22 June 2011

Buying a fridge

After 13 years with our old fridge, two repairs to the thermostat and it starting to freeze the food in the fridge again, we bit the bullet and bought a new fridge. We want to reduce our already low electricity bill with the help of our solar panels and hot water system, as well as the prudent use and choice of appliances. We did some research to buy a fridge that was eco friendly and settled on the Electrolux two door bottom freezer from their Eco Range. One of the reasons we chose this fridge is that is doesn't use hydrofluorocarbons and it is made in Australia.



You can find out how much electricity your Australian fridge will use here at energyrating.gov.au. General research on all Australian appliances electricity consumption here.  



We've had the fridge for a week now and I'm really happy with it. It has excellent inside configuration, and even though the space inside is slightly less than our old fridge, it uses the space better and we can fit things in very easily. I love the two small drawers just above the vegetable crispers. They're just the right size for holding nuts, seeds, coconut and small bits and pieces. The middle glass shelf can be pushed back so that anything tall could be stored on the lower shelf, extending up to the top shelf. 


The freezer is at the bottom, all in drawers. There is a twist ice dispenser with an ice holder and scoop just under it. I'll use that a lot in summer. You can even take the seals out and wash them.

I'm usually not an appliance junkie but I really like this fridge. If you're looking for a new fridge, I encourage you to look at Electrolux. We bought ours online through Price Pirate.  After phoning around the local shops, Price Pirate sold us the fridge for $500 less than our local store's price. It really pays to shop around.

I have noticed quite a few long-term readers have commented for the first time recently. It always makes me smile when that happens and I make a mental note of what has caused that comment after a long time reading without commenting. If you've ever blogged and written about your own life, you'll know that it can feel a bit like people lurking in the dark out there. When they show their friendly face to say hello, it does make a difference. Thank you for coming out of the shadows and making contact.

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78 comments

  1. I think my parents bought a fridge similar to that. They LOVE it! There is SO much space inside & it's pretty to look at. :)

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  2. Rhonda,

    I wonder what you did with the old fridge? When we moved to our farm we found an old fridge and salvaged the glass shelves for windows for our chicken coop. We had no building skills, and in fact had the teens build the coop...and the windows are still in place today!

    So when I see a new fridge, I always smile and wonder, were the shelves used in a manner like we did for our hens? http://doublenickelfarm.blogspot.com/2008/04/double-nickel-coop.html

    I love the new fridge!

    Jennifer
    New Mexico

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  3. Hi Rhonda Jean, that is one beautiful refrigerator. I love the way it looks and it's so big !!
    We are with 4 people, but ours isn't that big. I would love such an appliance.
    I know what you mean about comments. It's so nice to receive them and get new followers. I haven't got many of those yet ; )
    Have a great day.

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  4. Love the new fridge; it does look well laid out thats for sure.

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  5. I will be curious to see how you like a stainless steel front. My sister got one several months ago and says it is difficult to keep fingerprints off. Let me know if you have trouble keeping it clean because we are going to need a new one soon.

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  6. humble wife, our old fridge has metal rack shelves. It was pretty old. A coop is a great way to recycle an old fridge.

    Monique, australians usually have big fridges because in the summer, we need them for all sorts of things, like drinks and cold salads.

    Lori, I wondered about the finger marks too. It's been fabulous so far with just Hanno and I. The test will come when Jamie and Peanut start walking.

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  7. Hi Rhonda,
    I am alurker but not a sinister one! Your comment about that made me post this :) I'm Ingrid from the Coromandel in NZ. I read your post each morning. It helps ground me for the day and I focus on our budget goals and the joy of simple living and loving. Thanks for being the person you are. I can't wait for your book.

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  8. Hello! I'm one of those stalkers, admiring from a distance. So let me break my silence! Your blog has truly affected my life, inspiring me to really focus on simple, wholesome, handmade living. I already did things like make my own bread and crochet scarves, but Down to Earth made realize I don't want hobbies, I want a lifestyle. So thank you, for making me see just how much I care about living simply in order to simply live.

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  9. I always find it difficult to choose when to replace appliances. The new ones might be energy saving, but it also uses resources to produce them. I guess in your case, after several repairs, it made sense.

