What is the one thing that you're going to work hardest to save money on this summer?

**PrairieRose** · 05-30-2004, 02:11 PM

Our natural gas bill is really high during the summer due to heating our pool. We're trying to keep the heater off as much as possible to bring that down. I know this doesn't really sound all that frugal but we really enjoy our pool and we have a lot of wind in our area. If the pool isn't heated a bit we can't really enjoy being in it.

What's your thing that your' working hard to tame?

**Mom23boys** · 05-30-2004, 02:17 PM

Probably the electric bill since it will be so hot here in the summer, the air stays on constantly. Plus we are all home for summer....me and the boys! More electricity is used now more than any other time of the year. I hope I can keep it down somehow.

**5bRATSmom** · 05-30-2004, 02:26 PM

electicity.... we have central air and husband works in a very hot building all day, and wants to come home to a cool house.

EATING out! with the kids, I get so tired of making lunches and such... its "easier" to buy them fast food. I get stuck in a rut, and need fun food ideas to keep them, and me happy. Also, its extremely unhealthy of us to eat out.... perhaps more walks to the park with a picnic basket....

**~Tammy~** · 05-30-2004, 04:17 PM

Electric bill - it's so hot here, I will be watching the kwh's daily. Tracking them helps me know when it's getting high.

**guest2** · 05-30-2004, 04:35 PM

Lisa~I'm sure I saw somewhere that there are solar blankets you can lay over the top of your pool that will help heat it and retain the heat at night. It might be worth researching online.

As for electric, we are there too. I turn on the swamp cooler at night on vent to bring in the cool air and keep the windows open in the earlier morning hours. As the day starts to heat up, I close the windows and curtains to keep the cool air in. During the hottest part of the day, we frequently just stop moving and either watch a video or read for awhile and then head up to the town pool at night to cool off.
Food costs are another major biggie here. With 3 teen boys and their friends, I go through lots and lots of it. I buy ramen noodles by the case to help stretch the budget (they each eat 2 packages for lunch), make lots of sun tea and I let them eat all the cherries they want off the trees!

Gas prices, being what they are, I'm going to have to do my best to cut down on the running around that we do. I'll drive the little car as much as possible, but if the boys invite their friends to go anywhere with us, I'll have to take the van.

**dmvezina** · 05-30-2004, 05:22 PM

Electricity. We don't have a/c, but with the 4 kids home all the time, they tend to leave lights on, tvs on, etc.

So, I'm going to get on em to keep the stuff off!!

**Darlene** · 05-30-2004, 07:16 PM

Every thing we can. Our one income family of 4 has suddenly turned into 5. As some try to find jobs we will just be saving where we can & all the while knowing it will all work out...

**Sinclairwife** · 05-30-2004, 09:52 PM

Electricity, we have such hot & humid summer weather we need a/c.

**HOMEDEPOTDIVA** · 05-31-2004, 12:30 AM

With the boys being home for the summer, I also will try to keep down the electric bill and of course grocery bill.
We tend to be the local hang out for the kids in the neighborhood. My boys were raised to share and boy do they share the food! Any food in the house thats not nailed down is fair game! SO saving money on food is a huge issue!!
As far as the electric- I run around turning off lights and tv's all day. I think I may trick them buy unscrewing the lightbulbs and telling them the bulb has burnt out! LOL
Good luck everyone!!

**Missy** · 05-31-2004, 12:35 AM

I am going to be working on my electricity and gas. I am trying real hard, and I hope to see some improvement in hte next bill.

**QuilterMom** · 05-31-2004, 09:12 AM

Electricity! We are going to have a very hot and dry summer here so I have a feeling the a/c is going to run constantly. Since we just moved though we can now have a clothesline and I know that is going to help keep the bill down. Now if I can just get dh to not leave all the lights on.........................

**PrairieRose** · 05-31-2004, 09:01 PM

Debbie, we do have a solar blanket and it does help a lot but we still have to run the heater until about mid-July. Once it gets really hot and stays that way the solar blanket is plenty.

**Chea** · 05-31-2004, 09:54 PM

Electricity is the key here too!

It seems I finally get my gas bill paid off with winter heating and the summer a/c bills start piling up.
So far its been warm but we've managed to keep the a/c in the garage....for now. Thats a battle dh and I have every year.

We're doing better on keeping the lights off!

**Early Bird** · 06-01-2004, 06:21 AM

Well, we live in the desert, so we have a swamp cooler (aka evaporative cooler), which doesn't use NEARLY as much energy as an air conditioner. Here's a link to info for those interested in 'swamp coolers':

http://www.consumerenergycenter.org/...e_coolers.html

Note: swamp coolers wouldn't work in a swamp! They need dry air.

But, maybe because we live in a desert, and water is so high, our grocery bill needs to come down! When we lived in the Midwest (and had an Aldi nearby), I budgeted $360/month for our family of 4. Here, I budget -- and spend -- $535/month.

Part of the reason IS higher prices. Part is that we're new here, and I'm still scouting out cheaper sources.

**Suezy** · 06-01-2004, 08:40 AM

Hi - I'm with Early Bird on this one. We too utilize a swamp cooler and it is a life saver on those electrical bills. But food does seem to cost me more living in Nevada than it did when living in San Diego. If we could just all stop eating we'd have it made, lol!