2009

So, the new year is here and we begin to wonder... What will this year bring? Economic uncertainty? Tough times? Nobody is really sure what to expect from 2009 but on thing is for sure, it will be a very interesting year!

With uncertainty come fear, and with fear comes less spending. People need to be careful with money and prepare for the long haul. It could be awhile before we see any improvement and i thought i could offer a few suggestions on how to save some money...

-Switch to fluorescent bulbs(the spiral coil bulbs)

they may cost more up front but they are worth thier weight in gold
check out, (http://www.lightsofamerica.com/light-cfl.htm) to see how they compare to regular bulbs.

-Use timers

Timers are great for those things that only need to be on for a short period of time but get left on all the time because people forget to unplug them. Or places where the plugin is hard to get at.

-Seal leaks

Do you have a draft coming from the bottom or side of your outside door? What about some of your windows? These leaks can really add up in terms of heating/cooling your home. Go spend the $4 on a piece of weatherstripping to seal off the door or the $10 to buy a window film sealing kit. Its minimal work put in for great savings on your utilities.

So everyone keeps telling me that wind generation is easier to work with than solar. I think they may be right but if you think of your area, how often is it really windy? If your like me and you gets high speed wind maybe 10 percent of the year... I would think that its sunny more like 75 percent of the year so you do the math. As i said before, it all depends on your area and what you have to work with. If its windy where you are and you have the room, go wind. If your in a dry, hot, calm area and you live in close quarters with your nieghbors, go solar.... Thats for you to decide, but never forget there is a way to suit any application.

A few other factors to think about when deciding which method to use are;
-how much power do you need each month?
-how much room do you have for storage batteries?
-are there any regulations in your area on what you can use?

After you have answered these questions, you should have a better idea of which way to go. For more information, check out my web site for some help deciding.CLICK HERE

Next Year

Well, the year is almost over and its time to start thinking about resolutions for next year... As you may have guessed, mine is to "GREEN UP" and save money. With a little one on the way, money is gonna be tight so "Free Energy" is right at the top of my list of things to accomplish before the baby comes. We bought a new on demand water heater, which set us back a fair bit but it will use 85% less energy than our early 70's model we are running right now. Plus with an on demand water heater, you never run out of hot water!(Great for those of you with a large family)

Merry christmas and happy new year to all!!

Well the weekend was not as productive as i had hoped. Project "Free Energy" took a back seat to a water heater that decided it was time to freeze up!! There's nothing better than getting up saturday morning only to realize that instead of having that nice hot shower you were dreaming about all night, you get to go outside in -40 C weather to try and thaw out your water heater!

After a long day of freezin' my butt off, i didnt feel much like taking on another project so i sat down at the computer and did some more research. There is tons of info out there about free energy and how to get set up with solar or wind generation. On site that interested me was"Off Grid Living". They really back their product and how can you lose, if it doesn't work for you, they refund your money!! I like a company that is sure enough of their product to do that. I think i'll give it a try, its only fifty bucks. I can think of alot less useful ways to spend that money!!

All right, the weekend is on its way.. Project ""Free Energy"" gets under way once again!

Hows it going everybody?! I am just in the process of finding the supplies i need to make this solar cell. I cant wait to see if it will work. I just paid my utilities and that really fueled the fire to get this project going. I need Free Energy...

The more i think about solar power, the more sense it makes to try to use it to heat my home and supply the electricity i need to make it through the cold winters. lol!

There has been alot of talk lately about an oil shortage and with prices fluctuating like they are, i wouldn't be surprised if we are heading in that direction. If that is the case, free energy is going to become a hot topic. I am hoping to get ahead of the pack here because when everyone realizes that conventional methods of heating and electricity are nearing an end, there is going to be a huge price increase in supplies and products related to renewable "free" energy. That could mean that instead of a $10000 bill to make your house self sufficient it will be more like $30000(depending on the size of house of course)! In short, if you can afford to get started now, you could save yourself alot of money in the future!! Just think of it as; you really can't afford not to start now!!