how to conserve electricity

**tammy88** · 06-01-2007, 05:07 PM

Hello

i have electricity for everything but heat and hot water
im trying to find out how to conserve my electricity like washing clothes is it better to wash all your loads only once a week or spread it out?
i know to turn lights out when i dont need it, i use my dishwasher about 3 times a week, i think i could lessen that to once or twice a week and wash some dishes in the cold water or use the coffee maker to heat up water then pour it into the sink and let the dishes drip dry..now on saving on my oil any tips? time showers, how do you do that? how long do you time it? dishes..wash in cold or heat with coffee maker...where else??
i want to line dry my clothes but i havent found a line for the poles outback and i cant reach it..oh how do you keep everything from drying so rough? i use liquid softner

**FrugalMomof3** · 06-01-2007, 06:04 PM

Well, what I do here is:

- Limit showers to 5 minutes and no more, I use the computer as a timer
- Wash laundry once per week and in COLD water
- Wash dishes once per week and ONLY when full
- Line dry your clothes but if you have to use the dryer, set it for half the time and hang wetter clothes to dry inside
- Turn out all lights not in use and the tv
- unplug appliances, etc, not being used
- Use candles at night instead of turning on the lights

Our electric bill is usually only around $50-$55 a month.

**Darlene** · 06-02-2007, 08:31 AM

I only wash full loads whenever I have them & they are always done in cold water.
If you give your clothes a good snap before hanging or towels & jeans a quick short twirl in the dryer when you bring them in that will help cut down in the roughness.
You can find clothesline at the hardware store. I have this kind
http://www.clotheslineshop.com/Merch...egory_Code=OCI of outdoor dryer that hubby set in concrete and will be used for years to come. It doesn't take up much space & it's amazing how much laundry you can get on one of those dryers.
Dishes are done in hot water and rinsed in hot also. I don't keep the water running and rinse all at once if possible. If I use the dishwasher I use the energy efficient cycle and air dry.

To cut back on oil usage keep we keep temp 68º and turn it down further at night. Hubby gets up first so the house is warm before I do, so no shock to this bod.

Showers are all business to me, zip zip do what you have to and get out. This isn't a spa, lol.

**Mom23boys** · 06-02-2007, 08:40 PM

For me, I wash laundry in cold water, hang laundry out to dry, and wash most dishes by hand. I also don't keep the water running. I do wash and rinse our dishes with hot water. I only run the dishwasher once a week at the most and I also turn the dry cycle to air dry. If I see an appliance that isn't being used, I unplug it from the outlet. You will be surprised, but leaving an appliance plugged in that isn't being used still uses electricity. I make sure all computers/tvs/lights are off when noone is using them. I don't time our showers, but we have never had a problem with anyone staying in too long. We leave our a/c set at 78 degrees. We also put tint on the windows that face the rising sun to help block some of the heat. In the winter, we remove the tint to let the sun shine in to help with heat. (It can be removed and reused over and over. I just put it up during the winter months.)

As for keeping my laundry that is hung outdoors from being too stiff, I use laundry detergent with fabric softner and I does as Darlene suggested, snap it before I hang it to dry. I haven't had a problem.

**bumplett** · 06-02-2007, 08:46 PM

wow Darlene, I'm so glad you posted that link! cool stuff on that site!

((not that I'm going to buy it all)) but it's FUN to look at!

there is an entire section of "indoor" clotheslines!!

I cannot hang clothes outside due to living in a subdivision with an HOA that forbids it :::insert angry eyes:::

**tammy88** · 06-03-2007, 01:54 PM

thanks yall!!
i got a clothes line today
so when the rains gone i will have the hubby set it up from me

**schellie69** · 06-12-2007, 07:48 PM

I use my dishwasher, I found that it uses less water then if i did them buy hand, , I really did not see any differeance in my bill when we did not use it, then when we do, I only run it full and I let the dishes air dryer, I also shut of the extra heat cycle, I hang up as much laundry as I can, I have a sensor dry on my dryer so it shuts off as soon as the clothes are dry, I use the dryer for socks, and jeans.(damp dry) and sometimes towels. I try and keep lights off and curtins shut in the summer. I run my ceiling fans and regular fans to help circulate air, I use electric space heaters in the winter (since electric is cheaper here in the winter) that way heater doesn't run as much. I have an HE washer so it uses alot less water then a regular washer have seen a differeance in water and electric bill since i got more engry efficiant appliance. they were worth the little bit extra i spent.