# Lower electric bill with solar help



## budgetprepp-n (Apr 7, 2013)

When I mention to anyone that I have a small solar set up the first question is
"Dose it save you money on your electric bill?"

My bill has been cut in half. (Or more) But I can't give all the credit to the input of the solar set up.
I have a voltage gauge installed in my kitchen that I use as sort of a fuel gauge for the batteries.
After using it for a few years I can tell how much power I have in relationship to hours of running time.

Thing is you learn to conserve power by doing simple things like turning the lights out behind 
yourself and shutting off any small appliances soon as your done using them.
Before I would think nothing of having four lights (or more) on at once with the TV and 
computer running. I know that probably 40% of my savings come from learning to be reasonably
conservatively and not so wasteful. So when someone tells me they want to save money by using
solar as a parshell substitute to grid power I can't help but thinking that if they would practice 
being as conservative as they will need to be maybe they would save enough that the solar
power wouldn't look as attractive to them.

But that's not what I have my set up for. Mine is for when the lights go out and don't come back on.
Maybe they will be prepping with something there going to need without knowing it.


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## dsdmmat (Nov 9, 2012)

We turn off everything when not in use. It has taken me a long time to get used to doing that but it does save money. Things that draw power even when they are off are pretty much our biggest cost, save the furnace fan. The TV, Cable Box, Modems, Routers, phone chargers Stereo, and so on. I have replaced 90% of our lights with LEDs and will complete the transformation as the others burn out.

I like the idea of solar and wind but, the initial investment is putting me off, add to that I am in a house that I do not want to live in for the rest of my life. When I am finally ready to build my last home I will incorporate Solar and wind from the start, then the cost won't look so ominous.


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## Camel923 (Aug 13, 2014)

My parents, products of the Great Depression, did the same things when it came to conserving electricity.


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## GTGallop (Nov 11, 2012)

I like to run my house like a submarine rigged for silent running.

Wife would run all of her hairdryers all the time if she could.


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## Kauboy (May 12, 2014)

I can't get anyone in the house to turn off anything.
The kids leave lights on in every room they go into.
The wife leaves the Keurig on all day, which keeps a heating coil active ALL DAY.
I get home first in the afternoons, and I have to search the house killing lights as my first activity. (nobody has been home for 8+ hours)


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## 8301 (Nov 29, 2014)

For most people it is less expensive to reduce power consumption that to make the electricity.
Using a watt meter on your electronics can make your realize where you are wasting electricity.


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## 8301 (Nov 29, 2014)

Kauboy said:


> I can't get anyone in the house to turn off anything.
> The kids leave lights on in every room they go into.
> The wife leaves the Keurig on all day, which keeps a heating coil active ALL DAY.
> I get home first in the afternoons, and I have to search the house killing lights as my first activity. (nobody has been home for 8+ hours)


I used to do that, I then bought some twist type timers that turned the power off after an hour and put them on the most abused lights. Not sure I really saved money after paying round $25 for each timer but it did help get the point across to turn things off.


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## cdell (Feb 27, 2014)

FoolAmI said:


> I used to do that, I then bought some twist type timers that turned the power off after an hour and put them on the most abused lights. Not sure I really saved money after paying round $25 for each timer but it did help get the point across to turn things off.


My dad did that in his shop when his objections fell upon deaf ears. It was really annoying having to turn the lights back on all the time but the guys got the hint.


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