I just received our first electric bill since we went dryer-less last month. Our electric bill is just a 102.00--less than half what it usually is this time of the year and the lowest we've seen in the ten years we've lived in this house.
To be honest, two weeks ago, we also changed out our 30-something year old refrigerator for one that is only about three years old (at 50.00 the price was right), so I'm sure this helped out, but they don't need to know that.
I showed the boys the electric bill and explained Kilowatt hours and what our average bill runs at this time of the year. They actually got enthused about it when I mentioned that this meant more "fun money".
In my never ending quest to give the evil water company as little of my money as possible, I have recently introduced the concept of "military showers". For the uninitiated--this is where you get into the shower, get wet, turn the water off, soap and shampoo up, turn the water on, rinse everything off, and get out. It was not met with enthusiasm, though Sam offered to bathe less often if it would help. He was shouted down by his brothers (who asked me to please introduce the concept of deodorant to him ASAP). It would be hard, it would be annoying, it would be an inconvenience, they liked long hot showers. What kind of ogre was I?
Todays bill turned the tide. I saw eyes glow with possibilities. Less money on utilities means more money in pockets. More money in pockets means happier, more generous parents. Military showers are now on the table.