How to Build a Basic Food dehydrator....

Came across this article on building a simple dehydrator...SRN

 

Follow Link below for full instructions

http://www.backwoodshome.com/articles/sanders63.html

Change requires, A leap of faith!

I took a chance, another a of  leap of faith.

 

Not sure how to start here. A quick background overview may help...

Jack, my husband was diagnosed with Leukemia in 1997. At that time we lived in Beautiful San Clemente California, and had a really lucrative kitchen remodeling business. We had some money in the bank and life was good. To make a long story short the illness cleaned out our bank account and destroyed our business.

We fought the cancer and Jack has been in remission for 15 years. Next chapter, we felt like we needed a life change at this point, so moved to Southern Oregon. Loved it! I had always had an interest in Real Estate so stepped out in faith and worked hard and  became a Real Estate investor.

This was even more lucrative than kitchens and made us wealthy... after about 5 years or so of the good life, you know the cars, toys houses, new this and that! Hello Real Estate collapse.... End of story.

Lost everything and found ourselves saying NEXT! You see to understand that you can always find that vehicle that will lead you to financial freedom is something that for some reason has always been ingrained in me. Never give up, never surrender, and never let them see you sweat!

Here's what I have learned over the years of searching and trying many things, there is no such thing as easy money, get rich quick, or sitting back and waiting for someone to drop a lot of money in your lap when they die. Nope, hard work and dedication is the answer, finding something you believe in and know you can do. Your like a puzzle piece that just fits when you find it! Just know this, you may try a few things before you find the right puzzle , that puzzle that your piece fits into...

The key always is, never give up and don't let yourself get talked into mediocrity..... You see many people will call you crazy... I remember once when Jack and I needed some cash so we sat on a corner lot with a trailer full of bean bags for sale, I will never forget that, we had so much fun and made the money we needed at the time. Our family was mortified and labeled us as gypsies and prayed no one they new would see us in action with our bean bags!

All this to say it's been a while since I have found my next puzzle. I've been a lost piece wondering if at 52 I would ever fit again. I've looked and dabbled in a few things, but just not feeling it! MLM you work to hard for someone else to make the big bucks! and with our recent economy most people have been a little iffy to say the least. happy to keep food on the table and a roof over their heads, let alone thinking of a new car or even tires for the old one. But never choosing to give up my search... Don't buy into the failure that the media and the government are preaching, last time I looked we still lived in America and the land of opportunity....

Now to the point...

I recently had a gentleman post a link on my "Self Reliant" Facebook page, I quickly removed it as spam, as I don't allow advertising on my page, but something kept pulling me back to it. Between my blog and my fb page I get more spam than even Hawaii would want.

That night I took a few minutes to take a look at what he sent and I thought "well this does make sense, people are all going to use these items anyway..." I also agreed that word of mouth is the best advertising in the world! His system appeared solid and I didn't get a bunch of Hype! I hate Hype... If I don't see the value in what you have to offer all they Hype in the world won't get me there!

Bottom line I'm in! lol, from the trash to my new home business. Funny how things happen sometimes. I've been looking and praying for a long time for my next puzzle.... and find myself excited at the possibilities of what this has to offer. With diligence to work this and share what I have come to learn, this could add the few extra dollars I need.

So ask yourself what would you do with $500.00 extra dollars a month or maybe even a $1000.00 it's up to you. Is it worth a few minutes to see if this is your finished puzzle? Maybe it is, maybe it isn't, but it's sure worth the few minutes to find out....

Enter your name and valid e-mail on the form I have post on this blog, it will take you to a short video with lots of great and valuable information.. Remember a friend, you may be financially secure, but they may need an opportunity. So pass it on...

 You call me or email me with any questions, ANYTIME... What ever you decide to do, Be blessed in it!

Best Regards,
Rebecca
selfreliantnetwork11@gmail.com 

Following an EMP...Communications

Communications After an EMP (Electro-Magnetic Pulse) Following An EMP, Telephones, Cell Phones, and the Internet Will Be a Thing of the Past. Two Way Radios Will Be a Valuable Tool for a Few People. Learn How to Protect Your Two Way Radios from the Effects of an EMP as well as a Communications "System" for Re-connecting with Loved Ones – by Mark Lawrence - www.SecretsofSurvival.com

 
It's not always an easy thing to get people concerned about threats like an EMP (electro-magnetic pulse) or other WMD (weapon of mass destruction) attack on American soil -- but if you're able to, some of you may be able to make preparations for reconnecting with family and friends using a series of two way radios.

