Need some new and different tips on how to save money on energy bills? Here are some “new” tips to try as we travel back in time!
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5 Ways to Save Money on Energy Bills
We are getting serious (well, at least getting better) about trying to conserve energy throughout our home. I don’t care to waste any of our hard-earned dollars on electricity that we don’t need.
Having lived in a farmhouse has inspired me to think about those who have lived there in the past and how they might have coped with things. Our previous house was built in 1890 and didn’t have indoor plumbing until the 30’s. We aren’t sure when the electricity was added.
But I would imagine from what we found in the house that it was after the plumbing. (There used to be a well in our old basem*nt, which means they would not have had the well pressure tank and pump like we have today. It would have been a manual pump that would have allowed them to have running water without any electricity in the house, very smart!)
So today, I hope you will travel back in time with me and get some tips on how old-fashioned ideas can help us save in today’s modern world!
Use Lanterns
In our home, I have a variety of oil lamps and lanterns that we can use to light only the space we use when we need it. Yes, you still have to purchase oil to run these lamps. However, the idea behind using them is that you will only light them in the space you need to burn when you need to light them (since you always want to stay in the same room as a lit lantern).
There’s no need to light up the entire house when everyone is in the same room. I love the ambiance an oil lantern gives versus the harsher light of a light bulb. 🙂
A Solar Lantern is a great modern alternative if you are concerned about an open flame in your home. We have several of these Solar Lanterns and LOVE them.
Just ordered the solar lanterns. Living in north central Louisiana we get bad weather from Texas and hurricanes from the gulf. Last night lost power and batteries dead!! Thank you for the great information.
Debra, Little House Living reader
Manual Kitchen Appliances
Remember those old rotary beaters that your grandma kept in her kitchen drawer? They use no electricity and still get the job done!
How about a manual ice cream maker? If you aren’t into one of the old paddle styles, you can check out something like this Ice Cream Ball.
There are many things you can pick up like these on a small scale, or if you really want to go all out, you could look into manual grain mills and larger kitchen appliances. A good place to look for some of these things is antique shops.
Tip: I have a BIG list of Off Grid Kitchen Appliances and Gadgets here.
Skip the Washer and Dryer
Do you think you could live without a washer and dryer? I’m not sure that I could live without a washer, but an alternative to use once in a while or in emergencies is a good thing to think about. Something simple and inexpensive like this Breathing Washer would do the trick.
I would have a clothes wringer as well. (I manually washed our clothing for about a month last year when we had no washer and dryer; a wringer would have helped immensely!)
Then, for a dryer, of course, you can easily replace it with a clothesline or an indoor drying rack. We personally do not have a dryer and have replaced it with an indoor drying rack from Lehmans, and I don’t miss it at all.
I try to conserve energy as much as I can and also water. I use an alternative to your Breathing Washer mentioned in your article mostly for smaller loads of laundry or light things. I had hubby drill about 6 half inch holes in a rubber bathroom plunger (bought at the dollar store) and another larger hole in the center of a lid fitting a 5 gallon bucket (free from our local bakery). The plunger handle inserted in the lid of the bucket filled with nice sudsy water works like an agitator on a washer works and cleans clothes just fine (I have to supply the energy to work the plunger to clean the clothes). I wring the clothes out by using the wringer on my inexpensive mop bucket which has wooden rollers. I haven’t tried it out for heavy laundry (like jeans) but I don’t know why it wouldn’t work. I love your blog Merissa and have followed your story from the beginning. Love it!
Jeanie, Little House Living reader
Respect Family Time and Changes in Seasons
As I mentioned above, you will save money if your family is together in the same room in the evening, sharing the electricity in that one room. In days past, the families would spend time together in the largest room in their home in the evening instead of retreating to individual rooms.
Not only is this a great way to save on electricity, but it’s also a great way to increase family togetherness time! Another thing along these lines is to respect seasons. When it’s dark earlier in the winter, head to bed sooner than you would in the summer.
Use the summer to work on extra projects while you have the daylight, and use the winter to rest. This isn’t always possible, but something to consider.
Family time is so important…and with all the technology available to everyone…it’s almost non existent for many now. Great tips on saving energy!
Heather, Little House Living reader
Save on Heating and Cooling
We’ve always lived without air conditioning so over the years, we’ve come up with many ideas on how to stay cool without using extra electricity in the summer. You can read the complete list of How to Beat the Summer Heat ideas here.
If you use electricity in your heating, there are many ways to save as well. Use extra blankets on your bed at night. Make a homemade heating pad and place it on your feet before bed. Wear extra clothing around the house during the day, and always ALWAYS wear socks in the winter! (They help regulate body temperature.) Get more tips on how to Save on Heating Bills here.
These are good ideas….and when we add things like this to our lives and practice them regularly, they cease to feel like such a big deal…we just get used to them….like a new GOOD habit. 🙂 We use rice bags in our beds in the winter and keep the heat lower and it works great. Thank you for sharing this.
Gentle Joy, Little House Living reader
Find many more Frugal Living Tips here on Little House Living!
I can’t wait to hear your ideas as well! What do you have to add to this list of 5 ways to save on energy bills? What are some of your favorite old-fashioned ways to save on energy? Have you tried any of the above?
Merissa Alink
Merissa has been blogging about andliving the simple and frugal life on Little House Living since 2009 and has internationally published 2 books on the topic. You can read about Merissa’s journey from penniless to freedom on the About Page. You can send her a message any time from theContact Page.
This article on How to Save on Energy Bills was originally posted on Little House Living in April 2014. It has been updated as of October 2023.