    Now that I started blogging myself I know what you mean about commenting. Before that I did not even realize that my visits would be counted.

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  10. I love my freezer being on the bottom. For years it was at the top. Having refrigerator space at the top is much more convenient since most of the items I freeze are in a separate freezer.

    Your new refrigerator is beautiful and I can tell you really researched what you and Hanno need. I learn so much from you.

    Diane in North Carolina

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  11. Hello Ingrid, good luck with your budget and your simple living goals. I'm really pleased the blog helps you live true.

    Amaranthian, I loved your comment. I know exactly what you mean by making the connection between hobbies and lifestyle. I wish you well and hope your change becomes a beautiful life.

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  12. Nice fridge! I hope you have many delicious meals from it! Lana

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  13. Rhonda I'm interested in this Price Pirate and how you buy a fridge online. Did they just deliver it to your home?
    We have always ( 30 years ) bought from our local old man but he is not in business anymore , which is a pity because we could just ring up and he would deliver and we would sort the $'s out the next time we were in town.
    But now there is only hardly normal and co so we feel no allegiance to them.
    Our fridge is old and making weird noises so her time is limited . I would rreally like to know how Price Pirate works.

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  14. Hi Rhonda,

    I found your blog several months ago and have been reading ever since, but this is my first time commenting. I am a 29 year old homemaker living in the US. My husband and I do not have children yet, so our choices are pretty uncommon--at least in this country. Anyway, I love reading about homemaking from older, wiser ladies. I always come away from your site encouraged. I will try to do a better job of speaking up when I visit. :)

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  15. anon, we usually buy local but this price difference was just too much. This is how we did it. We researched what we wanted by going to the websites of the companies we thought we might want to do business with and read about what they offered and their products. We then, by chance, found price pirate ( http://www.pricepirate.com.au/ ) and asked for a quote. It was $500 less than our local quote. Their delivery cost $90, the local delivery would have been $50. They have their main office in Sydney, with warehouses in Brisbane and Melbourne. Once we placed our order, they emailed within the day to tell us when it would arrive. The men who delivered telephoned, on time, 30 minutes before they arrived and they brought it in. A few days after the delivery, we were sent our receipt in an email. They were fast and efficient and I would deal with them again.

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  16. Hello Jessica, thank you for saying hello. I send my best to you and your husband for your future together.

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  17. Oh, I have fridge-envy now - it is beautiful! I don't have room for one as big as that in my kitchen, but it is nice to look.

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  18. Your mention of the fridge being made in Australia gave me a scary visualization of a fridge being shipped around the world. Can you imagine the environmental impact of moving something so heavy so far?! I've never bought a fridge (being a renter) and so had never considered it before. I will certainly note where my appliances are made when I reach that point!

    I really appreciate what Amaranthian said about not wanting hobbies, but wanting a lifestyle. I still feel at this point knitting and such are hobbies, but they are gradually becoming a lifestyle as I get more adept at them. Your blog is always a source of inspiration and motivation as I continue on that journey.

    Also, I don't comment when there are already like 40 comments, but maybe I should start. Even when I don't, I still read and enjoy every post.

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  19. I've been reading your blog every day for a year or more. Don't comment, though. Sorry if that was a little creepy for you. Your blog is my favorite in the whole, wide world! :)

    Over Here

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  20. Thank you Rhonda.
    We live a few hours up the highway from you so i feel the same or a similar routine would apply. I'll put them on favourites - as my memory has it's moments. Then I'll know the who and what when we buy.

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  21. Hi Rhonda, I have bought electroluxe appliances twice in the last couple of years for their Eco friendliness. I have been very happy with the performance of both

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  22. Hi Rhonda Jean,

    I don't think you will have any difficulty cleaning the stainless steel doors. I simply wipe mine with a damp cloth and polish with a microfibre cloth. No fingerprints!

    Cheers, Lee.

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  23. Can I spy a bottle of champers?
    Perhaps for popping when the Peanut makes an appearance?
    Have you done a previous post on how you keep your electricity costs low?
    I didn't know to keep nuts in the fridge - I suppose it keeps them fresher, right?

