Sandi's 2019: Wow This Is A Challenge!

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SandiSAHM
Posts: 2263
Joined: Fri Aug 28, 2015 11:46 am
Location: Oklahoma

Re: Sandi's 2019: Wow This Is A Challenge!

Post by SandiSAHM »

5 of 16... 31.25%

Mom went home.

Had rain again last night but no big deal.

Actually looking forward to work tomorrow.
SandiSAHM
Posts: 2263
Joined: Fri Aug 28, 2015 11:46 am
Location: Oklahoma

Re: Sandi's 2019: Wow This Is A Challenge!

Post by SandiSAHM »

6 of 17.... 35.29%

Deck coming along slowly but nicely. DH is precise, the level and specific slope (I think he said like 1/8" over each 20' span or some such) are smack-on. The kids are learning to build. You can never learn too much :lol: and sure is a good lesson in not cutting corners or doing anything half-hineyed.

Nothing will be bought today, it's overcast, I'm tired (because it's overcast), work is so slow I might just nap while sitting up. I did some stuff yesterday while everyone else was outside and this is what I get for it, a slow day.

Oh well. Taking the kid to the orthodontist later. Since it's change the wire time he wants red, white, and blue rubber bands on his brackets for the next month, he's fun.
SandiSAHM
Posts: 2263
Joined: Fri Aug 28, 2015 11:46 am
Location: Oklahoma

Re: Sandi's 2019: Wow This Is A Challenge!

Post by SandiSAHM »

6 of 18. 1/3

Using up Italian-themed 'stuff' tonight (pesto, mushrooms, spinach, Beyond Meat's Italian hot sausage) in a pasta dish.

Beautiful sunny day here.

We're on our electric company's "don't use a lot during peak hours and we'll charge you less when you do use," program (they have a catchier name, but I can't.... AH - Power Hours, that's what they call it!) We're on that as of June 1 so we're watching at what times of the day / day of the week we do things.

Nothing else going on.
Dgflorida
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Joined: Wed Oct 07, 2015 8:10 pm

Re: Sandi's 2019: Wow This Is A Challenge!

Post by Dgflorida »

I have thought about the power hour type energy plan. But hubs says no. He says we are frugal enough with our thermostat. Could you describe your situation a bit more? I am interested in how it is like from the consumer side.
SandiSAHM
Posts: 2263
Joined: Fri Aug 28, 2015 11:46 am
Location: Oklahoma

Re: Sandi's 2019: Wow This Is A Challenge!

Post by SandiSAHM »

Dgflorida wrote: Wed Jun 19, 2019 7:10 am I have thought about the power hour type energy plan. But hubs says no. He says we are frugal enough with our thermostat. Could you describe your situation a bit more? I am interested in how it is like from the consumer side.
Turns out the last house was power hours, this provider (5 miles away, totally different power company :roll: ) calls them SmartHours.

I'm going to cut and paste from our provider's website because I'll mess up the description. First, it's summer (even if just unofficially), so electric rates go up on the norm. So they entice you with lower rates for those hours OUTSIDE what they have determined is the peak of usage:

The 2019 SmartHours on-peak prices begin Monday, June 3. As a SmartHours customer, you are paying nearly half price for your electricity 19 hours each summer weekday and all 48 weekend hours. So when you can, shift your energy usage out of peak hours (2-7 p.m.).

Save Big on High and Critical Price Days! These are huge savings opportunities. During rare times of high demand, a critical event might be called, with notices sent at least 2 hours ahead. So look for them, then shift as much energy usage as you can out of peak hours during these days.


Basically you're paying more between 2 and 7 p.m. and by signing up for SmartHours you're at minimum committing to trying not to use a lot of electricity at peak, so they reward you by giving you a better rate during those off-peak hrs. Which mostly works here because I do almost everything either early a.m. or after 7pm.

This year they've offered something new, they're supposed to send us usage updates weekly. I signed up for it Monday so I'm hoping to see something soon. I want to make notes regarding what time I do specific things (run the dryer! - I have outdoor allergies and can't hang anything out to dry without expecting an asthmatic event, so the dryer runs - last night it was running at 10:15. Waaay outside peak hours) and how long they're done to see what happens to the electric bill.

What I will never have is before-and-after comparison. The house was built last year and we went on Smart Hours the week we moved in. It's remarkable just how well it holds temperature. The builder touts their choice of materials and almost 100% of our lighting is LEDs, the HERS index rating is 55, it's far more economic from an energy standpoint than most houses I've had.

If I were more heat-tolerant it'd be warmer in here, but the other side of the asthma thing is that too warm, with just a hair too much humidity, also triggers an attack. So while it's warmer than it is at night, it's cool 'enough,' even though it's 4 p.m.

If I wasn't signed up the only thing I'd miss is the off-peak savings. I prefer to save. Now what I won't do, that the last provider pushed and pushed, is give any company remote access to my thermostat - if I need it cooler to breathe, I want full control of that.
SandiSAHM
Posts: 2263
Joined: Fri Aug 28, 2015 11:46 am
Location: Oklahoma

Re: Sandi's 2019: Wow This Is A Challenge!

Post by SandiSAHM »

6 of 19. Drat!!

Rained last night, sunny and very warm (hot) today. Work for me, school for kids (we run year-round), the usual weekday thing.
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