Watch Priemium TV programing on the computer.
>> - Don't use VCR anymore to time shift programs,
>> All the network programs are available on line.
>
> I don't see how not using a VCR is frugal. I already
> have a VCR, purchased for $35 more than 5 years ago.
> Not using it would really not save me anything except
> a few pennies worth of electricity.
Minor frugality I guess. I was thinking of the cost of
replacing the tapes when they wear out or get broken.
With small kids in the house they used to get broken
a lot.
> It's also hard
> to share watching with my wife or friends on a computer.
>
Dual monitor set up. TV is the 2nd monitor.
>> - Reduce the amount of trash going to the curb and
>> get a smaller garbage tip cart (Garbage fee is
>> lower for the smaller cart).
>
> Not true everywhere. Same fee for large or small
> garbage can here.
>
>> - Use cell phone for LD.
>> - USe M to M for LD since it is free.
>
> Depends on your specific cell phone plan. Certainly
> worth analyzing your usage and picking a plan that
> is best suited to that usage pattern.
Absolutly agree. Our original justification for the
cell phone was that it would reduce our land line
phone bill by more than the monthly cost of the cell.
Latest analisis shows that it's still true.
M to M within the network is free and doesn't use
minutes from the plan. So double savings when we
call friends with in the same network.
We are currently looking for a way to get a 2nd
phone for the few times that we are both out, but
not together. Lots of options. As is typical,
I'm crunching the numbers to find the best value.
max
one thing i started doing was filling my teapot with only as much water
as i need for my morning french press (sometimes called a dashpot)
coffee.
I timed it yesterday: this way saves me ~5 minutes of time, which works
out to about 30 hours/year less time running the big burner on my stove.
I'm not entirely sure how much gas that is, but it's certainly not free.
I use CF lights almost everywhere.
I use an electric pressure cooker a fair bit.
i'm a cycle commuter.
i buy some (many) things at thrift stores.
I cook from scratch and don't buy many prepared foods.
I don't have cable TV.
I spend less than i earn.
.max
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This signature can be appended to your outgoing mesages. Many people include in
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Tommy
Anyway here are some of the frugal ideals that was submitted that I'm
immediately starting.
1) passive solar supplemental heat" solar wall heater"
2) Price book or list from the local stores, and maybe web
stores. Wouldn't it be nice if there was a price tracker to send out
price change alerts via e-mail ???
3) freecycle
4) Checking out the local bread store this Monday. Just over a mile out
of the way on my work commute.
Things already working for me.
1) Trip planning has been good. With 5 or 6 errands ran in a single
trip. Friends, and family helps each other out sometimes saving even
more gas.
2) CFL's, turning off lights when not in the room, sealing, caulking,
timers, powerstrips, light dark sensors, attic ventilation resulting
with a max high attic temp of 100.6* F this year so far. Home now has a
GavAlum silver roof reflecting a good percentage of sunlight away.
Programmable thermostat. Cloths line, and rack drying when possible.
Cooking in programmable crock pot in a non airconditioned room. Keeps
the hot cooking stove when possible from adding unnecessary load the the
airconditioner. Replaced my old fridge ( seem like it was constantly
running) with an energy efficient one, and added some more foam poly
insulation to the back where there was no coils, or defrost heating
elements. July electric bill $66, and some odd change.
3) organic gardening
4) no bills except mortgage(payed off in Feb 2013), and utilities.
5) Supplemental wood heat in garage with ductwork. Looking at heating
with water, haven't decided yet. I have a free source of good firewood.
Gas, hauling and chain saw maint. is on my dime.
6) yard saleing, and local internet sales boards.
7) do all my own mech work, and home repair with very few exceptions.
8) spending less than I earn which was mentioned in an earlier post.
Please keep posting any more tried and true frugal things you do, or
heard of.
Thanks, Tommy.
max
> Max how about some details on that electric pressure cooker?
It's a cuisinart CPC-600. 13 cups, 1000watts, two power levels, timer.
got it as a birthday present.
does a great job on dried beans and whole grains. Also makes awesome
chicken stew (esp. if you can get tough old stringy chickens), Coq au
Vin and Boef Bourgenon.
