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Save some money on your electric bill...

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I had to reblog this for people who might see my blog but not Terrylynn's.  The fact about my sister's electric bill is TRUE.  The only change she made was to switch all bulbs in the house, and her bill went down from $600 to around $180 I believe (yes, she has a BIG house).  That's an amazing difference, and I know most of us are tightening up the budget lately!

Original content by Terrylynn Fisher

Photo courtesy of http://www.freefoto.com/thanks.jsp

How I saved 13 TONS of CO2 in one night?  Hint, hint.  I am sure most of you have heard that replacing an incandescent bulb with a Compact Flourescent can save you 75% of the energy used to light your home.  It can last up to 10,000 hours and each bulb saves the CO2 gases going into the atmosphere by 1 ton per the US Dept of Energy. WOW! It takes ONE tree 40 years to absorb one ton of CO2.  A family of four in North America generates 110 TONS of CO2 in a year.  Outside of North America, that is 22 tons.

I gave a 7 minute talk to Toastmasters on Monday night explaining the effect of the greenhouse gases and warming of the planet due to the amount of CO2 gases going into the atmosphere on an hourly, daily and yearly basis.  Even IF you don't agree that this is a problem, you can agree that saving energy will save you $$$.  Most people can get behind saving money.  My daughter reduced her PG&E bill from $600 a month to $150 by just replacing all of her lightbulbs and putting timers on lights at her home.  She now has enough left over to buy groceries for almost a month with the savings.  Another engineer friend documented his PG&E bill reduced by 71% due to changing all of the lightbulbs in their home.  This recessionary time has a potentially positive affect of having us examine what we spend money on, without thinking.  And this is a good thing.  We may come out of this more thoughtful about our spending allowing us to have reserves and savings.

For disposal of the CFL's which contain a small amount of mercury our local garbage company recycles.  you should check your area for recycling information.  ("CFL Light Bulbs are considered Hazardous Waste. If you live in Concord, you can drop them off at Central Sanitation, located in Martinez, at 5019 Imhoff Lane. If you live in Pittsburg, Antioch, etc, you can take them to Delta Diablo Sanitation in Antioch 2500 Pittsburg-Antioch Highway.  Both are free drop offs.")  The energy savings still overcome the affects of the recycling.  Save money and save a tree.  Change a lightbulb. 

OH how did I save 13 tons of CO2?  After my talk, I gave them each a lightbulb to start their efforts.  It felt good.  AND, the Dollar Store has the PGE bulbs for $1 each.  Everyone can afford to change a lightbulb or two now.

Comments (31)

Chris Fisher
Your Virtual Assistant - Concord, CA

Lisa - Me too!  I was just very surprised at that difference in my sister's bill.

Robert - That is a great gift, and it's never a waste to celebrate the holiday or the seasons.  Good to save money on it though!

Rosalinda - I like to cut back wherever I can, glad to help.

Ronelle - I guess those wouldn't work for me either then, with the zoo I keep in the house.  : )

Terrie - I agree, my bill is rarely over $200, but I never use any heat or a/c unless I think we are in danger of overheating or freezing to death.  lol

Gayle - My sister's not here, but my mom shared info about her bill in that blog.  She lives about 5 minutes away from us.

Carol - They seem super bright at first and then mellow out. I rarely wear make up so I'm safe on that one.

Kristin - I am going slowly as well, but with that difference in the bill I may speed it up.  I can understand about the yellow though.

Nov 22, 2008 11:38 AM
Barbara-Jo Roberts Berberi, MA, PSA, TRC - Greater Clearwater Florida Residential Real Estate Professional
Charles Rutenberg Realty - Clearwater, FL
Palm Harbor, Dunedin, Clearwater, Safety Harbor

thanks for this post! I will be going to Home Depot tomorrow for some bulbs!

Nov 22, 2008 12:11 PM
Yvette Smith
LONG & FOSTER - Williamsburg, VA
Realtor In Williamsburg VA, Homes for Sale

HI CHRIS!

I just purchased a HE (high efficiency) washer & dryer.  I love it because I'll save money, energy, water & because it's a pretty blue color!!

Nov 23, 2008 08:46 AM
Chris Fisher
Your Virtual Assistant - Concord, CA

Barbara Jo - Good for you!

