[solarguy]

1. A penny saved is usually much more than a penny earned, because of taxes.

2. Growing your own veggies almost always produces a glut of excess food that would be impossible to eat at the time. Freezing is the fastest and easiest method of food preservation, with dehydration a close second. Canning is more work, but lasts a lot longer and doesn't care about the electricity going out. Losing all your food in a blackout sucks...


3. On the third hand, if you keep the freezers inside, the "waste" heat helps heat your house. So yes, you now have to pay for electricity, but none of the electricity is "wasted" so to speak.