It can do the grains in 20 mins, the beans in 30, chicken in thirty or
forty and the beef burgundy in 50. A big time saver. I much prefer
the doneness of the whole grains and beans cooked in the pressure
cooker, in fact it does a better job on whole grains than my $anyo fuzzy
logic rice cooker.
It's a great product and i use it every week.
JonquilJan
Have a garden in the growing season (short) for salad greens at least.
Layer clothes in the winter instead of turning up the heat.
Have furnace serviced in the fall for optimum performance.
Lock in (by prepaying some) lower propane prices for the winter.
Used car - with regular checkups and servicing.
Close off parts of the house not in use (especially for heating in the
winter)
Fill up 2 liter soda bottles with water from the tap - no bottled water (own
well).
No cell phone. Need dial up for computer - long distance with carrier that
does not charge a monthly fee.
Very low flesh food use - replace protein needs with beans.
Use coupons when shopping and stock up when coupon/sales match.
Combine trips - laundry/groceries. Physical Therapy/groceries/drug store.
Buy dry goods in bulk through a food buying co-operative (comparing prices
at grocery first)
Pay some things in 6 month cycle - such as cable TV (basic) - prescription
insurance (required to get state coverage), car insurance
(yearly)
Use fan (when necessary) instead of air conditioner.
Mend clothes. Make some clothes from old clothes.
FYI - I am 69, disabled, live in northern New York.
JonquilJan
Learn something new every day
As long as you are learning, you are living
When you stop learning, you start dying
phil scott
Im in the HVAC (heating and air business0... servicing yer furnace
once a year is mostly a waste of
money. It its burners are adjusted correctly one time, they stay
that way.. you do need to keep the
filter clean though and oil the fan motor, tose are important.
If you have AC coil in the furnance that needs to be cleaned with a
special comb but thats not
done on a furnace service.
If your furnace is over 10 years old, or has a lot chucks of rust in
the burner box under the burner heards
then the heat exchanger could be cracked and leaking carbon
MONoxide... bad news. a check might
find that, but most dont have the instruments for a proper check... go
by age of the furnace.
a new 90% efficient furnace will cost you about $700 wholesale via
granger etc.. thats money better
spent than getting the old one 'serviced'.... (the 98% efficient
furnaces are pure rocket science, i dont recommend them, cost of
repairs and constant adjustments are way way too expensive).. no net
savings there.
Laky air ducts degrade perofrmance about 10% on average, dont use duct
tape to seal them, stop by a sheet metal shop and buy a bucket of duct
sealant goop from them... 20 bucks... thats best.
If you have an old furnace, buy a carbon Monoxide detector and use it.
to adjust yer burners, look at the individual points of flame, they
need to come to a blue edged point, not billowing open on top or
orange... if thats the case you need to close down the air adjustments
on the burner heads, instructions in the owners manual, or get it on
line... you should search burner adjustment photo's on google
first.... again, once set right, they generally never need to be
adjusted again.
Phil scott
Tommy
with some coil cleaner from a local HVAC store. It has to be diluted,
and will burn your hands without rubber gloves(suposed to be non-acid).
Foaming does a really good job. You will be amazed at the dirt that
comes out. Family, and friends share the cost of the cleaner.
Cost for cleaning somewhere around $5, and no service call.
Airconditioner operates more efficiently saving even more money on
electric costs, and unit longevity.
phil scott
If you use a good air filter its probably not necessary to clean the
coil more than once in
5 years... most folks never clean them untill the system fails. ..
(they can get almost plugged solid with dirt).
clean coils though probably do a lot to improve ones health esp if
there are alegeries or old folks.
best air filters have the lowest pressure drop ...and... remove the
most particles. for home furnances
a 2" thick pleated filter may be your best option..... if anyone has
alergies, add one of those 90 dollar, 1" thick
'electro static' filters down wind of the pleated filter...that will
help a lot.
if you need more, buy an ionzer.... causes particles in the air to
stick to grounded surfaces (walls and floors etc)
if you need still more buy an elecronic air cleaner... those can be
expensive to maintain long term though.
thhe furnance blower wheel itself gets very little attention, very
often the curved vains in it get full of dirt, that ruins blower
efficiency... most blower/ motor assy's slide out for service, you can
check.