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  24. O.k. I'll say hello. I don't comment often but I do enjoy reading what you have to say!

    I love your new fridge. Shopping for the best price can be very rewarding. Your research definitely paid off.

    We are looking for a new/efficient freezer. Ours is old and is not conserving electricity. We should make back our investment fairly quickly...and be able to freeze more veggies.

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  25. It might not be as feasible where you are as it is in Tassie, but have you considered going fridge free and just using the deep freeze? My housemates have done it a couple of times and my planned house doesn't include a fridge :) (One of the times they did it they lived in Canberra, not Tassie).

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  26. Hi Rhonda,
    I love your fridge. just a bit of baby oil keeps these fingerprints away and polishes it up.

    Lors x

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  27. What a coincidence we bought a new fridge this week too. Unfortunatly ours was only 8 years old but we've added three kids to the equation since we bought it and now it's not working how it should. I pulled some fish out recently to discover it hadn't frozen properly, a result of too much in a too small a space! (no we didn't eat it) Our new fridge while 220L bigger will use half the energy of our current fridge which was one of the reasons we choose it. This summer here in Japan they predict rolling blackouts because of the closure of a number of nuclear power plants after the tsunami, demand is expected to be grater than possible output. We've all been asked to conserve 15% electricity, hard on the home front when you don't really consume that much, I hope our new fridge helps and so too not using our air con

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  28. Hello everyone! BLD, it feels strange because every day many thousands of people drop by here and there are so few comments. I don't expect everyone to comment on every post, but it does seem like a lot of lurking.

    Thank you, Ever Here.

    Freefalling, yep, champagne! It's actually left over from Hanno's 70th last September, no doubt we'll drink it at some stage. Anything with oil in it - nuts, seeds, oats, grains etc shoud be kept in the fridge if you intend keeping it long term.

    Hi Becky, a good energy-efficient freezer is a really sound investment.

    Dylan, when we lived in Germany we stored many things on our outdoor lounge room shelf. Milk, cheese, meat - it all stored very well. It's not that feasible in Queensland.

    Lors the cleaning instructions for our fridge say only warm soapy water, no chemicals or oil. The steel is dark, not a shiny steel, and it's not showing much at all.

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  29. Snazzy new fridge Rhonda~!

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  30. Hi Rhonda,

    What a great idea to check energy ratings before buying an appliance - hopefully our fridge has many years left though before its necessary.

    Another reason for big fridges in Queensland (at least our corner) is so you can put your fruit in it in summer and avoid fruit fly!

    Best

    Sarah

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  31. Hi Rhonda,

    Here's another 'long time lurker' popped out of the shadows to say hello.

    I've been enjoying your blog for some time now and you really have been an inspiration to me.

    Having been retired for a year now, and wanting for so long to get back to the slow,easy, simple living I remember and love from my childhood, you have played a big roll in helping me to do just that.

    I now have several veggie beds growing well in our back garden - have built quite a good stockpile and now cook everything from scratch - life is now simple and good. Soap making and food preserving will follow in due course.

    You have a beautiful, tranquil home to be proud of and a lovely family........little Jamie is absolutely gorgeous.

    Thank you Rhonda for helping me on my way to the simple life.

    You see, my dear, it does pay to chastise we 'lurkers' once in a while. It is, after all, only fair when I (and many others who don't introduce ourselves) think of you as an old friend who helps us on our way and brings pleasure into our lives by sharing yours - together with the lovely pictures you post.

    Best wishes Rhonda and Hanno,

    Love your new fridge.

    Val in England

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  32. Hi Rhonda

    I have been a lurker for quite some time now. I love your blog and read it almost every morning. Your wisdom and your generosity encourage me to better myself and do more for my family home. Thank you for sharing all that you do.

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  33. Hi Rhonda, I am guilty of being a lurker. My partner calls it stalking so I will do my best to change that. Since I found your blog I have been inspired to make small changes each week to become less of a consumer and live a simpler life. So far I am pleased with the changes I have made and my partner is even getting on board which I thought would be difficult as he works in IT and loves gadgets and having the latest technology. I showed him a youtube clip recently called "The Story of Stuff" which really opened our eyes about consumerism. Hope you have a fabulous day.

