Inside a locket

For Cynthia Short Story ebook

I have been able to trim my average $224 monthly utility bill to about $125 per month by converting to 100% CF light bulbs, even above bathroom vanities, and in overhead and outdoor spotlighting. I was very happy to see my bill drop by about $25-30 a month on an annual comparison basis. Next, we started unplugging and turning off fans and lights that were not being used and then turning the thermostat up a degree.

I added double layer window treatments as well to keep the heat out. Every improvement had paid for itself and sheer curiosity led to the P3 International Kill A Watt Electricity Usage Monitor.

I plugged the power strip for my home entertainment center into this after plugging in my local utility rate, and then sat by with bated breathe waiting for the initial estimate. Nothing came through. I found out that this needed to run for at least a couple of days before it would come up with a number. Once I got a number I left it plugged in for a month and then checked again. Overall, I was very pleased. We have a 42" HDTV, HD-DVD player, xbox 360, stereo receiver with two speakers, Cable box, CD player, and a Squeezebox Duet system. Annually, the total cost is $54. I felt that was very reasonable, and it was nice to have a number. Next I plan to plug it into a lamp, and since all of our lamps are using the same bulb, I will be able to get a very good estimate of their annual (average) cost of operation as well.

If you're a big numbers person, or are looking to find ways to reduce your energy cost, this could lead you in the right direction, and it's a fun gadget to have.

Cons: screen is not too bright, and if you have it plugged in low behind things, it's hard to get to and read. Solution: buy a power strip liberator.

I think that the power companies should rent and/or loan these out to their customers (with a deposit of course). They're always trying to get people to use less energy, and this could be an affordable eye opener.

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