With the price of everything going up, I've been trying to figure out a way for us to economize. My pal Cheryl told tales of cutting almost $100 off her electric bill by unplugging everything in her house and replacing lightbulbs. Inspired by that, I have tried some of the same tactics, as our DWP bill is up about $50 from 18 months ago.

I had already replaced bulbs in the past, so the past two weeks I've been very diligent about turning off not just the TV, but the cable box as well. I've unplugged everything I can, but that wasn't too many things, as most stuff was already unplugged, or is rigged behind a giant piece of furniture and a baby fence (the media center and our computers.) I've been turning my computer off at night, the A/C unit can be unplugged when not in use, and I took out a night light in the hallway which was really only there for Betty when she stays over. The phone chargers were sometimes left in, and the vaporizer as well. Not much, but something.

Today when I was writing out the DWP bill, I thought I'd take a look at where we were a year ago. Turns out, we are using almost the identical amount of KWH as last year, and that price has not gone up a significant amount. Where is the $50 coming from? The garbage. Our garbage has gone up almost 400% in 18 months. In January of 2006, we paid $14.65 every two months. We now pay $56.00. There isn't anything I can do about it either. You can't ask to have them pick it up less. It isn't determined by weight or volume, other than the amount of cans you have, and we have the minimum. One garbage, one recycling. I might be saving $3 or $4 over two months turning everything off, and ever so slightly "minimizing our carbon footprint," but really, I was looking to save cold, hard cash and the DWP bill isn't going to be the place to do it.

Dexter and I watch the Garbage Truck Show every Wednesday morning. These are very fancy and computerized Robo Trucks, and I certainly don't want to have that job, though I think Dexter might. Those guys should get paid a decent wage. I have no idea where it all gets dumped, but I bet it's pretty far away from here. All that costs money.

Dexter should be FINALLY switching off of formula when he turns one next week, and that will save us $32 a week. I'm not sure what a gallon of whole milk costs at Trader Joe's, but it's not $32, that's for sure!

Steve talked me down out of the tree tonight with the thought of Thinking Like a Rich Person, and not like a Poor Person. How much time did I spend fretting over that DWP bill this afternoon, instead of typing up invoices for the jobs I'm doing right now or making more hats and masks to sell? I'm worrying about $5 when I could be making a hat that sells for $150. He has a valid point.

How very "The Secret" of Steve!!!