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  34. Hello Rhonda,

    I enjoy reading your blog. I have it in my automatic blog reader so I don't miss a post. I don't comment because I don't feel I have anything really to add to the conversation.

    Thank you for writing. I send some of your posts about keeping a simple, thoughtful home to my new husband as we are still getting to know each other and are building the first year of our lives together at great distance while he is deployed. I'm glad I have your words to send him as they appear always well thought out and say eloquently what I would like to.

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  35. To the new commenters: I'm at my voluntary job today but I will respond to your lovely comments when I take my lunch break.

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  36. OK, I am one of those long time lurkers. Not sure if I've ever commented before.

    I was motivated to comment today because we recently had to buy a new refrigerator (our old one was 13 years old too). I chose to buy an energy efficient one with the freezer on the bottom as well. I love that the items I reach for most aren't at the bottom of the fridge and require me bending over. I'm hoping fewer items will disappear now that they will be more visible.

    Our old fridge is being picked up by a recycling company that is going to pay us US$50. Our electric company has worked that out with the recycler. As far as finger prints on your new fridge from the grandkids....enjoy them after their visit ends. I always left the prints and smears on the windows for a long time after the grandkiddos left. They made me smile each day and I was always a little sad when I washed them away, but I also love looking through shiny, clean windows!

    Rhonda, we are the same age and in pretty much the same place in our lives. It's a great place to be in life. I do still have a couple more years to work though.

    I have longed to go solar but can't afford the high price to do so. Instead we have gradually updated our aging power users and replaced windows and doors on our 60+ year old house.

    You have inspired me to bake bread, to make my own laundry detergent, and to use vinegar and baking soda instead of all those nasty cleaning products. I have always cooked mostly from scratch and live a pretty thrifty and conservative life (my mom taught me that).

    Last year my Singer sewing machine that I had since high school simply quit working and I decided it was not worth repairing. I bought a new one with a few more bells & whistles and found it is so much fun to use. I have been busy making my 4 year old granddaughter felt food to play with along with the more utilitarian uses.

    Well, guess I had a lot to say!

    Pat from PA

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  37. hi rhonda,
    I like the configuration inside the new fridge. It seems to have a functional layout and easy to see the items . Really like the way the freezer is set up as well. When i started reading this blog i went back to the beginning and read every post you had written and felt like i got to know you. Have tried most all of the recipes and have yet to make the soap, but now have everything at hand to do it. You are a shining example to all of us wannabe's and so happy to have found you. I now knit, mend, budget( just out of debt this week using your methods) cook from scratch, garden etcetera over the year i have subscribed. Thank you for returning me to the basics and helped me get back down to earth.
    jan (former lurker ;)

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  38. We recently replaced a fridge and clothes washer with energy efficient models. I love my Electrolux washer! Our fridge is similar to yours, but a different maker. So far it's a good one. No more frozen lettuce. :)
    Here in the U.S. I was able to get a combination of vouchers, tax credits and rebates which covered 80% of the cost! We are seeing energy savings already.
    I was so pleased with myself today...I did several loads of laundry and on this first truly hot day of the year, hung my laundry outside and thought about all the energy and money being saved. :) I will sleep like a baby on sun-dried sheets tonight.

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  39. Hi Rhonda.

    I read your blog almost every morning. I have commented once or twice but most of the time I feel that there is nothing more I could add other than thanks every day. It does seem a bit one sided for those of us without our own blogs. We know so much about you and your life and you know precious little about us. But thank you for doing what you do. Your blog has changed the way I live and I will be forever grateful.

    Kind regards
    Melissa

    PS If it is possible to have fridge envy then I have it!
    Cant wait for the book :)

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  40. Im always here Rhonda...:) I never miss a post...
    It is nice to have a comment left here and there though...enjoy filling that fridge with home grown veg and home made food...Suzanne
    ( I am the little blue kitchen owner from your kitchen sink series)

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  41. I enjoy your blog and have been reading it for a long. I do not mean to be a lurker I just do not have a google account or a blog so I can only respond as Anonymous, which seems even more lurker like, but I did sign in this time:).

