Mrs. ThePoint

I saw this post on Get Rich Slowly a couple of days ago. It’s about the current electricity crisis in Alaska.
Last Wednesday, they had a avalanche which affected their electricity generation. Their electricity costs went from $0.11 per kilowatt-hour to $0.50. The people in Juneau, Alaska are asking for solutions and tips to save their electricity usage.

I lived in a very cold climate in China once; the people there don’t have much resources. Therefore, they are forced to live through cold winters without much energy supplies . Here is what I learned and hopefully it helps someone.

1. Unplug your refrigerator- Since it is still cold outside, place your food outside in an closed container.
2. Fill small pillow cases with rice- This is a tip from a friend of mine. She saved on her heating bill filling a small pillow case with rice. She put the pillow case in an oven or microwave for a couple of minutes and she goes to bed with the rice pillow. She said the pillow can keep her warm through out the night during the frigid New England winter.
3. Boil your bath water on the stove- This only works if you have a gas stove.
4. Use your shower water to wash your clothes- This is a perfect idea, so you don’t end up washing your clothes with cold water. However, make sure you use soap instead of laundry detergent because laundry detergent is a lot more difficult to wash off.
5. Dry your clothes outside- In the very cold weather, your clothes will freeze. So make sure you go break off the ice the next day and allow it to air dry for 2-3 days.
6. Eat a lots of BBQ and Salad - If you have a electric stove, BBQ your food when you can.
7. Get Fluorescent light bulbs- I just recently converted all my light bulbs to Fluorescent. They are great. I believe I’ve saved at least $10 per month.
8. Use a fire place when at home- 90% of the people in the town where I stayed in China are using fire places for heat in the winter. Some of them even BBQ with their fire places.
9. Cover your windows and walls with blankets- This really works, especially with wooden houses, but it requires a lot of fabric.
10. Place rice pillows inside of your clothes- In China, people use a thick plastic water bag filled with hot water, but I always found that to be scary. I think the rice pillow will have the same effect but safer.
11. Unplug all electric equipment when you are not using it- Any electric equipment still uses small amounts of electricity even when you are not operating it. Unplug them completely to save that small amount.
12. Eat a lots of stew and spicy food- After a hot stew and spicy meal, you feel warm for a couple of hours. Hey…that is still a couple of hours, right?
13. Check out my post on how to save cooking energy to save more electricity on cooking.
14. Read a lot of books.

I am a saver. Every penny counts. There are couple of strategies I use to save on groceries. Maybe some of you will find this helpful.

1. Grow your own herbs. Fresh herbs are always more fragrant and tasty than dry herbs, but most of the grocery stores sells fresh herbs at extremely high prices and often they come in larger quantities than you need. Many dishes only require a small amount of each herb, and this is a great reason to grow your own herbs. Most of the herbs can grow in a pot on your kitchen window throughout the year. So instead of dropping 4 dollars each time you need some herbs, you can pick them yourself from your herb plants.
2. Buy large quantities. Often the prices between 16oz. and 32oz. is closer than you think. Therefore, if you know you can finish a product before the expiration date, go for the bigger one. This of course is not always true, and you should check the unit price on everything you buy. Keep in mind, buying larger quantities may save you additional trips to the store.
3. Use your own shopping bag. Many grocery stores (Trader Joe’s in particular) have started to offer grocery gift card lotteries if you bring in your own shopping bags. Each time you bring your own bag, they will put your name into a drawing for the free gift card. It is a great way to save the world and save your money if you do win.
4. Get the discount card. Many grocery stores offer membership/discount cards for free. All you need to do is sign up. For just a little effort, you can get the discount price on various products. Coupons are always helpful too.
5. Don’t be afraid of store brand products. Many large chain stores have their own store brand products. They are often a lot cheaper than the brand name ones. The products are very similar but have much lower prices.
6. Don’t spend money on packaging. I used to buy the sugar that comes in a box. I feel it is so much easier to use. However, I realizes I am paying the same price as the sugar which in a paper bag but getting half the amount.
7. Check your prices at the register. Just today, I noticed a difference in price at the checkout counter than what was labeled on the shelf. I notified an attendant and she changed the price for me. Not only that, but the store policy was to give anyone who spots an expired tag one of the products for free (news to me). So I saved about $4.50 just for being attentive.
8. Use the self-serve scanner if they have it. Some people find technology scary, but I imagine anyone reading this is the exception to that. Some stores have scanners you can carry around the store that help you keep track of your spending. Not only does that keep you in check, but the scanners often tell you what is on sale.