“Hey MT!” Les called to his neighbor who was carrying a small bag of groceries up the porch steps. MT managed a half-hearted wave in return. Les B. Thrifty knew his neighbors, MT and Penny Les Pockets, both had had their hours cut and were really pinched by this covid thing. Honestly, Les didn’t know how they were surviving. It broke his heart.
That evening Les and his wife, Ima Thrifty-Gal, counted their blessings and wondered if there was a way to help their neighbors. “With lower income, they’ve got to cut their expenses,” Les reasoned. So they began making a list of money-saving ideas.
The next morning Ima called Penny and invited them to a “socially-distant” picnic in their adjacent backyards. That evening Les fired up the grill, and with their backyard picnic tables 6 ft. apart they all enjoyed a delightful spring evening together.
Eventually the Thriftys steered the conversation to money-saving practices. Ima told about the energy-savings pack they’d ordered from Focus on Energy, a program that helps 10s of thousands of Wisconsin families and businesses save money on energy costs each year. “It’s great,” Ima gushed. “They offer 6 different FREE energy-saving packs full of items like LED light bulbs, water pipe insulation, low-flow shower heads and faucet aerators to save water, and advanced power strips that prevent electronics from drawing power when appliances are off or not being used.”
She told them how get their own pack at FocusOnEnergy.com in the “Residential” section. “Focus on Energy is a terrific organization,” Les added. “Every $1invested in its programs returns over $5 in energy savings!”
Then Ima gave Penny a tip about water heater temperatures being set too high. “If you usually have to mix in cold water to keep from scalding yourself, it’s easy to lower the thermostat setting to save money and energy,” she advised. Meanwhile, the guys were making plans for a “solar clothes dryer” (a clothesline) for the Pocket’s backyard. “Clothes dryers are often one of the biggest energy drains in homes,” Les explained.
“Now I get it!” MT beamed. “When everyone reduces electrical use, less needs to be generated. That’s good for us AND the planet. The least expensive and most environmentally-friendly energy is the kind that’s never generated in the first place! While saving money, we’re also protecting the only home we’ll ever know, where we’re all forever…Earthbound.”
That evening Les and his wife, Ima Thrifty-Gal, counted their blessings and wondered if there was a way to help their neighbors. “With lower income, they’ve got to cut their expenses,” Les reasoned. So they began making a list of money-saving ideas.
The next morning Ima called Penny and invited them to a “socially-distant” picnic in their adjacent backyards. That evening Les fired up the grill, and with their backyard picnic tables 6 ft. apart they all enjoyed a delightful spring evening together.
Eventually the Thriftys steered the conversation to money-saving practices. Ima told about the energy-savings pack they’d ordered from Focus on Energy, a program that helps 10s of thousands of Wisconsin families and businesses save money on energy costs each year. “It’s great,” Ima gushed. “They offer 6 different FREE energy-saving packs full of items like LED light bulbs, water pipe insulation, low-flow shower heads and faucet aerators to save water, and advanced power strips that prevent electronics from drawing power when appliances are off or not being used.”
She told them how get their own pack at FocusOnEnergy.com in the “Residential” section. “Focus on Energy is a terrific organization,” Les added. “Every $1invested in its programs returns over $5 in energy savings!”
Then Ima gave Penny a tip about water heater temperatures being set too high. “If you usually have to mix in cold water to keep from scalding yourself, it’s easy to lower the thermostat setting to save money and energy,” she advised. Meanwhile, the guys were making plans for a “solar clothes dryer” (a clothesline) for the Pocket’s backyard. “Clothes dryers are often one of the biggest energy drains in homes,” Les explained.
“Now I get it!” MT beamed. “When everyone reduces electrical use, less needs to be generated. That’s good for us AND the planet. The least expensive and most environmentally-friendly energy is the kind that’s never generated in the first place! While saving money, we’re also protecting the only home we’ll ever know, where we’re all forever…Earthbound.”
RSS Feed