    We had to buy a new fridge a few years ago, we were shocked that the life span of so many seem to be about 2 years. We could not afford the elextrolux and have small children so a bottom freezer was not such a good idea for us:) but they did have wonderful reviews.

    Enjoy and I hope it lasts many years.

    Teresa

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  42. HI RHONDA,

    i've been reading your blog everyday since i found you 2 months ago..i really live it. thanks for sharing.

    I love your new fridge..:)
    take care n God bless!
    Priz

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  43. We've been looking at new fridges too. Ours was given to us by my parents, used by my stepdad when he first moved out of home in the 1980s, so it's got to be at least 20 years old. It's been running rather poorly for awhile now, but it's so hard to find a new energy efficient fridge in our price range. :(
    ~S.

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  44. I wish you luck with your Electrolux - We bought one for similar reasons, however it was the worst purchase we have ever made.

    Two new doors later (fitted under warranty - they refused to replace the fridge) it is an absolute lemon and guzzles power like no other appliance that we own.

    Electrolux QLD provided the worst customer service I have encountered and we are patiently waiting for it to die so we can replace it.

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  45. Hi Rhonda, I bought a new fridge last summer and I am not as happy as you are but it is a big improvement. I bought a side by side as I have a really small kitchen. However it keeps my frozen stuff just right and it is very easy to clean That part I really love. Happy Summer! Karen from CT

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  46. I close my day off with your weblog Rhonda. Everyday I read about your day when I'm going to sleep here in the Netherlands. You are a great inspiration for my way of life. I was once on your weblog with pictures of my kitchen I don't have a weblog myself anymore but love to read yours! Marian

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  47. Hi Rhonda,
    Afraid I haven't been taking the time to leave comments the last few weeks though I do try to make time to check in daily. Life has been busy. We have quadrupled the size of our garden & yesterday made 24 jars of strawberry jam.
    Love your fridge. A couple of years ago when we needed a new fridge we too decided on the freezer on the bottom but ours have french doors. I do find that since so much is now at eye level that fewer things get "lost" in the back of the fridge becoming "science" projects.
    Our fridge now is such an improvement over the one we had in our first apartment when we were married in 1985. The apartment didn't have a fridge so a friend gave us an old one she had in her garage. It was from 1953. I guess now we would call it vintage. The freezer compartment was this little box in the upper corner, big enough to hold 2 ice trays & a box of ice cream. It had to be defrosted regularly with a hair dryer & a spatula. It served us well for a year until it needed a new door gasket. Called around to find a new gasket & when I told people the model year they just laughed. We left it behind when we moved.Though that old one so many years ago had a certain charm I wouldn't trade it for my nice, modern, energy saving model I now have.
    Tricia in NH

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  48. What a beauty! :) We purchased our current fridge 2 years ago and I'm so disappointed in it. We bought the exact same model that we had owned previously in another home (and were happy with), but lo and behold, they changed the design and the quality wasn't near the same. So disappointing! Glad you are happy with yours, though - It looks very organized and well designed. Enjoy!

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  49. We are buying a fridge in a couple of weeks so this is a very timely post.

    It looks like a decent size fridge, how would it go feeding a (growing) small family of mum, dad, growing boy and hopefully in the near future another addition? We tend to shop at the markets once a week and get all our fresh fruit/vegetables for that week there. Given we eat three vegetarians meals a week thats a lot of fresh food, do you think this fridge has the space for that sort of use?

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  50. OK so I will lurk in the dark no longer. I love that fridge but will try not to be jealous.

    I enjoy reading of the things you do as you live pretty much as I do, except for the chickens.

    Tricia

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  51. Nice looking fridge Rhonda! Also thank you for the tip about buying online...that's a great discount. DH and I usually use the Union Shopper but we've never had that good a discount!

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  52. Electrolux has been around for years and if, as you say, it is 'made in Australia' then you have made a good choice. I remember my Mum had a Electrolux vacuum cleaner and it absolutely refused to die. She eventually replaced it with an upright model but it was sent to the garage for vacuuming the car out. When she finally got rid of it, I think it was over 25 years old! Stainless steel is so nice, isn't it?