If you have long return air ducts, there is a good chance they leak
and suck cold air into the house... seal with duct sealant in a tube
or at the ac wholesalers in a bucket.... similar issue with the suppy
air ducts going to the registers.
***
I forgot, if you have an OIL fired furnace, you do need a pro check up
more frequently than with gas...soot can build up in the heat
exchanger ruinng its efficiency... we use the term 'pro' loosely these
days... try an old fart for
best luck.
Phil scott
JonquilJan
Im in the HVAC (heating and air business0... servicing yer furnace
once a year is mostly a waste of
money. It its burners are adjusted correctly one time, they stay
that way.. you do need to keep the
filter clean though and oil the fan motor, tose are important.
Oil fan motor - I don't even know where it is. My 'furnace guy' will also
be doing other things as well on his visit. Including possible heat tapes
on the water pipes, possible wall mounted propane heater, possible
installation of additional vent aimed toward problem water pipes (freezing
in the winter). I talked to him last week - even he said ithe furnace
wouldn;t need anything other than changing the filters. Very difficult for
me to manuver the cellar stairs (disabled).
If you have AC coil in the furnance that needs to be cleaned with a
special comb but thats not
done on a furnace service.
No AC.
If your furnace is over 10 years old, or has a lot chucks of rust in
the burner box under the burner heards
then the heat exchanger could be cracked and leaking carbon
MONoxide... bad news. a check might
find that, but most dont have the instruments for a proper check... go
by age of the furnace.
Furnace new last winter.
a new 90% efficient furnace will cost you about $700 wholesale via
granger etc.. thats money better
spent than getting the old one 'serviced'.... (the 98% efficient
furnaces are pure rocket science, i dont recommend them, cost of
repairs and constant adjustments are way way too expensive).. no net
savings there.
See above. Furnace installed - including removal of the old furnace and
installation of additional duct work - ran $1600. And around here - that
was a bargain.
Laky air ducts degrade perofrmance about 10% on average, dont use duct
tape to seal them, stop by a sheet metal shop and buy a bucket of duct
sealant goop from them... 20 bucks... thats best.
See above about disability. Most of the duct work runs through a crawl
space - impossible for me to do anything there.
If you have an old furnace, buy a carbon Monoxide detector and use it.
See above.
to adjust yer burners, look at the individual points of flame, they
need to come to a blue edged point, not billowing open on top or
orange... if thats the case you need to close down the air adjustments
on the burner heads, instructions in the owners manual, or get it on
line... you should search burner adjustment photo's on google
first.... again, once set right, they generally never need to be
adjusted again.
See above.
Phil scott
Thanks Phil for the advice. Mechanical things are just not my thing. I can
grow a decent garden, make a killer apple pie, balance any checkbook, keep
great financial accounts, design a decent landscape planting and fill the
gas tank in the vehicle - but not much else.
phil scott
your furnace guy sounds like a good guy... 1600 installed was not out
of line either... many will try to get 4 or 5,000 dollars for that
sort of job.
that furnace (if its gas) will last a frugal user at least 10 years
with no service except filter
changing, motor bearings are probably sealed, needs no oil.
Phil scott
AllEmailDeletedImmediately
news:ac90b18b-42ee-49d4...@r35g2000prm.googlegroups.com...
On Aug 10, 3:22 pm, "JonquilJan" <war...@imcnet.net> wrote:
snip
> Thanks Phil for the advice. Mechanical things are just not my thing. I can
> grow a decent garden, make a killer apple pie, balance any checkbook, keep
> great financial accounts, design a decent landscape planting and fill the
> gas tank in the vehicle - but not much else.
>
> Jan
your furnace guy sounds like a good guy... 1600 installed was not out
of line either... many will try to get 4 or 5,000 dollars for that
sort of job.
that furnace (if its gas) will last a frugal user at least 10 years
with no service except filter
changing, motor bearings are probably sealed, needs no oil.
the gas furnace in our house was put in around 1955. the
furnace guy says it's operating at a decent efficiency and that we
shouldn't change it out yet.
phil scott
wrote:
> "phil scott" <p...@philscott.net> wrote in message
hes probably correct...thats old though. some that old get cracks in
the heat exchanger and leak carbon monoxide into the occupied
space.... look under the burner area for large chunks of rust and
debris... if there is a lot, its not a good sign. if no chunks of
rust under there that is unusual and means the heat x is probably not
rusted etc.
it may be only 60% efficient. Look on the name plate for input
btu's and for output btu's
figure the percent efficiency from there. its probably in the range
of 100,000 btu/hr in... and 60 or 80,000 btu/hr out. if its much
worse than 80%.. Id get a new one.
maybe its 120,000 input and 100,000 output... that would be 80%
efficient.
any simple furnace repair, motor, gas valve or safety limit
replacement can cost a third as much as getting a replacement...at
that age Id replace it at the first glitch especially if there are
chunks of rust in the burner compartment.
