Electricity use update (and just how am I going to spend my savings?)

Since I've been talking about how we're cutting our electricity use, I thought I'd let you know the progress we've been making. It's been one month since we began our new reduced-electric lifestyle. We are billed every other month, so I won't actually receive a statement from the utility provider for another month, but I have been watching the meter, and doing my own calculations.

For the billing cycle, which spanned from May 10 to July 10, we used over 23 KWH of electricity per day. We are now down to about 10 KWH per day, for a savings of about $1.15 each day, or $35.00 a month!

Oh, just what am I gonna do with all my new-found riches?!! Okay, so not a huge sum of money, but $35 we save, is $35 we don't have to earn. As we don't need this savings to live on for another month (our income will be reduced mid-August, and I base each month's budget on the previous month's earnings), I've chosen to invest this savings in something that will save even more in the long run.

I had errands to run yesterday, taking me around town, including Home Depot. I bought 3 LED light bulbs to try out, two 60-watt equivalents, and one 40-watt equivalent. The 60-watt equivalent bulbs use 9.5 and 10.5 watts of electricity each, and the 40-watt equivalent uses 6 watts per hour. I placed these in frequently-used fixtures in the house. So far, the light is quite pleasing.

I chose 3 different bulbs, so that we could compare the quality of light. Two are Cree warm light bulbs, one 60-watt equivalent, and one 40-watt equivalent. The third is a bright white Philips 60-watt equivalent. The Philips bright white is in a covered fixture in a location needing good visibility, but not necessarily good ambient lighting. The two warm light bulbs are for my daughters' shared room. They study in there during the school term, and really require decent lighting. One of my daughters noticed right away that there was a change in lighting, and she voiced her approval immediately.

In my daughters' room alone, we'll save about 14 KWH per month, or $1.25/month, in cost to operate. The LED light seems brighter, and I was able to step down in watt equivalents, from the incandescents we had in there. The bulbs are priced just over $10 each. In electric savings, the bulbs will have paid for themselves in about 1 & 1/2 years, not including the savings over needing to replace incandescent bulbs frequently.

As the months progress, and our savings on electricity continue, I plan on using a portion of the savings on more conservation light bulbs. In winter, our electricity use ticks upwards, mostly due to increased need for lighting. I hope to minimize the effect on our monthly bills.

So, that's where we stand with our electricity reduction plan. Have you tried the LED bulbs in your house? Do you have an opinion on the quality of light or the bulbs themselves? How would you compare the light to that of CFLs?

Microwave scrambled eggs

Using the microwave on HI will cost about 1/8 to 1/4 of a cent to operate for 1 minute. Using my gas cook top will cost about 1 cent for 5 -7 minutes (this includes preheating time for skillet). If I had an electric cook top, it would cost about 1 & 1/2 cents, for 5 -7 minutes of cooking.

So, we won't retire early on these savings, but every penny counts.

Plus . . .

• the house will be cooler, 
• the clean-up will be simpler (no skillet to scrub out,  plus, I beat and cook in the same container, and,  when I make these in mugs or custard cups, I beat, cook and eat from the same container), 
• and I'll save time making my breakfast (takes about 1 minute per egg -- which allows me to get on to the pleasure of eating, much faster -- happy tummy!).

You'll need:

a microwaveable container (glass measuring cup, Pyrex custard cup, coffee mug, casserole dish, ramekin)
1 or 2 eggs per person
1 teaspoon butter, 1 tablespoon milk (or water), pinch salt *per* egg
fork
rubber spatula
toppings (shredded cheese, chopped green onion or chives, chopped tomato, salsa, finely chopped green pepper, diced ham, sliced black olives, minced herbs, such as basil, thyme or parsley)


Place the butter into microwaveable container. Melt on HI for 20 seconds (just till melted).

Add milk, or water, and egg. Scramble with a fork, in the container.

Microwave on HI for 20-25 seconds per egg. The egg will be puffy in some places, but still uncooked in others. Stir cooked portions into uncooked, with fork.

Microwave on HI another 25 to 30 seconds, per egg. Top with cheese, if desired. Allow to stand for a minute while you chop your veggies.

Use a rubber spatula to scoop the egg onto plate. Add remaining toppings of your choice and enjoy!

(If you fill the cooking container with water immediately after cooking, the clean up is as easy as a quick wipe out and placing in the dishwasher. Compare that to scrubbing cooked-on eggs out of a skillet.)



These eggs are really so yummy and quick. They can be taken on the go, in a flour tortilla, on an English muffin, or between 2 slices of toast.

Or, for a Sunday brunch treat -- top an English muffin half with a slice of Canadian bacon or ham, the microwaved egg, some cheese sauce (easy to do in the microwave, too) and chopped chives.

I don't drink milk, so I scramble my eggs with water, and they still turn out fluffy and delicious! Everyone has their own favorite toppings for eggs. Mine are chopped green onions and tomatoes.

Do you cook in your microwave very much?