Lights Out

I live in a dark house. Well, at night it's dark. I suffer from really horrible migraines which can be triggered by lights. So I don't turn on a lot of lights at night. Only the absolutely necessary lights get turned on. I keep my house dimly lit which not only helps to prevent migraines but it also helps save on energy bills. And those compact fluorescent lightbulbs are actually bigger migraine triggers than regular bulbs.

Now by no means and I suggesting that you live in darkness. But I am suggesting that you be more aware of the lighting in your home. Check around, can you turn off a light or two. No, it's not going to make a HUGE dent in your electrical bill but it will help a little. And it is better for the environment. Anytime you save energy it's better for the environment.

Isn't it interesting that when you are consciously and practically frugal you are living a 'greener' life? Perhaps our planet is in the state that it's in today because of our less-than-frugal lifestyles. As someone who reached adulthood in the 80's I was accustomed to having 'waste' and didn't think anything of throwing things away.

For years I heard about my parents' childhood and how frugal they had to live. Both survived the great depression. As a teenager and young adult I thought they were ridiculous for being so 'cheap'. As an adult who is now faced with miniscule paychecks and ever rising grocery and gas prices (among other things) I am now very thankful for the lessons I was taught by my parents. I only wish I had put them into use earlier.

If we all practiced frugality a little more not only would we have more money at the end of the month (which we should put away towards our children's education and our retirement) but we'd also be doing the planet a great favor. Afterall, our charge is to be good stewards of what God has given to us. And we have been less than stellar stewards of the earth for many years.

So, please turn off an extra light tonight. Learn to live with less. You might be surprised at how much happier you are when you live a more simple life. Reuse things. Reduce your usage of other things. And remove items from your home that you don't really need (have a yard sale!).

Blessings,

Karen