ELECTRICITY REMAINS A GOOD VALUE
While the holiday season is full of excitement, we sometimes miss the magic as we juggle hefty shopping lists, parties, and wrapping up work projects before the end of the year. These tasks can add stress—not joy—to the holiday season. However, those of us at Ozarks Electric want you to think of your electric co-op as an early holiday gift wrapped with several layers of value.
Inspect electrical decorations for damage before use. Cracked or damaged sockets, loose or bare wires and loose connections may cause a serious shock or start a fire.
Do not overload electrical outlets. Overloaded electrical outlets and faulty wires are a common cause of holiday fires. Avoid overloading outlets and plug only one high-wattage appliance into each outlet at a time.
Never connect more than three strings of incandescent lights. More than three strands may not only blow a fuse, but can also cause a fire.
Keep tree fresh by watering daily. Dry trees can be a serious fire hazard.
Use battery-operated candles. Candles start almost half of home decoration fires.
Keep combustibles at least three feet from heat sources. A heat source that was too close to the decoration was a factor in half of home fires that began with decorations.
Protect cords from damage. To avoid shock or fire hazards, cords should never be pinched by furniture, forced into small spaces such as doors or windows, placed under rugs, located near heat sources or attached by nails or staples.
Check decorations for certification label. Decorations not bearing a label from an independent testing laboratory such as Underwriters Laboratories (UL), Canadian Standards Association (CSA) or Intertek (ETL) have not been tested for safety and could be hazardous.
Stay in the kitchen when something is cooking. Unattended cooking equipment is the leading cause of home cooking fires.
Turn off, unplug and extinguish all decorations when going to sleep or leaving the house. Unattended candles are the cause of one in five home candle fires. Half of home fire deaths occur between the hours of 11:00 pm and 7:00 am.
Ccourtesy of ESFi and NFPA 3.2
Electricity Unleaded Gasoline
per kWh 1 gal.
Eggs 1 Doz.
Apples 1 lb.
Ground Beef 1 lb.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Price Index 12-month percent change averaged from 2002 through 2012
Source: U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Price Index 12-month percent change averaged from 2002 through 2012
Avoid getting caught in the hustle and bustle of the season. Take a moment to watch the excitement in the eyes of your children and grandchildren as they count down the days. Enjoy every last piece of fudge. Then, after gifts are wrapped and meals cooked, take time to look into the faces of those around your table. They are your purpose. The rest of the holiday scramble is just details, and we can help you take care of a few of those. Happy holidays!
As a member and owner of Ozarks Electric, you receive several money-saving perks that come in handy at this time of year. Did you know you can save at local and national businesses with your Co-op Connections card simply for being a co-op member? So before you do your holiday shopping, see what kinds of deals are waiting for you by checking the local and national business list on our website at
www.ozarksecc.com/connections.
Expecting a lot of family visits over the holidays? Every kilowatt- hour saved counts! Check our website for energy tips and advice on how to manage your electricity use. We can even suggest more efficient holiday lighting options.
Too busy to stop by our office? You don’t need to take time out of your packed holiday schedule to visit our office to pay your bill. Instead, pay with our free mobile app, make a credit or debit card payment over the phone or visit one of our PaySite Kiosks at various Harps Food Stores while you are out and about.
Electricity Remains a Good Value
The cost of powering your home rises at a slower pace than expenses like gas and groceries. Compare the average price increase of these expenses each year over the span of a decade, and the value of electricity shines.
11.1
Average Annual Price Increase, Based On a 12-Month Average Percent Change 2002-2012
7.8 4.8 4.6 3.6
Orange Juice 12 oz.
3.4
Bread 1 lb.
3.3
Coffee 1 lb.
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