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Getting off the Grid, for a few days

Electricity is now considered a necessity. The first thing you are required to do upon moving in a new home or apartment is turn on the utilities. But does it really need to be a necessity?
This is the question I have been pondering each month when I receive my electricity bill. The apartment we lived in one year ago was approx 1300 sq ft. Electric heaters, electric water heater, etc. Our power bill was $40/month. The apartment we live in now is approx 450 sq ft. Gas furnace, electric water heater. Our power bill here is $90/month. So each month I scratch my head, trying to figure out WHY?
Our previous apartment was on, what we call “country power”, we are now on “city power”. The later is a few cents more per KWH, but not THAT much. We have an older (I use this word lightly, it is probably older than I am,) fridge. We replaced the oven to a “new” model, that we received on freecycle. So the only other option seems to be that we need to go without electricity a few days a week/month.
Evidently I’m not the only one lately who is considering this, over at Our Happy Homestead, she recently talked about doing the same thing with her family.


Have you ever considered going “off the grid” just for a few days? Or perhaps even longer?

Frugal Farmhouse
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Comments

  1. Mrs. B, a very peculiar personMarch 8, 2010 at 9:06 PM

    Off-grid for a few days? Try several weeks in the the HOT, HOT HOT humid S.Texas heat after a hurricane .. it's not uncommon for the insides of our homes reach temps in excess of 120 degrees & that's with the windows open.

    Aside from needing electricity to pump water from our well, going without isn't bad when it's NOT in the middle of the summer(May-October) down here where I live.

    Now my dad, who lives over in Montana ... he's lived off-grid for 30+ years. Uses kerosene lanterns, an out house (summertime & chamber pot(s) for the winters), and cooks on an antique wood cook stove. Our children and I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE grandpa's little cabin (Mr.B gets to missin' the t.v.). We love the quite, the wildlife and the slower pace of life up on his mountain.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Frugal farmhouseMarch 9, 2010 at 12:05 AM

    Oh wow!! How I long to live like your dad, someday, someday!!

    ReplyDelete

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