I need some Ideas on how to live with no electricity?

Question

We are a single income family of 4. I can't afford to work because it would cost me almost $400/weak for childcare. Our electricity bills have been averaging $700/month for a single level three bedroom home. I am now forced with a difficult choice: Allow these outrageous electricity bills to force us into the streets (we can't afford food, insurance, electricity, AND a mortgage at these prices) or Stay in our home without electricity. I need ideas on how to heat and cool the house, How to refrigerate and cook the food, and how to get hot water for showers and dishes and laundry (i've heard there are manual machines). Please keep in mind that Gas is not available where I live and Oil is too expensive for us right now. Also any thing you suggest has to be safe for my babies (2 year old twins who get into EVERYTHING). If any of you plan on suggesting government aid with our bill we have already recieved the maximum amount for the year. Thanks soooo much for your ideas!

Answer 1

1) Turn down the heat to a level that will keep the pipes from freezing but that is not warm.

2) Wear a lot of clothes

3) Use space heaters to warm the rooms you are in only and then only to about 65 degrees F.

4) Try to get solar heat in windows facing the sun.  Cover your windows with insulation on the inside when the sun isn't shining or doesn't shine.  

This should save you $200 a month at least.

Answer 2

Well, your most important problem is kids. They need to be taught into a good life. You've got 2 -3 years untill your twins are in school so you need to survive untill then when you can get a job.

Maybe you could join a church because sunday school is sometimes free and daycare is too. A sunday school would be really good. If you want to lower your electricity bill then the first thing to do is get a camera. Take a picture of the Tv and sell it on EBAY. Tv's aren't important a few more things. Microwaves? Don't go on holidays because your kids won't remember them untill there in school.

Also limit computers to only a certain ammount of time a week and sell your books at car boots to make room for libiary books.  Get very organised so you won't have to pay extra for extra times. Get the kids to think of a libiary as a second home. Control the kids to make them extremely calm so they don't ge tin anywhere and teach them to read and write at a younger age. Get them involved with other kids buy mak sure them kids are like yours so they don't mick with a worse type.

If you don't already give up :

drinking unless at partys

smoking

driving allot

2 cars

TV

Radio ( maybe )

And try and get your twins to grow up doing stuff at parks instead of wasting electricity on computers.

I may have gone abit over the top on stuff but i'm trying to help.

Plus I may have judged you on stuff you don't do so sorry about that.

Answer 3

try to heat only a small area, you use less.

have your garments clean as insulation is better

make a solar cooker to heat or cook your food

wash dishes, clothes manually

sleep early

keep close together when sleeping, have bed insulated,

wear socks or head covers if too cold

to keep away heat from the sun, put up a blind 2 feet away from windows, insulate walls with styrofoam sheets or plant trees

Answer 4

Start with using less first.  If your not using it put some kind of switch on it.  Power strips are cheap.  Go to the library, find out how the make your outlets switchable, this is so easy to do.  If you do this, when you leave the room, just switch off everything in the room, with one switch.  Everything that is plugged in uses power, even when its turned off.  The worst is anything with a remote.  Do you have CFL's, buying a 5 pack at time, every time an old style bulb goes out, replace with a CLF.  Look the replace your hot water heater.  Titan makes a great electric one for $250, that will repay you in less than a year.  A replacement refrigerator will save even more power, Sunfrost and Sundanzer make good ones.

Answer 5

$700 a month sounds awefully high.  I would contact your electic company and see if they will come and evaluate your home (usually free).  They can tell you what you can do to reduce your electricity usage.  You must have electric heat, so turn the thermostat down as low as you can bear it (means dress warmer).

Answer 6

$700 sounds like a lot, do you have an all electric house?  If not you need to have your utility check your house to make sure the reading is right.

1) its winter - put your food outside (in a sealed plastic bin). It will stay fresh.

2) Stay in one room during the day and open the blinds to get light.

3) Turn down the thermostat and use a space heater (newer models are safe and inexpensive)

4) wear more clothes in the house.

5) unplug any electrical device you are not using (TV, radio, clocks, microwave) these use some electricity while they are off.

6) as you get money, replace your incandescent lights w/ cfls.

7) you will probably have to cut down in other areas also.  Clip coupons before shopping. And only buy what you NEED.

8) Join Free-cycle - it won't help you w/ your bills, but you may be able to get stuff you need for free, thereby saving you money.

9) Don't eat out - cooking is cheaper.  Get the cheapest cell phone plan (or no cell phone at all).

10) cancel your cable/direct TV.

11) Look for a job that pays more than $1600/month net.  It is going to be hard (i don't know your experience level) but keep trying, and "think outside the box".

Answer 7

go to bed when it gets dark