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Staying Cool for Less

From May through August, our electric bill used to jump up high on the chart due to cooling costs. Then, a couple of years ago, we applied some serious strategies to staying cool for less. The change was so dramatic that the electric company sent out a work to check our meter, since our energy usage was so much different than they were used to seeing in the summer. Here are some of the changes that we made. Tightening up the House The major difference in our energy bill came when we sealed up the cracks and insulated our home. … Continue reading →

Staying Cool with Kids

It’s so hot… my neighbor’s chickens are laying omelets. It’s so hot… squirrels are picking up nuts with potholders. It’s so hot… you can wash and dry your clothes at the same time. It’s so hot… you can catch fried fish in the lake. The last one’s no joke. The heat wave that has blanketed much of the nation, including here in Wisconsin, has caused a rash of deaths among local fish. Thousands of Northern Pike and Perch are dying in area waters because of the recent string of record breaking hot temperatures. DNR officials say the fish can’t survive … Continue reading →

Staying Hydrated

Ways to Stay Hydrated: Add flavor to your water: Water can get boring. There are times I seek flavor which causes me to drink something other than water. When you add another drink into the equation you must take in account calories. I find it wasteful to drink my calories. So a way I make drinking water more fun is adding lemon, lime, cucumber, or watermelon, orange or grapefruit to add some fun. You can also find carbonated naturally flavored (no fake sugar or otherwise) water to mix things up a bit. You can also add a sprig of mint … Continue reading →

Kids Shouldn’t Be Cooling Off With Soda

I lost 10 pounds this week… in sweat. I’m kidding. Not really. I may be off by about eight pounds. Seriously, though, the heat wave that has been smothering much of the nation is no laughing matter. The extreme temperatures left a major scorch mark on our city. The power went out, our central air shut down temporarily, and it was all I could do to keep my 6-year-old from getting swimmer’s ear from staying in the pool 24/7. In addition to all of the warnings about staying indoors and out of the blistering heat, slathering on the sunscreen if … Continue reading →

Ways to Save on Cooling Bills

While it is only May, we have had a few hot and stuffy days here in Pennsylvania. Those sticky days when the weather seems to jump from spring right into summer without so much as a breeze. I know several people who have already turned on their air conditioning. Not us, though. Well, for one thing, not only are we frugal, but we don’t happen to have central air conditioning. This means that having any air conditioning at all is a big project. We have to take out the heavy window air conditioners and install them strategically in some of … Continue reading →

The Challenges of Staying Neutral–Part One

We’ve all heard it a hundred times–how important it is to stay neutral and not bash on the other parent. We KNOW in our heads how we need to remain as detached and “middle-ground” as possible, all while being compassionate and committed parents. It can be a lot easier to stay neutral in theory than it is to do it in real life! The divorced parents, or the two-household family seems to be a perfect set-up for diverse ideas about parenting and with all the waters that have run under the bridge, it can be so hard to be mellow … Continue reading →

More Frugal Summer Cooling

In an earlier article, Frugal Summer Cooling, I shared some of the techniques we use to reduce our cooling costs. Now, I’ll share even more tips for staying cool. I’m old enough to remember back to the time when homes didn’t have air conditioners. Growing up in a brick apartment in New York City made for some pretty creative ways to stay cool in the summer. Most of these ways involved actually getting of the apartment to get cool. If you aren’t in your home, you don’t have to spend that time cooling it. For example, as a kid, we … Continue reading →

Halloween Safety

It’s the night before Halloween. The kids are getting anxious to get out there and start trick-or-treating. Before long ghosts and goblins will be running the streets looking for some Halloween fun, but don’t forget to remind your kids about the importance of staying safe on Halloween this year. Most kids know that they’re supposed to look both ways before crossing the street, but sometimes in the excitement of everything they forget the basic things they’ve been taught from the time they were two. Remind them to never go into a stranger’s home. If they tell you to come in … Continue reading →

Top 5 Skills for Frugal Times

Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about the times that we’re in. I’ve been thinking about ecology and about frugality, and about how challenging economic and ecological times mean that we need to think hard about the skills that we develop. I’ve been considering the skills that are most useful in these times. Here’s what I’ve come up with: a list of the top five skills for frugal times. What would you add or subtract from this list? 1. Growing your own food and medicine This is something that I write about a lot. I love plants, I love being … Continue reading →

Welcoming Houseguests

Summertime is the season of houseguests. I think everyone has at least one every year. My mom will be coming to visit for my sisters wedding so I’m getting ready for her company. In addition to cleaning the house I need to get the room she will sleep in ready. There are some basic things you can do to make your houseguests stay a little nicer. Bathroom Lots of clean towels, easily accessible Extra rolls of toilet paper in a convenient place Toiletries- usually when staying at someone else’s home you don’t bring shampoo and toothpaste so make sure they … Continue reading →