We have our chooks, which are the best garbage disposal units ever. They eat almost everything animal or vegetable (don't like citrus skins or pineapple tops and have trouble with advocardo seeds)

Let pony in house yard occasionally which saves mower fuel.She is a great little whipper snipper.Slow combustion wood heater

The bigee is that I brew my own beer which costs only 20c a stubby and it is good. If anyone takes home more than $10 a week in beer they should brew their own. Simple to do and takes about 1 hour a week. For some reason the wife does not believe me when I tell her that the more I drink, the more I save. Bought stuff cost about $1.50 a stubby and mine is better!

A while ago, I was paying so much off my power bills from each fortnight's pay that, when the bills eventually arrived, Ergon owed me money. Had I continued to pay at such a rate, and had the cost of power not increased so dramatically, that company would owe me a small fortune by now.

For those who have solar power and are now accumulating credit from power companies, are you able to access that money? That's something that has confused me. Do they ever pay you back, or would you have to cancel your connection and wait for a cheque in the mail?

Just interested - obviously, if the power supplier owes you money, you're saving by not having to pay them anything. But could you actually EARN money out of this?

Wow, Banjo! I would have considered $1.50 a stubbie to be a bargain. I've purchased one six pack this year (I'm quite serious about penny pinching, but had some celebrating to do) and got it on special for $15.00. It tasted like pigswill, too.

I'm guessing that, at my rate of drinking, I couldn't make brewing economically viable for me, but it sounds like you're onto a winner. At $1.20 a six pack, you're saving $13.80 (or 92%) off the special price, and you have the satisfaction of having made it yourself. Even better, your savings come in the form of a hobby, with a sweet reward at the end ... nice!

Otokonoko,
I was going on the lower retail price for a slab,some maybe cheaper and some a lot dearer.

But I am adament it only costs me 20c a stubby to brew my own.

Best to price the beer you drink and then compare. Best savings i can find and easy, no pain.

Depends on your power provider if they send a cheque or accumulate credit, they have varying systems. I am happy to accumulate credit, as i expect to live for a while yet. You get GST credited as well. It,s a good deal and locked in for 15 years at .60c/kwh.

Otokonoko/quote...""Just interested - obviously,if the power supplier owes you money,you're saving by not having to pay them anything...But could you actually EARN money out of this?"'

yeah i agree with that point
how does that work...can you buy a plasma or shares with the 'credit'
[indeed are you collecting intrest..ior can you add it to your super?]

but thats only an academic intrest to know
[i cant do it to the poor people having to pay for it all]

like this new mob going to build solar farms
[with the solar subsidy?]..

so are we bying their acces to the system
[ie putting in their infastructure,..too?]
as well as SUPPLYING their 'off line power..at night?

those not paying for their night time power
are getting a free ride...if they get more
they also should be required to pay more

[ONE SET RATE..[@ peak/off peak]
wether it goes in...*or out]

the greenies are syill using coal at night
thats why the green scam is all wind

but we digress
how to save $$$ and sense
i like the idea of a timer..on the hotwater heater

[but how about two timers...one that uses off peak..
the other that switches basic power on..ONLY..when the off peak goes off]

i note that when communism went bust
the people got a share of the industry
but when capitalism went bust..we got their debt

they get ten%..of our wages with compulsory super
with which they gamble..but realise

its only OUR EXTRA cash..
that has inflated the value

[the stock market is a pyramid sceme..that works just fine
as long as there is more cash comming in than going out]

but just like when we lost 25%..of our value
at the last bust[2008]..the next bust only delayed..not diverted
will see many go bust

invest in YOUR OWN..self sustainability

plan for when the power/water/gas...goes bust*
grow your own beer/tobacco/dope..

anything the govt gets too greedy with..
learn skills...not after the fact lessons