Monthly Archives: May 2008

Electricity Update

electricity
We had a reprieve from the heat over the weekend, but now the summer is upon us. We have experimented with the thermostat and it seems we can tolerate 81°F during the day but no higher. Here are a few numbers for comparison; we are consistently using less kilowatt hours, so there is improvement in that regard. February 2007 1553kwh $143.51 February 2008 1494kwh $160.29 March 2007 2041kwh $191.88 March 2008 1927kwh $212.06 April 2007 2831kwh $260.10 April 2008 2401kwh… Read the rest

My Personal Banker Left Without Saying Good-bye

My Two Cents
When I opened a new checking account recently, with the bank I've been with for eleven years, the gal who helped me out gave me her business card and told me she'd be my “personal banker”. What a novel idea, one which I'd never experienced before. This branch does seem to go the extra mile with customer service – they have a greeter at the door who welcomes you. I'm not sure if it's really just a security measure, or… Read the rest

My Ethical Dilemma

My Two Cents
If I order something for someone else who doesn't use the Internet, and I go through Ebates or MyPoints, am I stealing from that person by taking the rebates or points for myself? As I mentioned in earlier posts, I recently started using Ebates and MyPoints again. I used them faithfully years ago, when I had less money but more time to find the best deals. My boss doesn't use computers, so she brings in her catalogs with the corner… Read the rest

My First Time Using Craigslist

frugal
I've known about Craigslist and Freecycle for several years. I used to moderate one of the Freecycle groups when they first got started, but I had to bow after a couple of years ago due to time constraints. So I've used Freecycle, but have never actually used Craigslist. This past March our youngest son bought his first guitar and started teaching himself how to play. He's learning so he can participate in the music program at our church. Mr. A… Read the rest