Solar powered holiday lights are the way to go this year. Yes, the LED solar powered bulbs are slightly more expensive than traditional lights, but you'll save on your electric bill at the end of the month, especially if you plan to keep your lights on every night, and since these are powered by the sun, you won't have to worry about installing them somewhere next to an outlet.
Solar powered LED lights can be found in just about every major retailer now — online as well as brick and mortar shops. The stand of lights (no matter which brand) require a few batteries to place into the solar panel to help with charging. You then place the solar panel in an area that gets the most constant sunlight throughout the day and the lights charge up allowing them to stay lit during the night.
Target has some great deals on LED solar lights. For a string of 50 White lights, it'll cost you $19.95, but if you go to Amazon, they have a string of 100 lights for $34.00. We're noticing a trend of the more you buy, the cheaper they get per 50 light strand.
Don't forget about Proper Holiday Light Etiquette!
Images: Flickr user Andy Peters under license from Creative Commons, Target & Amazon
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Comments (5)
According to GE's own box, you save on average $1.42 per season (season is 60 days at 6 hours)
At a cost of $35 for a sting of 100 (25 feet) you are quadrupling the cost. Most houses around be use 5-7 strings.
It would take over 15 years to make back your money. Your sting wont last that long. The LED LIGHTS might, but you'll tangle it, break it, lose it, etc way before the 15 year mark.
Don't buy something just because it will save you money EVENTUALLY, most products don't last long enough to pay off. Do the math and think about it before you go "green."
I did the math above, but ultimately decided to go solar because we would also have to install an outdoor outlet. (Why, WHY didn't anyone do this before we moved in?)
my mother in law bought us a set of these on clearance last year, i had them out in the patio all summer long.
Long sunny summer days. they would stay on til about 12 or 1. Gloomier long summer days. much shorter. I have already noticed with the time changes, and getting darker earlier even on sunny days these are out within just a couple hours of darkness.
Plus they were never that bright in the first place, very dull. I can't see doing a house in them or anything like that.
I just bought a set from target (the very ones mentioned in this article), and hung them on my deck, which faces south and gets a full day's worth of sunshine.
These lights are not very bright at all, not even bright enough to use as decoration. They are ambiance lights, at best.
ElevatorHappyFun: there's also the benefit of using less energy, something that makes sense for everyone, so the choice doesn't necessarily have to depend upon personal economics.