Living off the Land

LOUDOUN CO., Va. (WUSA) — In an age when food prices are up, and gas prices are soaring, one family in our area isn’t complaining. They’ve figured out how to live efficiently and save money.

William Stewart says, “It does take quite a bit of work to make a dent in the grocery bill.” But he’s more than willing, starting with his vegetable garden. “There’s many years we’ve just been overflowing with produce.” he says.

Because they installed solar panels on their roof and energy efficient windows and appliances, their utility bill is next to nothing. “Right now a lot of times we pay close to what the connection fee is and that’s about it,” Stewart says. That connection fee is an enviable 19 bucks a month. By driving a hybrid, his gas bill is usually less than 40 dollars a month because he telecommutes 2 times a week and bikes everywhere he can. He says it’s all about living consciously. He says, “we plan out where we’re going, how many stops to make and is this trip really necessary?” He added, “I feel like I don’t need a certain life-style where I have to expend a lot of money on energy or goods or things like that.”

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