Doesn't an EMP fry communications equipment, like two-way radios? The answer is yes, it does. But there's a way to protect small electronic devices from the effects of an EMP -- that is to build a simple "Faraday Cage". (For specifics on building a "Faraday Cage", see our previous article on EMP).

How to Re-Connect with Loved Ones After an EMP

Prepping for EMP: Two Way Radios Stored in Multiple Locations

A common fear following an EMP is that most people are likely to lose contact with friends and family living in distant areas. While there may be no way to re-connect with people living in distant states, there may be a way to stay in contact with family and friends who live within 70 - 100 miles.
It will involve purchasing a small number of two-way radios with maximum range, directional antennaes, and also materials for building homemade antenna's.

Each two-way radio and antennae parts must be stored in a "Faraday Cage" to protect from the effects of an EMP.

Finally, each person you hope to connect with (within 70 - 100 miles) must be on the same page as one another.

First, you'll start by choosing specific frequencies (channels) and specific times of the day for communications between each other -- perhaps a time of the day other people are least likely to be on a two way radio, such as the 3am or 4am hour when most people may be sleeping.

Following a disaster there could end up being quite a few people using two-way and Ham radios. It's hard to know just how many people in each state are preparing for a widespread disaster like an EMP, but it's possible that more people than we realize are preparing nowadays.

Which means the possibility exists for a lot of two way and CB radio interference in the days and weeks following an EMP.

Using a Series of Two-Way Radios to Connect with Family After an EMP

A good two-way radio (like Midland's 36 mile 50 channel two way radio) might have a range of 20 - 40 miles -- depending on the terrain; in some places the range may be less distance and in some other areas it may be more. Obstacles, buildings, mountains, hillsides can hamper transmission signals (or help, if you climb up to the top of a hill, building, or tree to maximize range).

How To Increase the Range of Two-Way Radios

Have a person in "City A" call out to a person in "City B" on a specific channel at a specific time -- within 20 to 30 miles, the range of the two-way radio -- and then have that person in "City B" call out to a person in "City C" -- perhaps another 20 to 30 miles distant.

That person who is the most central (City B) could become a communications hub between family members with their two-way radio -- able to talk via the two way radio with the person in City A and then relay information to the person in City C, and vice versa.

This way the person in City A and the person in City C can be in communication with one another -- through that person acting as a hub in City B.

Homemade Antennae for Two Way Radios

Each person can take this a step further by installing large antennae (disconnected from all wiring and packed in a "Faraday Cage" to protect from an EMP well before any EMP attack). After an EMP attack each person could then retrieve their two way radios and external antennae from their Faraday Cage, then wire their two way radios to their external antennae to increase the range of each two way radio.

See: How to Make A Two-Way Radio Antenna

So goes the theory anyway -- talk to experts and sellers in the two way radio field (today I'm just writing an article, not a book) for the best advice; it's very possible that an extensive "do it yourself" antennae can be built with relative ease. If society collapses following an EMP and everything shuts down, you're going to have tons of wiring all around you to go to work with. (It's said an EMP will destroy electrical conductors -- points at the ends of wires -- rather than the wires themselves.) Wires you find should still be good.

In the weeks and months following an EMP, many businesses will probably be closed down and several industrial shops clearly abandoned; these could be great destinations to scavenge materials, such as wiring (just pull wire out of the walls) as well as local stores and other commercial buildings. The fact is there is a smorgasbord of copper wire of different lengths and thickness (as well as aluminum and even steel) and also coaxial wire -- who knows what else you'll be able to come up with in your search for parts you can experiment with.
 
For the purposes of an antennae, use one kind of wire (copper, aluminum, or steel) rather than pairing multiple types together (which can interfere in signal transmission).

 As much as possible, disguise your antennae usage -- there may be some unsavory people in your area whom it would be better for you that they didn't know that you have working communications equipment. Use plants, trees, debris, even cardboard and garbage to build a "screen" of sorts -- blocking your antennae from view.

When it's time to send and receive calls, move any debris that may be blocking a clear signal from the direction you're hoping to send and receive signals (if the debris doesn't cause a problem, then simply leave it where it is).

