Sunday, January 11, 2009

Week in Review 5/1 - 11/1

This week has been OK. I've read a few extra pages of Tightwad Gazette. I've started my price book (it has 2 items listed in it so far but its a start). I've spent many hours on our accounts and the pile is getting smaller so I'm feeling good about that. I have heaps of things I want to do and start around the house but I'm forcing myself to stay focused on getting up to date with the accounts so I can move onto the other stuff with a clear mind. Plus I know working on my budget or doing any sort of money plan will be stupid now when I have no idea of what we've spent the last 6 months. On our house front things are moving fast so yay, yesterday the girls and I went and bought ceiling fans for the bedrooms and office. Ultimately we are hoping with the cross flow of the window placements, the extra insulation and fans we can avoid using or even installing an air conditioner. Last night we trolled thru hundreds of material samples for blinds - we disagree on one thing, not the colour, we agreed on that but the type of blind, he wants light filtering and I want block out. He has no idea what the afternoon sun does to our loungeroom right now and this house faces the same way as our new house, which means sun will beat in to both the lounge, main bed and the girls room. I want block out.

So my meter readings, if anyone can help me with electrical usage that would be great as I have no idea what average is, or what I should be aiming for, this house uses electrical for everything, we have no gas, no solar, nothing but electrical. (I'm looking forward to my solar hot water system in the new house).

Meter 1 - 28724 (usage of 129)
Meter 2 - 32773 (usuage of 1050)

Total usage of 1681 over 7 days making it 240 per day, or 42 per day per person. I would presume this is really high as I had the air conditioner running most days we were home.

Water was 49529 (I listed last weeks incorrectly is should have been 46839 instead of 4683.9). So usage was 2690 making it 384 per day or 96 per person per day. I'm happy with this cause our councils recommendations for Level 3 water restrictions are to keep to 150litre per day per person. Should I note that we don't drink this water at all?? The pipes running into this house are... umm, old, gross.. you know, typical old rental property quality. The water is often murky and doesn't taste the best so we get spring water delievered for drinking, I usually get 3 x 11 litre containers each fortnight so thats an extra 33litres = 2.3 litres for day (which is only a bit more than 1/2 litre each per day so I should order more and have us all drinking more water).

Next week: The coming week is busy for us. We have playdates, speech therapy (for #2) and swimming lessons cramped into the coming 2 days, Wed the girls go off to MIL's while I get stuck into accounts etc. Thurs #2 has preschool, while #1 has therapy. Friday mum takes #2 to her swimming lessons while I take #1 down to Sydney to have her eyes looked at again. She was born with her tear ducts fully closed and has so far been operated on 4 times. Our next step will probably be a huge one and one we are trying to avoid or postpone as long as possible but it means she gets junky eyes a bit and we need constant letters from doctors to prove she is catching and can still associte with other kids.

I'm also hoping to really get constant with enforcing the early to bed, early to rise system in this house. I did the day count on the calander today and its only 18 days until #1 starts school, dragging ourselves out of bed at 7.45 like this morning will not cut it. I'm also going to start up doing my evening routine again so I'm more organised and ready for each morning.

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