Saving power
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| Photography by Joluise |
My son (eldest) rang me to tell me (very proudly) that he has worked out how to save money and reduce his power bill. I asked him how he was managing to do this.
He said, "I now have shorter showers, I turn off lights when I am not using them and shut doors".
I laughed.
For 25 years we asked him to have short showers, turn off lights, shut doors and not turn up the heating ... as it saves water and power. He never listened and from time to time, we ran out of hot water. Finally he has grown up and discovered a few things!!! One being - he now pays his own bills and discovered that it can be expensive.
So for all of you that bang your heads against brick walls when you children don't listen - they will one day when they have their own homes. They will no longer waste power, waste food, dirty the carpet, refuse to clean the house etc.... because they finally wake up and discover some truths!!!
My son came to visit on Sunday (whilst his wife had her book club group at their home) and we had a wonderful long chat - he said they have also managed to keep their grocery bill low by cooking meals in bulk and freezing them (my son does all the cooking from scratch as he loves to cook) and as a result they don't buy anywhere near as much as they use to. I think it is wonderful when young couples crack the secret to saving and learn how to being careful with their money. It means when they do start a family they are better able to cope. In saying this, they always set aside some money each week to enjoy breakfast out on the weekend and usually go somewhere really nice and yummy.
He said, "I now have shorter showers, I turn off lights when I am not using them and shut doors".
I laughed.
For 25 years we asked him to have short showers, turn off lights, shut doors and not turn up the heating ... as it saves water and power. He never listened and from time to time, we ran out of hot water. Finally he has grown up and discovered a few things!!! One being - he now pays his own bills and discovered that it can be expensive.
So for all of you that bang your heads against brick walls when you children don't listen - they will one day when they have their own homes. They will no longer waste power, waste food, dirty the carpet, refuse to clean the house etc.... because they finally wake up and discover some truths!!!
My son came to visit on Sunday (whilst his wife had her book club group at their home) and we had a wonderful long chat - he said they have also managed to keep their grocery bill low by cooking meals in bulk and freezing them (my son does all the cooking from scratch as he loves to cook) and as a result they don't buy anywhere near as much as they use to. I think it is wonderful when young couples crack the secret to saving and learn how to being careful with their money. It means when they do start a family they are better able to cope. In saying this, they always set aside some money each week to enjoy breakfast out on the weekend and usually go somewhere really nice and yummy.
Sometimes I feel like a broken record telling my family over and over to save power or save water... How depressing that they might not learn until they have their own home!!! ;)
ReplyDeleteThat's great that your son does all that cooking. I hope my son is just as clever in the kitchen when he grows up! :)
It appears to take that long before it sinks in - unless they are paying the bills and understand what that really means it really doesn't have any really meaning.
DeleteI think cooking runs in my family as all my brothers enjoy cooking and both my sons do as well. Father and son should have a cooking night each week where they cook dinner, that way youngest will need to think about what to cook and its a great way for both to bond (!!), have fun (!!) and for youngest to learn his cooking skills. I also made sure both my boys were involved in the shopping of food and we experimented with different foods for example cheeses (both mine just love cheese) andI took them to shops that sold foods from different countries.
hehe that was lovely to read!
ReplyDeleteWe are finally under the $100 mark each week for our groceries and I'm loving it!
On the other hand, my mother used to bang on the bathroom door after three minutes in the shower, so the hot water bill I happily pay in exchange for enjoying a looooooooong HOT shower ;-)
If you don't buy processed tinned food (excluding the tinned tomatoes, beans etc) then you can really cut back on the costs. We have moved to organic so I do splash out on some products that are a little more pricey.
DeleteOur hot water system is solar and long showers empty the tank then we are in trouble (and it doesn't instantly heat up again!!) - its fine for just the 2 of us but eldest son would have very..........long.........showers and empty the entire tank of hot water :(((((((
ha ha! this was funny to read Jo! glad they do learn in the long run even if it's after they leave home! :)
ReplyDeleteThere is hope!!!
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