Consider a Directional Antennae for Your Two Way Radio

Manufacturers like Motorola sell directional antennae for two-way radios. Like your homemade antennae explained above, a directional antennae will increase transmission range.

To use a directional antennae, simply point it in the direction of the signal. If you're not sure of the exact direction, slowly point your antennae where you think the signal should be coming from; if you can't find it, slowly rotate in a circle, until you pick it up.

When you're unsure of another person's location, this can be a painstaking, patient task if you and others have not set up specific times for communications.

That's why you and anyone else you're hoping to communicate with should have watches for telling time in any Faraday Cage as well as a schedule in advance for communication times, if possible (choose watches with an hour / minute hand -- this way you can use your watch to help plot direction).

 See: How to Find True North Without a Compass

Solar Battery Charger

Using those two-way radios is going to drain batteries. Once those batteries are dead you better have back up batteries. At the same time, be sure to also have a solar battery charger -- this (depending on available sunlight) can be a great way to keep batteries charged.

Can Hostile Forces Track Two-Way Radio Transmissions?

While they can definitely listen in to your two-way radio transmission, it's said here, Can you trace a two-way radio?, that it's hard to track the location of two-way radio transmissions -- but it can be done.
For example, using a directional antennae, a hostile force could determine what direction you're transmitting from (but they won't know at what distance). Using the "triangulation method" (see link directly above) they can attempt to pin point your broadcast. It goes to say that the longer you broadcast and from the same location, you give possible hostile forces the ability in time to find you, based on your transmissions.

With hostile forces in the area, you may want to keep communications via two-way radios brief and as little as possible.

Prepping Family and Friends for an EMP

If you're going to take the time to "prep" family and friends to have two-way radios protected by a Faraday Cage (might make a great Christmas gift or just might freak out others not on the same page as you), come up with a code language, a lot like what is used by different people during times of war; that way if any hostile forces eavesdrop on your communications, they won't understand what's being said (not if you have a hard-to crack code language, that is). Get that code language written down on paper and stored safely with each two way radio, Faraday Cage, and directional antennae. That way each of you will have a "key" and know what's being said by the other person.

Disinformation

Part of your code language can include disinformation. In military terms, disinformation means to let things that are false be overheard in an effort to throw people off what you're really doing. You can tell "Jane" at the other location that you'll meet by the "bus barn", the one "west" of Circle K. You've "got some supplies to trade, you know they're hungry over there."

To anyone eavesdropping, who doesn't realize you're using code words, they may now set up an ambush for you, preparing to strip you of any supplies you might have on hand -- but that ambush will be in the wrong place.

If you're using code words, and in a way that it's not obvious you're speaking in code, you can completely throw off any eavesdroppers, providing them with "disinformation", sending listeners on a wild goose chase.

This may help you conceal actual dates of travel as well as times of travel as well as what you're purposes are.

Preparing for an EMP: Supplies

Get those Faraday Cages built for multiple locations (family / friends in your region).
  
Two way radios

for multiple locations (family / friends in your region)
Develop a code language (better safe than sorry)

Surplus of extra batteries -- and rechargeable batteries -- specific for your two-way radios. Keep rechargeable batteries charging using small, inexpensive solar panels new on today's market. But for traditional batteries you can go with a:
 

Solar battery charger

Directional antennae (talk to manufacturers -- Midland Radio or Motorola -- for recommendations for specific antennae for two way radios you purchase)

Knowledge / instructions for building simple "at home" antennae (you'll have something to fall back on in the event a directional antennae is lost or stolen)
 
Keep in mind: Two way radios come with built in antennae (you don't have to buy a directional antennae to make these work). The idea of adding an external antennae is to help increase transmission range and signal quality over longer distances.

See more articles like this one at:
 http://www.secretsofsurvival.com/survival/communications-after-emp.html

Start your food storage on $10 a week

Everyone can start prepping and becoming more "Self Reliant" This article I found in "Backwoods Home Magazine" explains how to start on as little as $10.00 a week.

