The electric bill

I have budget billing which is great. Not so great was the massive increase in our bill this year that wasn't figured into the budget billing. (I'm still mad but don't get me started!)

Along about March it became clear that I was going to have $300 or so due at the end of my budget year unless I took drastic measures.

First to go was the thermostat - down that is - to 60. We wore more socks, sat with blankets over our laps and had all the cat company we could ever want. I found myself praying for hot flashes for the first time in my life!

At night it was kinda nice. All snuggly under the comforter with the bed-dog (otherwise known as Cerbie) wedged between us. Getting *out* of the bed was not so nice. But we managed, and soon spring was upon us...

And an "unseasonable" heat wave.

Having vowed not to turn on the a/c until at least June, we sweated through a few uncomfortable days and bought a small fan to pull in the cool night air.

About the time we were congratulating ourselves on our frugality, the cold came back. *sigh*

Meanwhile, I tightened a few more notches in the electric-bill belt. I celebrated Earth Day by hanging clothes on the line out back. I haven't turned on the dryer since. (My daughter did once, and now she's promised to plan ahead and not use it either).

We already had flourescent bulbs in all our lighting. I've gotten pretty good at working in low light and traipsing through the house in the semi-dark. (Big fun when you're trying to avoid 18 cats and 2 dogs!)

Thom turned the hot water heater down another couple degrees.

We work out in the yard a little longer instead of watching a re-run of "COPS" for the zillionth time. With the good spring weather, porch-sitting is once again our favorite evening pasttime. It requires no lighting and only a little "foot power" to gently rock myself on the swing.

The good news is the electric bill is down considerably.

The bad news is the indoor thermometer stuck itself at 78 degrees all night last night. Two perilously tiny degrees from my "give-in" point of 80 degrees. I just can't sleep if it's any hotter.

Pray for rain...