Phil scott
JonquilJan
>
> Thanks Phil for the advice. Mechanical things are just not my thing. I can
> grow a decent garden, make a killer apple pie, balance any checkbook, keep
> great financial accounts, design a decent landscape planting and fill the
> gas tank in the vehicle - but not much else.
>
> Jan
your furnace guy sounds like a good guy... 1600 installed was not out
of line either... many will try to get 4 or 5,000 dollars for that
sort of job.
that furnace (if its gas) will last a frugal user at least 10 years
with no service except filter
changing, motor bearings are probably sealed, needs no oil.
Phil scott
Furnace is propane - as is my stove. He also replaced my hot water
heater - which was propane - but had not worked for 5+ years. Found out it
was venting directly into the basement. Very, very old house. Both heater
and furnace were not new when I moved in here - 27 years ago. I now have an
electric hot water heater - which is only adding $10 a month to my electric
bill ($30 for last month). And I sure am enjoying those hot showers!!
And yes, he is a good guy. He worked for many years for the local
repair/installation shop and knew all the ins and outs of my very old house.
Then he went on his own - and I stayed with him. He is very busy - and
very successful on his own.
Jan
clams_casino
Some improved habits vs. past years include 30% less YTD mileage,
shifting much of our local mileage onto our older car that gets 15%
better gas mileage and dropping the temp setting while away in the
winter/ raising it during the summer even for relatively short trips. A
chunk of the reduced mileage was realized because we flew rather than
driving, but the airfare was nearly the cost of just gas, saving
significantly on depreciation, etc.
We have used programmable thermostats for several years, but starting
this past winter, we began changing the temp setting even for short
durations away from home. With the thermostat located near the door we
use most all the time, it's become any easy habit to drop the temp
several degrees upon leaving in the winter (even for an hour or so) &
raising the temp setting a few degrees when leaving in the summer.
Resetting the temp upon return actually makes it more comfortable than
simply maintain the temp because there is immediate air circulation.
After taking summer walks, even a few degrees higher is comfortable upon
return.
A third source of significant savings has been by transferring about a
fourth of our grocery shopping to Aldie's. They moved in locally this
past March and as we try more of their items, we do more repeat buying
after finding their quality to be typically better than other generics.
We've also significantly reduced (nearly eliminated) our motel costs by
traveling / making day trips much closer to home.
AllEmailDeletedImmediately
> furnace guy says it's operating at a decent efficiency and that we
> shouldn't change it out yet.
hes probably correct...thats old though. some that old get cracks in
the heat exchanger and leak carbon monoxide into the occupied
space.... look under the burner area for large chunks of rust and
debris... if there is a lot, its not a good sign. if no chunks of
rust under there that is unusual and means the heat x is probably not
rusted etc.
thanks, will do. we do have a cm detector in the basement, but
i was told by the codes guy that by the time those things go off,
it's too late. and we do run a dehumidifier down there yr round,
so that might be helping with the rust. but i'll have to go look to
be sure.
Tommy
than a couple of hours. just a few seconds to do, and at the end of the
month I have "some" extra gas money LOL.
No
> I'm curious to know some of your frugal ideals that you started. That
> is up, and running.
>
> TIA, Tommy.
I see several posters commented on coffee. My wife and I make coffee
with a Bunn brand drip coffee maker. We use 3 scoops to make a pot of
coffee. I recently discovered that my wife uses 1 scoop on top of the
previously used (3 scoops) grounds to make the second pot we sometimes
have. I had never noticed the difference. It seems to taste as fresh
as the first pot.