 If there's a will there's a way!!! SRN

 

 Full article at the link below...

 http://www.backwoodshome.com/articles/hagan59.html

Giant Idaho Wolves: BEWARE

Make sure you are packing protection when you go for a walk in the mountains.  You never know when a wolf pack might surround you! This is the wilderness... SRN  Check out the size of these... This is a picture of a pack of 25 wolves taken in the Weippe area in Idaho . Each one of these eats 24 Elk per year. This group alone will consume 600 Elk this year. That doesn’t even factor in the “sport kills.”  The Canadian Gray Wolf runs in packs of up to twenty wolves. For every one animal they k!ll to eat, these Canadian wolves k!ll about three more just for the fun of it. The biologists call it "sport-reflex killing" or "lustful killing". The Canadian Gray Wolf is a killing machine. These are federal wolves, as it was the federal government who introduced them into Idaho over our objections. They told the state of Idaho that the wolves would be considered recovered when they had a total of 100 wolves in Idaho .  Now they have between 800 and 2,000 wolves and the situation is out of control. Idaho 's wolf emergency is a state issue. And in this situation, the state of Idaho has both a duty and the authority to protect its people and their property. House Bill 343 lays out the facts, the argument and the authority to do so. - Idaho Rep Phil Hart.

Dove called Noah, you gotta see this...

 

 How we treat the weakest among us is how we will be judged.....

 
                     These little bunnies, about 6 days old, were attacked by a dog and orphaned.
                  Two out of the litter of five did not survive, and these three were not doing very well.

Noah is a non-releasable, one-legged homing pigeon/rock dove that is in the rehab center.
Noah kept going over to the bunny cage and looking in -- even sleeping in front of the door to the cage.

Then, suddenly, there were only two bunnies in the cage.

But when Noah moved a bit from the front of the cage to everyone's surprise... there was the tiny bunny... under Noah's wing... sound asleep! That little bunny rabbit had crawled through the cage, preferring a feather bed, no doubt to snuggling up with its litter mates!

Now, they are all together and the bunnies are doing GREAT. When the bunnies scoot underneath Noah's feathers, he carefully extends his wings out to surround them and then they snuggle. When one of them moves and they start sticking out here and there, he gently pushes them back under him with his beak! It is beautiful and amazing to see...

This is what God does with us when we need the warmth and love He offers. He gathers us under His loving wings to a warm cradle of protection. All we need do in return is give Him the thanks and praise for being with us.
 
Update on Noah the pigeon:

We are Bob and Georganne Lenham of Wild Rose Rescue Ranch in Texas , home of Noah the Pigeon.

After finding many posts online featuring Noah and the bunnies and reading about the many lives he has touched (his story has been forwarded around the world) we thought we'd post a follow-up and a few new photos.


We knew there was something special about Noah the moment we saw him.

Although the bunnies seem to be his favorite, Noah helps out with many rescue babies here at the Wild Rose Rescue Ranch...

Noah's first litter of bunnies, almost raised and ready for release.

Now, Noah helps out with many rescue babies here at the ranch...

How wonderful it is to have a full-time soft-feathered nurturer here at the rescue ranch! He cuddles with all the babies as they snuggle under his warm feathers...and he "coos" as if singing them to sleep with a lullaby .

Noah is truly, truly a God-send.He will cover you with His feathers
And under His wings you will find refuge.
Psalm 91:4

"In GOD we trust....Always"

All About Essential Oils

Love this Article By: 

DOOM AND BLOOM

A Definite Keeper... SRN

 

Follow the link below to the full article... 

 http://www.doomandbloom.net/2012/08/all-about-essential-oils.html?

Shotguns: The Best Felon Killing Home Defense Tool Ever Made

Ours is always handy and Ready! SRN

Follow the link Below for Full Article... 

http://www.humanevents.com/2011/03/29/shotguns-the-best-felon-killing-home-defense-tool-ever-made/

The Many Uses of Baking Soda in Survival Situations

Inexpensive and worth every penny! 

Make sure you have some put away... SRN

http://www.doomandbloom.net/2012/06/3599.html

How To Deliver A Baby In Austere Settings

Very Valuable information. 

 One day you may hold the miracle of life in your hands! 

Be Ready...

A quick course by Dr. Bones & Nurse Amy 

Follow the link below for "Doom and Blooms" full article...  

http://www.doomandbloom.net/2012/12/how-to-deliver-a-baby-in-austere-settings.html

 

Made in America

 I am so on this, this was a real eye opener... Don't let 1/2 of this country steal our rights to hold strong to what America really stands for! Take back what is being taken, if we don't we will loose it forever!!! SRN

 

PLEASE PAY ATTENTION FOLKS...

