Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Thankful: Day 14 A Mother's Wisdom


A few years ago, after I bought this house, I was talking to my mom about my utility bills. My budget was kind of tight at the time and I was looking for ways to reduce my living expenses and save some money. During the cooler months, it just seemed to take a lot to heat up the house. I would run the heat for what seemed like forever and it would still be so drafty around here and I would need a blanket just to be comfortable. I have a home office, a spare bedroom, and a large family/formal dining area, in addition to the kitchen and the Master Bedroom. I was running the central heat constantly and it just seemed like it would never really get warm in here, even with the fireplace, but the utility bills said something else.

My mom suggested that I routinely keep all the doors closed to the rooms that I wasn't currently occupying and go to Home De.pot and get a small electric space heater to use.  She emphasized that she wanted me to get the electric kind so that she would not have to worry about carbon monoxide poisoning. All I can say is thank God for mothers and all of their wisdom ! That little conversation has saved me so much money on utility bills over the last few years. I have gone back and looked at my old bills versus what I was paying afterward and it is a  HUGE difference.  I have paid for that space heater, 10 times over in the monetary savings for sure.

It is very portable and  lightweight so I can easily move it from room to room. It has a remote with a timer on it and it is so small that you don't even really notice it, and some people don't even know what it is when its off, and sitting in the corner.  Typically, there are only a few times a year when my house is fully occupied with multiple people in multiple rooms and that is during the Spring and Summer when my nieces are here. During the cold months, I usually come home and spend some time in the kitchen, then move to the office to use the computer for an hour or two, then move to the living area or bedroom to read or watch TV for a few hours before going to sleep. So basically, I really only need to heat the room that I am occupying vs. the whole dang house. 

I used it again for the first time this season last night while watching movies with Mr. Mixologist and I must say we were quite comfortable and cozy. So today I am thankful for the money saving tips, and the care and concern of my mother and most of all her wisdom that is available to me whenever I need it. 

What are you thankful for today ?

Thoughts ? Comments ? Questions ?

Beautifully Complex

1 comment:

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