Now can anyone comment on the whether using a timer to shut off all
the power to my Bunn coffee makeer when it isn't being used for
several hours is an efficient means of electricity conservation? A
timer that is heavy enough to handle the wattage of the coffee maker
is rather expensive. I don't know if I'd get payback in a reasonable
amount of time.
Lou
"No" <noco...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:07eb0b76-e099-4781...@j22g2000hsf.googlegroups.com...
On Aug 7, 2:18 pm, jeeppin...@webtv.net (Tommy) wrote:
> I'm curious to know some of your frugal ideals that you started. That
> is up, and running.
>
> TIA, Tommy.
>the power to my Bunn coffee makeer when it isn't being used for
>several hours is an efficient means of electricity conservation? A
>timer that is heavy enough to handle the wattage of the coffee maker
>is rather expensive. I don't know if I'd get payback in a reasonable
>amount of time.
I don't know if there's a reasonable payback period or not. But it must be
longer than the payback period of simply unplugging the coffee maker when
you're not using it.
Tommy
I believe Lowes sells a spring wound 60 timer also. Anyway look at the
bottom or back of the coffee maker check the amps, and wattage, and do
the math.
Tommy
Gordon
news:nq8ha4983qddpc5p2...@4ax.com:
> On Fri, 8 Aug 2008 00:33:06 +0200 (CEST), Gordon
> <go...@alltomyself.com> wrote:
>
> I know that your list reflects your lifestyle, so I'm not critisizing
> it. On the other hand, I am lazy, and since you took the trouble of
> writing out your list, why should I waste my energy? I'll just remora
> onto your list, pointing out my differences. Thanks for the list.
> Now, if you'll excuse my whilst I attach my rubber remora lips....
> SLURP!
Hmm, Yes. After reviewing your additions I can see that we have
vastly different lifestyles (or at least life situations). We
are gonna drive the one solution fits all crowd insane (heh, heh, heh).
>
>>- No Cable TV.
> We have no TV service at all. Not because we're superior, but because
> we're in a valley and get Zero, as in NADA, ZILCH, NYET, NONE
> reception. Thank God for Netflix (($24/month) anad the Internet.
So do you use the Roku Netflix player?? If so, how do you like it??
>>- Make my own Coffee
> Well, duh. Who doesn't? Do you use a French Press? If not, you
> should. Do you go to StarBuX? If so, you shouldn't.
No I don't go to $tarbuck$. Never will.
And I know many people that think making your own coffee
takes too much time. So they spend too much money at
$tarbuck$. You should see all the commuters getting off the
train carrying their cups of over priced morning jolt.
>>- Freeware Programs on the computer.
> My friends call me "that cheap bastard that never pays for anything."
> Come to think of it, why do I consider them to be friends?
>>- Watch Priemium TV programing on the computer.
> ditto.
>>- Don't use VCR anymore to time shift programs,
> What the flying fuck does this mean?
We used to spend a lot of money on video tape. With small kids,
they were constantly getting broken, spilled on, etc.
Now if we miss a program we can go to the network website and
watch the back episodes.
>> All the network programs are available on line.
> You said that, already
>>- Reduce the amount of trash going to the curb and
>> get a smaller garbage tip cart (Garbage fee is
>> lower for the smaller cart).
> Not here. $1 per bag of trash.
Same thing, just different arrangements.
Reduce the amount of trash and reduce your pickup fee.
>>- Use cell phone for LD.
> no cell phones. 2 cent per minute calling plan.
>>- USe M to M for LD since it is free.
> I honestly did not understand that last sentence.
M to M == Mobile to Mobile. For a call to another person
that has the same carrier, there is no cost and no use of
plan minutes.
Tommy
them?
Tommy
Mary Mathews
I read all of these posts, but I must have missed what I consider one of
the most frugal ideas, which is to have a timer on the hot water heater.
Twenty minutes a morning is time enough to heat water for my shower. I
do need more on days that I run the dish-washer.
Question: I am considering using an electric oil-based radiator to heat
this sunroom, where I mostly stay, and turn the heat down for the
remainder of the house for the winter. Is this particular heater a good
idea for this purpose? Gas is not available. Thanks. Mary
Rod Speed
> I read all of these posts, but I must have missed what I consider one
> of the most frugal ideas, which is to have a timer on the hot water heater.