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  53. Hello Rhonda,
    okay,here I am,coming out of the dark, looking round the corner and saying hello!
    Why I didn't before is only because I live in germany and to write comments in english is always a challenge for me.
    But I did in the down to earth forum before.
    So,your new fridge looks very good.
    We own a fridge with as much storing place in,too.
    Absolutely necessary in a family of nine persons -and two adult children,coming on a short visit and taking always food for a six week journey with them!!-
    Inge (countrylady)

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  54. Hi Rhonda,

    I have been reading your blog for at least two years now and recently I have even reread it from the very first beginning. Everything you write makes so much sense, that I don't feel there is much for me to contribute. So I have never commented before. But I will keep reading your blog and I hope to find your book very soon here in the Netherlands as well.

    With kind regards,
    Rina

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  55. My goodness, there are a lot of us lurkers! =) I read your posts faithfully & have learned so much. I am a grandma living in the Missouri Ozarks. We moved to the country 14 years ago & it was the best decision we ever made. We love having our own garden, chickens, etc. & I LOVE the simpler lifestyle. I have two grandbabies, a girl, 14 months old & a boy, 13 months old & a new little boy due to be born next week & they have truly changed our life. I am already enjoying letting them potter in the garden with me & to gather eggs, etc. I love your posts about your grandbabies. I find I don't have as much time for my sewing, knitting, etc.since I babysit them regularly but that's ok...time for that will come soon enough. Thank you for sharing. Valerie

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  56. Hello Rhonda! After your last paragraph I decided that it was time this lurker came out of the shadows and introduced myself. My name is Valerie and I live in a small village in Pennsylvania, USA.

    Reading your blog has lead to making several changes in my life making things much simpler. Thank you for the knowledge you share with all of us! I look forward to reading your book.

    Have a great day!

    Valerie

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  57. Rhonda,
    Good morning (US). No need to post this, but I have a link you might like.
    www.backwoodshome.com/current_issue.html
    The articles in RED are free to read, and at the bottom of the article, click "Read More by (Author)" to see an index of free articles by all authors. Or click "Read More Self Reliance Articles" to see an index by topic. I have subscribed in the past and really enjoyed it. Toodles.

    BStitches

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  58. Nice fridge! Another long-time lurker here. I love your blog and read most days - sets me up for the day!

    A in la belle France:)

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  59. Good Morning from the Us. Love the way you share your life. It has given me hope and a kick in the pants to stop dreaming and start doing. My first grand child will be born in Dec. I started making cloth diapers & such from scraps and things we find at thrift stores. I got the idea from you. When you were posting about nappies I started researching.Then my daughter told me she was thinking of cloth diapers, so there you go. Just another example of how you inspired me to do what I can with what I have. Thank you so much.
    Oh and I'm not sure where my vinegar went wrong, but I will get it right eventually :)

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  60. I am a regular reader and big fan of your blog. I think this is the third year I have been reading it. I am also a first time grandma, so I enjoy hearing your joy and experiences with the new babies.
    Your posts have led me to trying many new things, including soap-making.
    I have tried to post a response before, but for whatever reason, have been unable to. I hope this one appears!
    Thanks for sharing your life, Rhonda.
    Cynthia

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  61. Hello Rhonda,

    Perhaps I am one of your stalkers!! OOops! All the way from the UK :-) This post doesn't link to your beautiful fridge, although I love it; I wanted to say hello and thank you for being so open and honest on your site. I now make my own soap, I've knitted my own dish cloths (taken part in your swap) and am so grateful every day for the simple things. Bedding doesn't match, dishes are odd, but our home is clean and shares much love. Thank you for your fantastic blog and for sharing. Bev (From a sunny windy England) x

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  62. I'm going to be looking for a new fridge. I've seen the kind you bought and wondered if I'd like it or not. Did yours come with an ice maker? We live in a 3rd world country and can't use the ice made from tap water. So I need a freezer without an ice maker so I have less wasted space. I really enjoy - love - your blog. I am a younger sah wife and have used many of your main meal recipes. In fact the beef stew is made on a weekly basis it's normally our Sunday main Meal. I would love to try more of your main meal recipes if you ever have time or would care to share. They've really helped us out. I didn't know how to cook when we got married and little by little I'm finding recipes that are "keepers" for life.

