For those of you who have an extra freezer (of whom I'm envious...), this one's for you!
I have always wondered if it would be a good investment to get a freezer in Florida. Afterall, we don't have basements, so unless you have a large home in which to put your extra storage freezer, it usually ends up in the garage. And because the summer months are brutally hot in Florida, I always expected a freezer to end up costing more to run than the savings I would get from stockpiling frozen goods. I've decided this is not true and in fact a good friend of mine let me in on a few tips that I wanted to share with you today!
The key to keeping your utility bill down with a freezer is to be sure your freezer is energy efficient. If you received a free freezer from a friend, family member, etc, find out how old it is. The older the freezer, the less energy-efficient it is (meaning it will take more energy to keep things cold - thereby a higher utility bill!). Sometimes it's better to say "No" to hand-me-down freezers. Even though it's free, you might end up spending more in energy than if you had just gone out and bought a new freezer.
- Next, if you are considering purchasing a freezer, you'll need to decide what type of freezer you want (upright or chest). A freezer chest is typically less expensive, whereas an upright door freezer might be more convenient. Which will you actually use and not dread digging through? Weigh the pros and cons before purchasing.
- Finally, keep your freezer fully stocked. It makes sense if you think about it... A freezer with a few items is working harder to keep those few items cold, whereas a unit doesn't have to work as hard at keeping things frozen if it's already stocked full of frozen food. Did I explain that well??
Now, all I need is a freezer... :)
3 Comments:
Good ideas! I used to have an upright freezer, but now we only use the one in the fridge.
I wonder if putting a pad of paper on top of the freezer and writing what's inside as you put it in might help out when it comes to finding things. You could cross things off as you use them and add to the bottom as you add new things. You could also write the date you added it if it applies. I don't have a freezer but this might be something I'd try out if I purchased one.
Thanks for the post. I'm hoping to purchase a house soon enough so I'm eating up all the advice I can get concerning appliances!
Love your site. A big thank U!! I am in FLa also and wanted to add about the freezer: I put gallon jugs of water in the freezer so if power outtage, it keeps stuff froze longer and I can grab one to stick in fridge if its a longer outtage. Also during hurricane season I put extra in there so its cold water when needed.
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