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A solar lamp hanging in a garden.
I would like to submit the following tip to your newsletters. Maybe it will help some folks!
There was a recent tip in the Dollar Stretcher newsletter about using a solar yard lamp during a thunderstorm. I can take that one step further.
When I lived with two roommates, we had little extra spending money. We were always looking for ways to save a buck or two. Electricity was one area where we thought we had done enough, but we were wrong!
During a trip to a local hardware store to pick up some nails, we noticed that there were two types of solar yard lamps available - fixed (on a spike or stake), or hanging (from a hook, sometimes connected to a stake). We saw that it was only $20 for a three-pack of solar lamps (I've since seen four packs for the same price, on sale). We bought two packs of them and six of those pretty plant hangers that people sometimes use for their hanging plants (the ones that look like pretty shelf brackets, but with hooks).
When we got home, we mounted the plant hangers over or next to four windows in our house and put the solar lamps on them. Then, we hung the other two on the house, next to the front and back doors. In the late afternoon or early evening, we would open up the blinds to allow the sunlight to "charge" the indoor lights. The outdoor lights took care of themselves. At night, we had free household lighting that would last until sunrise if we'd charged them long enough! We kept a piece of nice material in rooms that we needed to sleep in, in order to cover the lights when it was time to go to sleep.
The day after we started doing this, we had a neighbor call us to let us know that we'd left both our porch lights on overnight. We asked if it had disturbed her.
"No," she said, "I was just worried about your electric bill. Actually, I felt safer when I came home from work and they were on, because I could see to put my key into the lock!" "Well," said my roommate, "You'll feel safer every night then, because we're leaving them on from now on. In fact, we can't turn them off! They're solar lamps and the power is free!"
I hope that this tip is useful to all of you and to your readers.
Thanks,
Miss Elisha
By (Guest Post)
05/21/2008
Oh for the love of Pete! Brilliant! My brain is already grinding away at the idea. Nightlights for the kids! Thanks!
By Lorna (Guest Post)
04/06/2008
Great idea. But we tried this and the lanterns didn't give off much light. I am going to use them as night lights. I am wondering if maybe it was the type of lanterns you have. We picked up two solar lanterns that have one led bulb and say super white light. I made sure the batteries were fully charged and then tried them out in our bathroom. Even after hours they weren't just enough light to see like a night light.
By
09/06/2007
Thanks for the tip! It may not do us much good, we have a streetlight out front, but I may give it a try in the back, and I'll be passing this tip onto my sister!
By
06/29/2007
I read this tip b4 here & thought I'd try it out first........ well I got to say I have not put on the electric lights sence.
tnx for the great idea...moonshadow
By Sarah (Guest Post)
05/21/2007
Fabulous idea for camping and I'm going to use this in my sunroom that has no electricity!!
By Lynda (Guest Post)
05/18/2007
THANKS SO-oooooooo MUCH, dear.
Now to get the money and find a sale!!! lol However, now that I think about it, I have NO sunny windows anymore, so I'll put my thinking cap on and try to expand on your idea to perhaps save some electricity
on a daily basis for my dark home? I can see clearly that it would be GREAT for camping, and back yard working at night. I really like your idea for the home and will pass it on to others as this economy gets worse and utilities get higher! God bless and keep you. : )
By janet from Toronto, Ontario (Guest Post)
05/09/2007
what a great idea! good for u...
i am to try this...thanks
By
05/08/2007
Great idea. I've been wondering why they didn't make solar lights for indoor use. This should do the trick.
By Linne Dodds (Guest Post)
05/08/2007
Thanks, I've been wondering how effective these were & storm season is coming .
I will now be shopping for a deal on 3 or 4 of them. Big!Lots! sometimes has great sales on them.
By anbsmommy@aol.com (Guest Post)
05/07/2007
This sounds like a grand idea. Unfortunately for me, I live in the Northwest, in a heavily forested area and very little sun reaches
areas of my house..when the sun does decide to shine. The solar
lamps never seen to collect enough light to be of use.
I bet my daughter who lives in sunny California could use this tip
tho & I plan to pass it on to her.
:-)
By (Guest Post)
05/07/2007
what a wonderful idea! I cant wait to use it- thanks so much for sharing!
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