[Vision2020] Savings on Light Bulb Use

[Jeff Harkins]

In an earlier post, a "visionaire" was extolling the virtues of the savings 
experienced by switching from standard incandescent light bulbs to "energy 
saver" type bulbs.  He said his experience generated savings of $20.00 per 
month.  I thought about that and realized that it was possible, but unlikely.

So that folks aren't misled about the possible savings that would accrue by 
switching to the energy saving bulbs, here is an example.

The example is based on the Sylvania Energy Saver bulb.  Sylvania 
advertises that if you switch from an "ordinary" 75 watt soft white light 
bulb (which produces 1,180 lumens) to their energy saver 67 watt light bulb 
(which produces 1040 lumens) you can save $.48 per year (they assume their 
bulbs - both types - have an average life of 750 hours - approximately one 
year's use) and the price per kilowatt hour is $.08 (I think our price 
locally is about $07 per KW.  This computes to a savings of $ .04 per month 
for each bulb in service. So, yes indeed, if you have a place with 
approximately 500 light bulbs, you can save about $20.00 per month by 
switching to energy saver type bulbs.

But also realize you will lose the use of some 70000 lumens  (140 lumens 
per bulb times 500 bulbs) over the course of the year. If you actually need 
those lumens, you will have to purchase an additional 67 bulbs.

I think one would save more by switching to Geico.