No it isnt. A properly insulated hot water tank fixes that much better,
because you dont have to fart around restricting when you use hot water.
> Twenty minutes a morning is time enough to heat water for my
> shower. I do need more on days that I run the dish-washer.
Dish washers do better heating their own water, because that way
they use cold water to get some of the gunk off the plates before
heating the water and so dont cook the gunk onto the plates.
> Question: I am considering using an electric oil-based radiator to
> heat this sunroom, where I mostly stay, and turn the heat down for
> the remainder of the house for the winter. Is this particular heater a
> good idea for this purpose?
I prefer fan heaters myself for that situation. Instead of
heating the whole room, you sit in the hot air stream instead.
They are noisier tho.
You can get electric throws, that fixes the noise problem
and they use a lot less power than any other form of heater.
> Gas is not available.
m...@privacy.net
wrote:
>Question: I am considering using an electric oil-based radiator to heat
>this sunroom, where I mostly stay, and turn the heat down for the
>remainder of the house for the winter. Is this particular heater a good
>idea for this purpose? Gas is not available. Thanks. Mary
I think it is..... just my gut intuition
But I haven't doe any calculus on the
idea tho to make sure
Chief Thracian
<go...@alltomyself.com> wrote:
>Absolutly agree. Our original justification for the
>cell phone was that it would reduce our land line
>phone bill by more than the monthly cost of the cell.
>Latest analisis shows that it's still true.
'Scuse me, but you can get GREAT deals for long distance, via land
line. 2 cents per min. anywhere in the continental US. Really cheap to
call most other nations. You prepay online, then call the service's
local number, then dial out. Here are two excellent LD bargains:
So using a cell phone to save on LD is not at all necessary. So you
don't really need a cell, if your only reason is to save on LD
expenses.
I dropped my long distance AT&T service years ago, thanks to onesuite.
I just pay for their local fees.
Chief Thracian
<go...@alltomyself.com> wrote:
>- Shopping the Grocery Outlet and Bread Outlet.
Most bread outlets only offer WHITE bread, which is very unhealthy. I
only eat whole grain...which of course costs more.
Gordon
@amsterdam.newsgroups-download.com:
Plenty of selection at the Grocery Outlet and the Bread Store.
White Bread, Whole wheat, Sourdough, Rye...
Gordon
@amsterdam.newsgroups-download.com:
In a few days I'll be getting an "all you can eat" LD plan with
no per minute fees. So now the only reason for the cell phone is
convinience.
pc
I have heard that most other countries do not charge for incoming calls
on a cellphone.
Any info about this?
If it's true, we, cellphone users, get double slammed for minutes
compared to the rest of the world.
And it should be changed.
PC
George
>
> I have heard that most other countries do not charge for incoming calls
> on a cellphone.
>
> Any info about this?
Someone always pays and it is the caller in many other countries. You
can get an idea of how much by looking at calling rates to those
countries. I looked at my VoIP carriers rate for Japan for an example.
$0.0297/min to call a landline and $0.1298/min to call a mobile. Or
calling a Mexican mobile is $0.2530 and a landline is $0.0913 .
George
>
> Absolutly agree. Our original justification for the
> cell phone was that it would reduce our land line
> phone bill by more than the monthly cost of the cell.
> Latest analisis shows that it's still true.
>
Same here. Most of our family and friends are on the same carrier and in
network calling is "free" so we pay less overall and have a lot more
utility.
> M to M within the network is free and doesn't use
> minutes from the plan. So double savings when we
> call friends with in the same network.
>
> We are currently looking for a way to get a 2nd
> phone for the few times that we are both out, but
> not together. Lots of options. As is typical,
> I'm crunching the numbers to find the best value.
>
Typically family plans are the less expensive way to do that. I can add
another line on my account that shares the plan minutes for ~
$14/month/total. The shared use of minutes doesn't really impact much at
least in my case because of the free in network calling.
>>> - Use passive solar for heat in the winter (just open
>>> the shades and let the sun shine in.
>>> - Share baby clothes with other moms.
>> Bill Ranck
>> Blacksburg, Va.
>>
>
>
Rod Speed
> Any info about this?
Its true.
> If it's true, we, cellphone users, get double slammed for minutes compared to the rest of the world.
Not when the rate the calls are charged at is split between the caller and the called party.
