Saturday, December 11, 2010

LED Lights

On our Christmas tree we have two short sets of lights  - the kind that that uses a flicker type bulb. Replacement bulbs at Wal-Mart are $1.25 each – don’t even price them at Lowe’s  - we did last year and seemed like they were about $2.75 each. We bought these sets of lights about 4 or 5 years ago after Christmas at Hobby Lobby. Each year we have continued to look for more sets – not really deep searching – but just would look when in Wal-Mart or Hobby Lobby – but to no avail.

 

A couple of weeks ago we decided to start looking for something else that would be different for the tree…which by this time was completely decorated. With the flickering lights we have used another set of crystal looking bulb lights (but they died – not just one light – but the WHOLE set.  Anyway, when I decided to decorate the tree I wanted to do it then and there…not wait to get another set of lights we really liked. Yes, sometimes I am short on patience – usually to regret it later.

 

Back to the story at hand…when in Wal-Mart I spotted some LED sn0wflake lights…really liked them – but at $11.00 or $12.00 (can’t remember which) I thought they were too pricey…not my sweet man – he liked them and insisted we get them. There were 60 lights on the 19 feet line…and when I plugged them in  to test them I was immediately smitten. They were going on the tree right then and now….so just a bit of moving things around on the tree we were able to put them on the tree….wonderful- wonderful-wonderful looking. There are two colors of white in the LED family – I have cool white on green line (to hide in the green tree better) I have seen other LED Snowflake that use a white line….I am sure it would not look as great on the tree as the green kind.

 

Then while we were at Hobby Lobby several days later picked up another string of LED lights…these are the C-9 style with crystal type covers over the LED lights. Also picked the cool white on the green line. These are the ones I used on the mantel. The usual kind of lights were on sale – but not the LED. Being that I am a coupon user as much as I can I whipped out the 40% coupon and used it.

 

Some definite “pluses” when getting the LED strings….they save up  to 80% on energy costs…also you can string up to 43 strings together. The old style suggests no more than three (3) strings plugged into each other. Also these LED babies will last (according to the boxes) from 20,000 to 25,000 hours.

 

On the flip side these are certainly more expensive than the ordinary kind sitting on the shelves. You can be assured when the “after Christmas” sales hit with 50% or more off I will pick up several more strings.

 

These LED wonders certainly have my vote in the saving energy department.

 

 

♥Amelia♥

2 comments:

Jess @ Frugal with a Flourish said...

I really want to get some of those for our next tree - this one is pre lit so I will live with the ones I have for now!!!

Val said...

I totally agree with you. They are so worth the money.