By now, you must have read 101 ways on how to cut back on this and that to save $$. But do we have to go down that path? All we need are some workable innovative ideas. Something sustainable, something … fun.
What triggered my thought is probably this. I have done what I can comfortably do (and no, I still love my air con) and yet I am slammed with this new 20%+ hike that cancels out all my effort. If you are new to Singapore, our utility board actually charts our usage for us and tells us how far off we are from the national average. As you can see, my usage has a downward trend, sort of.
#1 Office Electricity is Free (Duh!)
As duh as it sounds, we don’t pay for the electricity bill in the office. It is already factored into the reduction of our salaries. Most people I reckon reach home at 7pm, sleep at midnight. So there is a window of 5 hours worth of light and air-con bills you have to pay for. Imagine this. Why not stay in the office for an extra hour to enjoy the air-con and light and pretend to work while browsing WilfridWong.com? Your boss may even promote you for your dedication to work. That is a 20% saving my friend.
Note: Feel free to replace the word office with library if that makes more sense to you.
#2 Make Love Not Waste Electricity
You may consider this if #1 has a negative impact to your work life balance. And in conjunction, you can even achieve a 40% saving! Unless you are the type who prefer to spend your romantic moments with your partner in your bedroom as bright as the F1 circuit in Singapore, chances are you will be able to save an hour worth of light and TV electricity bills on a near-daily basis. If you need advice on how to extend your performance, there is even a book titled “How to Make Love All Night: And Drive a Woman Wild!” – 4 stars in Amazon.com.
Note: If #2 is not feasible for you, think of some candle light activities (perhaps get more sleep?)
#3 Blog (or Read) 20% Faster
Like it or not, our computers consume a lot of electricity. My PC at full load consumes 650W of power – more than half of an electrical iron’s consumption. And if you are busy procreating (#2), you may need to speed up your time with the Internet anyway.
#4 Buy a HDD Recorder
Asking you to cut down on watching TV is just duh. I know. So I am not going to. Instead, buy a hard disk TV recorder especially if you happen to win that 60″ plasma TV from EastCoastLife. Your favorite “Desperate Housewives” may take up 1 hour of air time but if you filter out the commercials, it is only a 45 mins entertainment. Time-shift the program and fast forward all the commercials! Viola. This shortens the time you are in front of the TV while getting the same amount of entertainment.
#5 Fly Budget
I know, this tip seems a bit out of place but I do wish to earn some spare $$. Besides, if I do win the Tiger Airways contest, I will have a pair of free tickets to a destination of my pick. Every saving counts.
So I need to write about my most memorable holiday. That is easy. It has got to be my trip to Mount Kinabalu last March. If you haven’t read my all time highest hit article, here is the chance. I have included some pictures to share below.
Tiger Airways is currently celebrating its 4th anniversary by having a special birthday fares starting from S$0.04 to various destinations.
Tiger Airways is Asia Pacific’s true low fare airline. It offers passengers not only one of the lowest possible airfares in the market, but safe, reliable and convenient point-to-point air travel as well. Tiger Airways now flies to more than 27 destinations across 9 countries in Asia-Pacific on a fleet of brand new Airbus A320 aircraft.
PS. The proceeds from this ad (as well as any lucky draw wins if any) will be donate to a Charity of my choice – Christ the King at AMK.
20 replies on “Comic Relief – 5 Ways to Beat Electricity Price Hikes (And You Don’t Have to Sweat About It)”
Haha this is very interesting! 🙂
I realised I participate more in contests, with the mentality that “if I win something (and make myself happy over the win), maybe I will spend even lesser”. Haha.
By the way when is your Beginner II Spanish Class starting? 🙂
HAHA!
This article made my day!
Enough said!
Wait a minute… for #4, first you have to turn on the HDDR plus the Cable TV set-top box (if they are separate units) while recording it. Then you need to turn on the HDDR and the TV while you’re watching it, fast-forwarded nonetheless. So is that a real savings?
I vote for #2! Better yet, make love in someone else’s place. In that case, you save on water bills too, you know when you need a shower after the marathon hot and sweaty stuff.
I wonder what my bill f0r this month will be! I got a shock when I got last month’s bill!
Your comic relief already made me waste more electricity leh – when I laugh, it churns an exothermic reaction (just like fart = methane release = global warming) and I need to have my air-con after that to cool down the surrounding temp! :p
Si Ying – Beginner II Spanish class supposes to start yesterday but the school asked for 1 week postponement. All the better. I have an extra week to revise and catch up!
G – Ha ha ha … glad to have put a smile on your face … lol.
Darkspore – Yes, it is real saving. Because your TV (I have a 21″ old TV but I reckon many people out there are having a huge one) consumes more electricity than your HDD recorder. You can check the power consumption. No kidding you. It generates more heat too, the TV.
Erm … got water price hikes also meh?
Tigerfish – Ha ha ha … sorry ah. Yes, I do get shocked from time to time when I read my PUB bill. I lost count in how many times the price has been hiked up.
errr have you manage to save 40% ??
Kiat – Yes. Today. By meeting you for movie, we have saved 3 hours worth of light, PC, TV electricity usage! That is more than 40%!
then we need to meet more to save electricity 🙂
Kiat – Absolutely!
Hmm $10 to rent 3 movies but end up more expensive than watching in theatre? Well at least that’s the truth now isn’t it?
Fun read! Haha.
Ghim Seng – That depends on how big your TV is I guess! 🙂
I think renting DVD is still cheaper. Deep inside, I don’t quite like the censorship board here. Artistic contents are censored and the flow is not quite there. Unfortunately, rather.
Ndroo – Ha ha ha … thank you!
I’m too lazy to think. And no matter how hard I save, things are not going to get cheaper.
So… on the air-con, on the 60″ Plasma TV, on the hi-fi system …. make passionate love! Boost the population lah!
ECL – Agreed. But to the least, even if we can’t save our electricity bills, we save the planet by consuming lesser resource.
Yes, boost the population! Singapore still needs more babies … ha ha ha.
I would say #5 is really out of place… hahahahahaha… but a good marketing strategy, people will read through until #4 then ….
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Wieke – Ha ha ha … I know! Let’s see if I am going to win that trip to any destination I choose. Besides, it is for … charity as I donate the $$ from the ad away.