Smart Meter Update and Other Assorted Goodies

Thanks sooo much for all the well-wishes yesterday! Your comments were a blessing and so much appreciated by Chip and our family!


Smart Meter Update:

A while back I shared some concerns in THIS post about a letter I received from my electric company stating they were going to be installing a new kind of meter called a "Smart Meter."



I had read some disturbing things online about smart meters...namely folks seeing big spikes in their electric bills once they were installed. The comments left by readers on that post ranged from folks who had experienced no problems to those of you who saw HUGE increases. Yikes! I was pretty apprehensive waiting on that first bill to arrive after the meter was installed in March.



While I was waiting, a reader told me about a device her hubby had placed on their meter that allows them to monitor their electricity usage throughout the month, even down to checking how much power each major appliance/device in their home used. Pretty cool!

They did it with this gadget:



I ordered one from Chicago Liquidators HERE and installed it on my meter before I even got my first bill. Do you see it there on the top of the meter?



I had trouble entering the necessary data into the handheld monitor that you keep inside, because the info I needed was not displayed on my monthly electric bill as it is supposed to be. I called the electric company and the numbers/data they gave me were confusing...were not what I really needed in order to program the monitor.

In the meantime, I received my first bill and all was well. My usage was even better than it was last year during this same time period. That was probably because I was even more frugal than normal due to my apprehension about the dreaded smart meter. Yep, I can be a little "the glass is half empty" at times. lol You can see where they listed the usage for the old meter on one line and the new meter on another separate line when it was installed on March 15th.



My next two electric bills were also normal...no big spikes in usage or costs. So, thus far, my experience with the smart meter has been fine. Sometime soon I'll try to program the handheld monitor again. I really love the idea of being able to monitor usage all month so there are NO surprise bills arriving in the mailbox.

By the way, if you do order one of these monitors, check the chart at Chicago Liquidators to make sure it will work with your particular smart meter. Apparently, it will not work with all smart meters but does work with most.


Hot Birdseed Update:

In THIS post, I shared about some new birdseed I had just bought that squirrels hate but birds are said to love. A friend had recommended it to me saying her birds really enjoyed it. Unfortunately, my backyard birdies are showing no interest in the hot seed. So I'm going to give my friend the seed since her birds love it and I'm probably going to purchase a more squirrel proof feeder. Your experience may be different but I just wanted to let you know how it had worked for me.

I resolved my raccoon issue at night in a super easy way. I don't know why I didn't think of this sooner. I set the alarm on my cell phone to go off every night at 8:30, which is right around the time it is getting dark outside. The alarm reminds me to bring the feeders inside and I'm no longer forgetting and leaving them out overnight. Yay, for simple solutions!


Tour the house from the movie, Home Alone:
Recently, I shared the news that the home used in the making of the movie, Home Alone, is now available for purchase. Click below to take a video tour of the home as it looks now. Prepare to be shocked...it's sooo different!




Giveaway Winners: Styling by Coty Farquhar

Thanks to everyone who left a comment last week, participating in the lovely Giveaway sponsored by, Styling by Coty Farquhar.



Coty is generously giving away a beautiful pair of earrings to six lucky winners.

Chosen by a Random Number Generator, the six winners are:

Kathy at A Delightsome Life
Cynthia at Itlldo
Yvonne at Stone Gable
Jami at The Blackberry Vine
Delores at Vignette Design
Ahrisha at Joyously Living Life

If you were a winner in this giveaway, please e-mail Coty at cotyfarquharatbigpond.com.au and let her know your first, second and third choice regarding which earrings you would love to receive. I know she will try to accommodate your choices as best she can, but please be flexible. Coty thanks so much for such a wonderful giveaway! Check out Coty's blog, Styling by Coty Farquhar. Her photography is absolutely stunning!

See you tonight for Tablescape Thursday!