    Lori

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  63. Hi Rhonda!

    I don't usually have much to add to the comments, but thought I would say Hello and Thank You so much for all your work. Your blog has changed so many lives for the better- including my own. One of my favorite quotes that I try to live by is:

    "The greatest work you will ever do will be within the walls of your home."

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  64. I just left a comment as anonymous- my name is Angie from the U.S.

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  65. How can we nót coming out of the dark by visiting you, my dear Rhonda? ;o)

    Nice fridge you have bought.

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  66. joolzmac, the Electrolux fridge factory is in Orange NSW.

    :- )

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  67. At one point we had taken my mother's old fridge and it was in our basement. We had it full of drinks in preparation for a party, when it decided it wanted to be a freezer instead. What a mess!

    When we bought our current fridge, I wasn't home when they delivered it, and I don't know if I'd had thought of this. Both of ours were from the same manufacturer, but the old one had wire shelves, and the new one had glass. I actually feel like this one wastes a lot of space with the rims on the shelves, and I wish I'd been able to check if the old ones would fit in it. Everyone seems to prefer the glass shelves, but I think I could store more on my wire ones.

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  68. Hi Rhonda, I was so busy yesterday I didn't even get to your blog. After a farm tour here we were off to see the new baby.Yes! she arrived after that false start last week.Last night I spent a lot of time trying to download photos to my blog and it just wouldn't work consequently I didn't post.I love to read your blog for that very reason that I don't feel so isolated in this life I'Ve chosen.And I agree that the comments just reinforce that . Thanks so much for doing what your doing and ditto to the rest of you.

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  69. My fridge died nearly the same time yours did.. luckily I still had my previous fridge in a back shed and was able to haul it out of storage all the the seals are totally shot as the plastic around part of the door has deteriorated but it still works and for the moment it will have to do..I must say I much prefer the the rack type shelves in fridges.. the glass shelves always seem to hold water on them and they always seem to make the contents wet on the bottom or drip water when you take something out of them..I much prefer the plastic coated racks..nell

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  70. guess i am a lurker too. love love love your blog

    your are motivating me to live a better life

    with baby steps at the moment but i think that helps to make it all stick...not so overwhelmed

    tisme

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  71. Good timing Rhonda, our fridge is on the same brink as your old one. We have found the choices frustrating and I'm wondering if it's because we are in Tasmania that our choices are limited. It was very good to hear about another choice (Electrolux) and I am thinking that Craig and I might have to shop while we are in Brisbane for a family celebration in July and have something shipped to us. I like the bottom freezer styles the best and we are also trying to fit it into a specific space in the kitchen. We are the WORST consumers...we hate shopping at the best of times!

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  72. My fridge is very similar, except it's white, not silver. I love it, and will never go back to a fridge with the freezer on top again.

    I find it's much kinder on our backs, because we mostly open the fridge door and open the freezer door less, so we don't have to bend over just to open the fridge door

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  73. Lovely fridge - I'm jealous!!

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  74. I'm also guilty of not leaving many comments sorry Rhonda!!
    Do enjoy your blog though.
    We have a Mitsubishi fridge which is very similar to your Electrolux, although it has an additional veg drawer (smaller freezer). We also have a separate upright fridge for extras (mainly in summer) like fruit and drinks.

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  75. We turned a chest freezer into a chest fridge. It will cost us about $20 a year in electricity to run. Hard to beat that. Details over on the Frugal Kiwi if anyone wants to see inside.

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  76. what a splendid fridge. I'd be most embarrassed to show mine in its present state, but I love getting a glimpse into other folks' fridges. wonder why?? this occasional lurker very much appreciates your posts!!

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  77. that reminds me - must clean out my fridge now school holidays have started! thanks for the reminder :)

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  78. perhaps relevant....our dog went seriously mousing through the back of our box freezer. Luckily he didn't electricute himself but he did finish the freezing capacity of the box for all time(the sad fact when it's cheaper to buy a new one). Ironically instead of a trip to the tip, the box itself provides wonderfully mouse proof storage. Freezer boxes aren't beautiful in my eyes....a creative and fun challenge if you lack the space to hide it away?
    - Penny

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