THIS IS YOUR BUSINESS!!!!!!

Costco sells Goodyear wiper blades for almost half the price that you will
pay on the outside and they are made in the U.S.A.

Unfortunately our politicians and top CEO's have pushed for trade to China
and Mexico for years so Americans are now out of work. Did you know that
there is no electric coffee maker made in the US and that the only kitchen
appliances made in the US is Viking?

This information came from a report made by Diane Sawyer. Hopefully this
has changed or will soon!!

I DIDN'T KNOW HALLMARK CARDS WERE MADE IN CHINA !

That is also why I don't buy cards at Hallmark anymore,
They are made in China and are more expensive! I buy them at Dollar Tree -
50 cents each and made in USA...

I have been looking at the blenders available on the Internet. Kitchen Aid
is MADE IN the US. Top of my list already...

Yesterday I was in WalMart looking for a wastebasket. I found some made
in China for $6.99. I didn't want to pay that much so I asked the lady if
they had any others. She took me to another department and they had some
at $2.50 made in USA . They are just as good. Same as a kitchen rug I
needed. I had to look, but I found some made in the USA - what a concept!
and they were $3.00 cheaper.

We are being brainwashed to believe that everything that comes from China
and Mexico is cheaper. Not so...

I was in Lowe's the other day and just out of curiosity, I looked at the
hose attachments. They were all made in China . The next day I was in Ace
Hardware and just for the heck of it I checked the hose attachments there.
They were made in USA .

Start looking, people . . ...In our current economic situation, every
little thing we buy or do affects someone else - most often, their job.

My grandson likes Hershey's candy. I noticed, though, that it is now
marked "made in Mexico ." I don't buy it anymore.

My favorite toothpaste Colgate is made in Mexico ...now I have switched to
Crest.

You have to read the labels on everything.

This past weekend I was at Kroger . . . I needed 60W light bulbs and
Bounce dryer sheets
 
I was in the light bulb aisle, and right next to the GE brand I normally
buy -- was an off-brand labeled, "Everyday Value." I picked up both types
of bulbs and compared them: they were the same except for the price . . .the
GE bulbs cost more than the Everyday Value brand, but the thing that
surprised me the most was that GE was made in MEXICO and the Everyday
Value brand was made in - you guessed it - the USA at a company in
Cleveland , Ohio .

One Light Bulb at a Time...................
 
It's Way past time to start finding and buying products you use every day
that are made right here.

So, on to the next aisle: Bounce Dryer Sheets... yep, you guessed it,
Bounce cost more money and is made in Canada . The Everyday Value brand
cost less, and was MADE IN THE USA! I did laundry yesterday and the dryer
sheets performed just like the Bounce Free I have been using for years, at
almost half the price.

My challenge to you is to start reading the labels when you shop for
everyday things and see what you can find that is made in the USA - the
job you save may be your own or your neighbor's!

If you accept the challenge, pass this on to others so we
can all start buying American, one light bulb at a time!

Stop buying from overseas companies - you're sending the jobs there. (We
should have awakened a decade ago....)

Let's get with the program and help our fellow Americans keep their jobs
and create more jobs here in the USA .
 
Support the products that are " Made in the USA "


It's up to us to make change happen, don't wait for the government to do it, or you may never see it happen...

Support our manufacturers and the Jobs of the American people!!!!

Pass this on far a wide!

 

Brown Paper Bag Counter Top

I love this! 

 Great share by a FB friend.

I did this on walls a few years back and just loved it! 

It really is easy to do and well worth it.

 I never thought about using it as a counter top but, apparently it works well with the proper seal....

Can't wait to try this on a counter...

Follow the link below for full instructions and more pictures!

http://compulsiveintexas.blogspot.com/2011/11/brown-paper-bag-counter-top.html

The Double Run Chicken System by: Victory Garden

This is a great way to get two jobs done for the price of one!