And those other countrys generally charge more to call cellphones than landlines too.
> And it should be changed.
Trouble is that with the US system, you cant work out before you call whether
you are calling a cellphone or a landline, so you wouldnt be able to work out
how much the call will cost you when you call it if only the caller is charged.
Rod Speed
> pc wrote
>> I have heard that most other countries do not charge for incoming calls on a cellphone.
>> Any info about this?
> Someone always pays
Not necessarily, many get free calls in the sense that it costs the same whether you make that call or not.
> and it is the caller in many other countries.
And they mostly charge more call a cellphone than to call a landline.
> You can get an idea of how much by looking at calling rates to those countries.
Nope. Quite a bit of the time what you get charged when you call into a
country has nothing to do with what callers within the country get charged.
> I looked at my VoIP carriers rate for Japan for an example.
> $0.0297/min to call a landline and $0.1298/min to call a mobile.
And mine charge 8c flat charge to both, and thats an untimed charge too, thats
the total cost of the call regardless of how long it lasts, even if its for hours.
> Or calling a Mexican mobile is $0.2530 and a landline is $0.0913 .
Those cost me 10c flat charge untimed for both types of calls.
Tony
Chief Thracian wrote:
--
The Grandmaster of the CyberFROG
Come get your ticket to CyberFROG city
No, I just decided not to play your silly game is all. *Some* of us know
proper manners
Very few. I used to take calls from *rank* noobs,
Hamster isn't a newsreader it's a mistake!
El-Gonzo Jackson FROGS both me and Chuckcar
Using my technical prowess and computer abilities to answer questions
beyond the realm of understandability
Regards Tony... Making usenet better for everyone everyday
Gordon
news:Zqqdnbj3ot5gjCLV...@comcast.com:
>> We are currently looking for a way to get a 2nd
>> phone for the few times that we are both out, but
>> not together. Lots of options. As is typical,
>> I'm crunching the numbers to find the best value.
>>
>
> Typically family plans are the less expensive way to do that. I can add
> another line on my account that shares the plan minutes for ~
> $14/month/total. The shared use of minutes doesn't really impact much at
> least in my case because of the free in network calling.
>
>
Not so in My case. Last check was that it would cost about $20.00.
That's a lot of minutes if you compare it to a Pay as you go phone.
THe biggest problem I am up against is the expiration of minuts
on the pay as you go plans. Trac Phone for instane tends to
expire quickly. I think it's 30 days for a $20.00 card. That
makes it pretty comparable to the $20.00 marginal cost of adding
a line to my current plan. 7-11 has a Plan where the minutes
last for up to a year. Even for the lowest cost card. I may go
with that plan.
The Real Bev
The local Oroweat (etc.) store sells just about everything that that
bakery makes including Honey Wheat Berry bread which really ought to be
classified as a dessert. Roughly half price plus quantity, cumulative
quantity and senior discounts too. Tough luck if you can't find one!
--
Cheers, Bev
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
"Giving money and power to government is like giving whiskey
and car keys to teenage boys." -- P.J. O'Rourke
The Real Bev
T-Mobile lets all minutes last for a year providing you have bought $100
worth of time. $100 for the first year and $10/year minimum thereafter.
I get free Target gift cards for one of my survey/watch ads thingies,
so from now on the phone is free.
I just wish I'd chosen a phone with voice-recognition calling
capability. When "speed dial" is menu-8-3-line down(s)-enter, the
suckage is extreme.
--
Cheers, Bev
-----------------------------------------------------------
"Don't you wish there were a knob on the TV to turn up the
intelligence? There's one marked "brightness", but it
doesn't work." -- Gallagher
George
We use Verizon wireless. An additional line is $10 and it goes to $14
total with the various sneaky taxes the politicians have added.
tmc...@searchmachine.com
> George <geo...@nospam.invalid> wrote innews:Zqqdnbj3ot5gjCLV...@comcast.com:
Tracfone minutes never expire, it's the airtime that does. The last
time I
bought airtime I got a 2 year deal with lots of minutes and it worked
out to
$6/month. I rarely use the phone and keep it just for emergencies
because I
travel a lot. I've had it for 5 years and I've got over 500 minutes
left, without ever adding any minutes other than what comes included
with the annual
airtime.
