So the whole environmental experiment has gone out the window so to speak. I tried I really did. But, when winter hit...I just couldn't take the static anymore! Sorry but what choice to you have when you pull out a sweater that you dried on low, took out before it was completely dry and it still snaps and crackles like a log that is on fire!

Since my last post we moved into a nice older townhouse, exactly what I wanted. Hard wood floors, character...yeah. Sadly, I'm realizing that with this comes a whole other area. Bills. My Epcor bill didn't just double it tripled and can someone please explain why they need separate "admin" charges for all of their "services" Sorry, but I don't think they administrate the waste going down the sewer. AHHH and then there is gas..wowsa that is expensive. See, didn't account for the carpet keeping the heat in....newer home=better insulation...newer home=windows that are not plastic trim and so drafty you can feel the wind gust in the living room...you get the idea. Baby it's cold in here!

So I have been toying with many ideas on what I would like this blog to be for and I think I figured it out! I want to bring together resources for lower cost/cost effective(yes they are different) "green" products for you and your family. I have spent many hours searching for different things that I know I need but can't find at a reasonable cost! For example I don't think I need to pay an arm and a leg for my child to use a shampoo that is safe for them. Why should I have to go to the grocery store and pick up the L'oreal stuff because that's what I can afford/find? Does that mean that my kids can't have a shampoo that doesn't have anesthetic in it to make it "tear free"? Of course not! It just means that I have to search endlessly on the internet to find the boutique stores that carry these things.

So now I am actually off to find a company that sells panties for little girls. Organic cotton would be nice and 18-24 months petite would be lovely! Someone has to make this right?

Epcor discovery

Alright so it's taking me a while to get the hang of this. I have a vent that I need to get off my chest! EPCOR! Let me tell you the story about my discovery.

Our power bill is ridiculous. When we moved from our ancient 1200 sq foot split level condo that had prehistoric appliances, as well as, a rickety computer that I know wasn't this new fan-dangled "energy efficient" computer. Our power bill was like $40 a month! Then we moved into a town about 30 km away from e-town into a small 700 sq foot apartment that is brand new, so all energy efficient appliances, we also bought a brand new computer. Our power bill you ask? $70-$80 a month! How is that even possible?

We(I) decided about 6 weeks ago to try and limit our power consumption to try and bring it back down to the $40 mark and save some money. I consciously watched to make sure that the cell phone chargers were unplugged immediately after the cell phone was done, unplugged the microwave, bread maker, toaster oven, and coffee maker. I stopped drying our clothes in the dryer(watch for a post on that one), turned off lights ect. So yes, I changed a huge amount for our family.

No here is my problem. I received my power bill this month and for the first time REALLY read it. Alright I know something I probably should have done forever ago but yeah. It shocked me. I am paying $40 extra dollars in fees. Why? There is a distribution fee, an administration fee, transmission charge, 2010 transmission adjustment rider, local access fee. I'm sorry ARE YOU KIDDING ME? Is there any other company that has it so cushy? As far as I know as a company if YOU want any of these things they are built into what you supply. Another words you don't get to make extra money charging extra for everything.

What would happen if a restaurant decided to start charging $1.00 dish-washing fee, $2.00 hostess fee, $3.00 ice water fee, $0.50 power fee...you see how ridiculous this is? No wonder Epcor is such a rich company. It was mind boggling when I realized this. This means even if I use no power I will NEVER be under less then $40 a month on my power bill.

Now maybe I'm over reacting but really? It doesn't seem to make sense. Is it because we are in a small town? Or maybe it's because we are seriously complacent in Canada, and don't really put up a fight when a company continues to charge extra for stuff because what can I do? I was watching a news article a few weeks back that was talking about the power supplier wanting us(the consumer) to pay for a failed business deal that cost billions. It would work out to $5.00 a year/customer. They were interviewing one guy who simply said that he was to busy to worry about $5 spread over a year. If this is how all these fee's showed up then that explains a lot. But why should we pay for that? Any company that has a failed deal even if they spent money to make to deal just has to cut their losses, apparently the world of power just works differently. Please feel free to correct me or at least enlighten me if I'm maybe not doing something right? I don't know all I know is gone are my cheap power bills and that sucks!

All right this will probably change a bit as I get accustomed to this but I need a place to vent my thoughts and my poor husband is going insane with my weird and not so weird thoughts. As you noticed in my profile I am a stay at home mom...since ummmm a month ago I am now not paid under appreciated, and over worked.

The stress of staying home has been getting to me as I have started to have cramping again(the one thing I do everything to avoid). Calm and boring need to be my life but is it? ummmm no. Not being paid or knowing there is a paycheck coming in a week or two is weird...I have not not worked in a long time. So because of this I have contemplated EVERYTHING in the job world.

Surprisingly there are a lot of options out there. Full time, part-time, job sharing, casual, own your own business, work at home for someone else, work at home for your self, do something crafty and sell it, babysit, have a day home, etc. Once I started looking around there were all sorts of options. Not that I need to work, OK I do financially, sitting in the van driving Damicka to and from school everyday for 2 hours is a job in itself plus homework(yes that is the parents school work I actually am convinced that homework isn't actually for kids), there is the cleaning, and the cooking, and the baking...but I need more...a paid job.

So now I'm on the hunt for a job...not out side the home as I can't afford to work there unless Fitz is home. With Cornelius having a weak immune system, and Iliana just not liking people I would never actually be at my job. But something in the home I think. Something that I can do that I will be paid for but that doesn't take up my time...well I am on the hunt. I will post how this goes.