Love it!

http://www.ecofilms.com.au/victory-garden-chicken-system/

Straw bales provide foundation for sustainable building

I found this fascinating and just about doable for anyone... SRN

http://sunflowerhorizons.com/groups/research-and-development/2011/aug/7/straw-bales-provide-foundation-for-susta/

Electric Space heaters and how to use them cost efficiently

Moving up to Northern Idaho this past year was very exciting. The beauty of this great state is beyond words. As winter has made its way to our cozy little home, I thought I might do us a favor by doing a little research on what would be the most economical way to keep warm and cozy through our long winter...

I am a firm believer in only heating the rooms you are using, heating or cooling unused rooms just seems a waste of hard earned money in my book.

We have a great wood burning insert in our living room and use that during the day and evenings. At night as we are ready to turn in we need another source to keep the chill off the long night, so I decided on a 1,500 watt thermostat space heater for our room. Liking to sleep at a cool 60 to 65 degrees It does a fantastic job. I also put one in our bathroom for morning showers, again great job!

In the morning upon rising our thermostat in the living-room reads anywhere between 50 and 55, we start our fire and in about 30 minutes or so we are sitting at about 60ish. With a well tended fire we can stay heated comfortably at 68 to 70, and when it's 20 to 30 outside that feels very warm and cozy.

After hearing a few horror stories about high electric bills using space heaters I thought I might want to see how things were going to ad up.

I am pleasantly surprised at what I found, like anything else proper use is key.

Below are a few charts and some valuable information on using heaters and a few other electric appliances. Hope this will help you as it has helped me. :)

Hope you all have a warm and cozy winter! SRN

Saving energy at home:
Electric space heaters

Beware of inflated claims and prices

Advertisements promise that certain models of electric space heaters will save 50 percent on heating costs. Many may wonder if this and other claims are true.

In fact, depending on how portable heaters are used, consumers actually can see their total energy costs go up. And promises of whole-house comfort from portable electric space heaters are exaggerated.

Let's look into the real capability of portable heaters and review how they should be used to obtain maximum payback.

A watt is a watt

Some dealers are selling what is basically a 1,500-watt electric space heater for $250, $300, $400, and even more. Packaged in furniture-like wooden boxes, or wood-looking plastic, what's inside is still a 1,500-watt heater—capable of putting out the same amount of heat at the same cost as a 1,500-watt milk house heater that costs $25.

The only feature of an electric heater that affects the amount of heat the unit can generate is wattage. No matter how elaborate the cabinet that holds it, electric heating is the same. And buyers need to understand how the electric heater works or risk succumbing to a pretty package.

If you're going to heat with electricity, a better investment is a heat pump or an off-peak electric system.
Both are far more economical to operate than electric space heaters.

Electricity is efficient

All electric heating is 100 percent efficient. That means the energy that goes into an electric heater will come out as heat. No energy is wasted.

The only electric heating that is more efficient are heat pumps (air-source or geothermal). Because they use electric energy to capture heat and move it rather than to make heat, they operate at higher efficiencies.
(Air-source heat pumps are 200 percent efficient at certain temperatures, and geothermal heat pumps operate at more than 300 percent efficiency.)

These options aside, whether it is a radiant, convection, or fan-forced electric heater—and whether it cost $25 or $500—it is going to operate at 100 percent efficiency.

The best heater also may be the least expensive to buy

Consumers looking for an electric space heater and tempted by advertising claims are advised to do some research. Consumer Reports published a review of space heaters in October 2007 that showed these higher-priced models disappointed—with one model providing “only fair temperature control and ease of use,” and another, equipped with an air purifier, providing “lackluster temperature control, cleaned the air poorly, and lacks an overheat-protection feature.” This same article shows superior performance and recommended safety features in a model that sells for about $60.

Know operating costs

So, how much will an electric space heater cost to operate? You can use the following formula to calculate how much it will cost to operate a 1,500-watt space heater (or any other electric equipment):

Watts x hours of use ÷ 1,000 x cost per kilowatt-hour = cost of operation

This means that if a 1,500-watt heater ran 24-hours at a rate of 7.57 cents a kilowatt-hour, the cost would be $2.73 a day (1,500 x 24 ÷ 1,000 x $0.0757). For a month that would amount to $81.76 added to the electric bill of the average customer.

Portable heaters are intended for spot heating

Spot, or zone, heating is what portable electric heaters were designed to do. If a portable heater is used in one area and the thermostat for the main heating system is lowered, energy savings are possible. However, if a portable heater is used in one room and the main heating system also is running, savings are not likely to be achieved.