George
> Gordon <go...@alltomyself.com> wrote:
>
>> Not so in My case. Last check was that it would cost about $20.00.
>> That's a lot of minutes if you compare it to a Pay as you go phone.
>> THe biggest problem I am up against is the expiration of minuts
>> on the pay as you go plans.
> compared to sending ą$20.00 + taxes _monthly_? $10.00 gets 70 min for
> 120 days; that's nominally $2.50/mo. Those minutes "roll over" into the
> next period when one buys additional time by the expiration date.
> Pageplus uses the Verizon network, which is second to none in most of
> U.S.A. You can buy minutes on eBay and pay with paypal, buy minutes from
> any number of third-party W3 sites, buy minutes from most independent
> cell phone stores, buy minutes from many convenience stores. In many
> jurisdictions, as well as online, those transactions incur no sales tax.
> I find it interesting that when folks talk about their "low priced" cell
> phone deals, they never mention the taxes, fees, and "because we can"
> charges that very nearly double their actual bills. You may safely
> disregard any misleading claims about "free" stuff from the postpay
> guys. Those "offers" are intended to dupe dullards into subscribing to
> otherwise overpriced services. Phoneco stuff is "free" only if you pay
> for other services which you may neither need nor want. Just for grins,
> call any of them and tell them you just want the "free" stuff.... That
> "second line" gimmick is just that: Simply a means to induce subscribers
> to increase their usage, empty the "bucket" and pay a premium price for
> over-run minutes, not to mention the "extra-line" charge which really
> buys absolutely nothing.
It may not be right for you but it certainly isn't what you described
and it certainly buys you something. The second, third or fifth line
aren't gimmicks. It can also be a way to provide a service which some
people might choose to use and can make economic sense. Additional lines
can be quite practical and have nothing to do with "eating up a bucket".
Clearly you have little understanding how some people use phones and
what free in network calling means. A couple of the lines on our plan
rarely use plan minutes but it isn't unusual to hit a thousand minutes
at no additional charge since it is in network calling. Our family and
friends are dispersed and mobile so it is a great way to stay in touch.
We have never gone over plan minutes. And you may also note that one of
"those people" actually mentioned the total cost in this thread.
Telephone companies, just like cable teevee
> companies, are masters at bleeding money-for-nothing from the unwary and
> from the arithmetically challenged; it's what they do.
Dennis
<go...@alltomyself.com> wrote:
>Not so in My case. Last check was that it would cost about $20.00.
>That's a lot of minutes if you compare it to a Pay as you go phone.
>THe biggest problem I am up against is the expiration of minuts
>on the pay as you go plans. Trac Phone for instane tends to
>expire quickly. I think it's 30 days for a $20.00 card. That
>makes it pretty comparable to the $20.00 marginal cost of adding
>a line to my current plan.
The minutes on most Tracfone cards are good for 60 days (some cards
have minutes bundled with 1 year expiration). The expiration of the
minutes on any (unbundled) card can be extended to 1 year for an extra
US$50 (may be online only), or the unused minutes on your phone can be
rolled over on a monthly basis for US$5/mo.
Dennis (evil)
--
I'm behind the eight ball, ahead of the curve, riding the wave,
dodging the bullet and pushing the envelope. -George Carlin
Gordon
news:KpGdnY8QvZ6Wv13V...@earthlink.com:
> Gordon <go...@alltomyself.com> wrote:
>
>>Not so in My case. Last check was that it would cost about $20.00.
>>That's a lot of minutes if you compare it to a Pay as you go phone.
>>THe biggest problem I am up against is the expiration of minuts
>>on the pay as you go plans.
> buys absolutely nothing. Telephone companies, just like cable teevee
> companies, are masters at bleeding money-for-nothing from the unwary
and
> from the arithmetically challenged; it's what they do.
>
So you can see what I'm up against. IT's not an easy task to
figure out these cell plans, find and acount for all the hidden
charges, and look for hidden terms and conditions.
Macuser
coffee. Run the coffee maker only once for two days. Never want for iced
coffee.
"Thrift is sexy." ;)
> I don't know if there's a reasonable payback period or not. But it must
> be
> longer than the payback period of simply unplugging the coffee maker when
> you're not using it.
>
>