Yvette - My grandma just got all new HE appliances & loves them.  I'd like blue too!

Nov 23, 2008 08:50 AM
Margaret Oscilia
Creative Concepts-Home Staging and Contracting, Salem Oregon - Salem, OR
Home Stager, Salem Oregon

Hard to believe that such a small change would have such a huge impact -- I'm going to have to try to change more of our bulbs too!  Thanks for the great post!

Nov 23, 2008 09:46 PM
Gayle Balaban
The Best Spot Realty/Waterfront Real Estate/Ooltewah Real E - Chattanooga, TN
E. TN Waterfront Real Estate

Hey Chris Great deal!  A FAMILY blog.  Sounds good to me.  I promise that I will get back to you soon.  I am dragging my rear for the last week or so since I started moonlighting.

Nov 24, 2008 05:33 AM
Chris Fisher
Your Virtual Assistant - Concord, CA

Margaret - I was amazed as well.  Now I am going to change all the bulbs whether the old ones have burnt out or not.

Gayle - I can imagine you are very tired, no rush!

Nov 24, 2008 05:35 AM
Lisa Long
Heather Roda Broker - Paso Robles, CA

Wow what a savings. I'm always looking for a way to save. I'm going to start on this today!

Nov 24, 2008 06:22 AM
Chris Fisher
Your Virtual Assistant - Concord, CA

Lisa - I thought that was an impressive amount as well!

Nov 24, 2008 08:45 AM
Ann Allen Hoover
RE/MAX Advantage South - Hoover, AL
CDPE SRES ASP e-PRO Realtor - Homes for Sale - AL

Great energy savers, but I love them because they last forever!  It seemed I was blowing bulbs and in the dark all the time before I changed over.

Nov 25, 2008 07:11 AM
Chris Fisher
Your Virtual Assistant - Concord, CA

Deborah - My mom has been trying to do that, I don't know if I have the time and patience.  : (

Ann - They do last forever!  They used to be much more expensive as well, now they are pretty cheap.

Nov 25, 2008 07:15 AM
Dona Reynolds
Berkshire Hathaway Home Services Stein Summers - Saint Joseph, MO
St. Joseph MO

Chris, thanks for the energy tips, small change big savings that is unbelievable.  I will pass that along to friends/clients also.

Nov 25, 2008 03:42 PM
Chris Fisher
Your Virtual Assistant - Concord, CA

Hi Dona - I just changed 2 more last night.  Excited about the savings!

Nov 26, 2008 05:20 AM
Stephanie Ballou
Keller Williams Coastal Realty - Dover, NH

I changed out my bulbs quite some time ago. I have saved money on my bill also. And it's GREEN! It just makes you feel good! AND.... I have yet to replace a single bulb. Some of them many years old.

Nov 28, 2008 05:00 AM
Chris Fisher
Your Virtual Assistant - Concord, CA

Stephanie - It is pretty amazing and they are so affordable now!

Nov 28, 2008 05:19 AM
Barbara-Jo Roberts Berberi, MA, PSA, TRC - Greater Clearwater Florida Residential Real Estate Professional
Charles Rutenberg Realty - Clearwater, FL
Palm Harbor, Dunedin, Clearwater, Safety Harbor

Chris - We changed all our outside lights and all of the lights we normally burn every evening this weekend! Thanks for the reminder! Just wanted to let you know that your post made a difference!!!

Dec 01, 2008 04:40 PM
Chris Fisher
Your Virtual Assistant - Concord, CA

I'm so glad my reminder helped!  I believe I've changed all of mine, unless I missed something, so we'll see how the bill changes.  I'm glad, I hate paying that bill every month.

Dec 02, 2008 03:18 AM
Danny Thornton
R & D Art - Knoxville, TN
WordPress Guru

Chris, that is an amazing turn around. I need to look at doing that here.

Dec 02, 2008 07:34 AM
Mary Ellen Elmore
Nunnelly, TN

WOW!

Jan 28, 2009 04:32 AM
Chris Fisher
Your Virtual Assistant - Concord, CA

Danny - You really should.

Mary - It is definitely enough savings to make you say WOW!  : )

Jan 28, 2009 04:51 AM