Additionally, to achieve savings a portable heater must operate with a thermostat so it doesn't run continually. Heaters with multiple output settings let you choose the lowest setting that keeps a room comfortable. Temperature control is key to saving energy.

Select for safety

When buying and using an electric space heater, follow these safety guidelines.

• Look for a product that carries an Underwriters Lab (UL) label.
• Select one that automatically shuts off if tipped and that has protective casing over the heating element to avoid the potential for burns.
• Avoid using an extension cord but, if one is needed, be sure it has at least 12-gauge wire.
• Select the proper wattage so your portable electric space heater doesn't overload your electrical wiring and create a fire safety issue.
• Select a model that has a thermostat so it doesn't run all the time.
• Never allow an electric space heater to run when you are out of the house or asleep.

If you're going to heat with electricity and want to make a better long-term investment, other options, such as a heat pump system or an off-peak electric system, are far more economical to operate than electric space

Appliance	Temperature	Time	Energy	Cost
Electric Oven	350	1 hour	2.0 kWh	$.16
Electric Convection Oven	325	45 minutes	1.39 kWh	$.11
Gas Oven	350	1 hour	.112 therm	$.07
Electric Frying Pan	420	1 hour	.9 kWh	$.07
Toaster Oven	425	50 minutes	.95 kWh	$.08
Electric Crockpot	200	7 hour	.7 kWh	$.06
Microwave Oven	"High"	15 minutes	.36 kWh	$.03

How Much Does It Cost to Run My Appliances?

     Here's a table showing what it costs to run common household appliances. Costs are based on 17.2 cents per kilowatt-hour electric rate. To see my blog on electricity costs for appliances, click here. Let me know by entering a comment below if you'd like to see what it costs to operate other items.

Device	Watts	Day	Week	Month
Appliances
Refrigerator: 16 Cubic Feet	138	43 cts	$3.06	$13.12
Air Conditioner: 6500 Btu	390	44 cts	$3.09	$13.24
Coffee Maker 1	835	1 ct	7 cts	31 cts
Slow Cooker: 8 hours	300	20 cts	$1.40	$6.00
Washing Machine: Agitation2	450	2 cts	14 cts	62 cts
Washing Machine: Front load HE2	225	1 ct	7 cts	32 cts
Gas Clothes Dryer: 40 min. load		25 cts	$1.76	$7.55
Electric Dryer: 40 min. load	5000	57 cts	$3.96	$16.98
Vacuum Cleaner: 4 rooms9	1260	7 cts		28 cts
Hair dryer: 6 min. a day	1320	2 cts	14 cts	56 cts
Oil filled radiator: 8 hours	1500	44 cts	$3.09	$13.24
Lighting
60-Watt Light Bulb	55	22 cts	$1.56	$6.81
60-Watt Light Bulb3	57	19 cts	$1.41	$6.19
Fluorescent Bulb4	14	5 cts	37cts	$1.60
High-Intensity Light	26	10 cts	72 cts	$3.21
Christmas Lights
LED Mini-140 lights7	7.2	1 ct	7 cts	28 cts
Mini-150 per string8	57	7.6 cts	54 cts	$2.15
Medium-25 per string8	112	14 cts	$1	$4
Window candles-each8	5	0.7 cts	4.6 cts	18 cts
Television
25-Inch Tube TV5	80	28 cts	$2.02	$8.60
Home Theater/DVD	48	19 cts	$1.38	$5.94
Computers
Modem & router always on.	14	5 cts	40 cts	$1.73
Laptop Workstation: MacBook, light and printer turned on.	70	27 cts	$1.93	$8.42
Laptop Workstation: MacBook turned off, charger plugged in.	1	--	2 cts	12 cts
Full Desktop Computer6	75	31 cts	$2.22	$9.53

² One load per day. HE refers to front loading high efficiency

³ Different bulbs have different ratings.

⁴ Equivalent to 60-watt incandescent bulb.

⁵ Twenty-four hours a day of operation

⁶ iMac computer, printer, external hard drive,

   modem, router.

⁷ 2 strings of 70 lights each for 8 hours.

⁸ Burning 8 hours a day.

⁹ Based on usage once a week.

See more at: http://www.energymiser101.com/how-much-does-it-cost-to-run-my-appliances.html