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Make your home work for you

Life in Arkansas moves at a different pace

We treasure spending a leisurely Saturday morning at the farmers market or enjoying a tall glass of tea (sweet, of course) on the back porch. Now, newcomers may see this way of life as slower. We see it as better.

Don’t get us wrong, we can get up and get going with the best of them. We’re not afraid to take a heart-pumping hike up Pinnacle Mountain. But generally speaking, the pace here is different and once you “get it,” you love it.

And we know how to stretch a dollar too. Whether it’s the electric bill, the grocery bill or just keeping up with the kiddos and their seemingly bottomless appetites, we can save better than most.

Coffee first

The alarm clock buzzes. Coffee is brewed. You pour yourself a cup of ambition, and off we go. As we wrangle the kids out of bed, bribe them to take showers and drive them like a herd of cats to the breakfast table, we long for a less hectic life.

And because kids treat their morning showers like a personal spa, the water bill adds up fast. Enter the low-flow showerhead. This little addition can save up to 2,700 gallons and around $145 a year. And here’s the good news for any busy parent: Our Entergy Solutions programs will actually replace all eligible showerheads in your home with new, efficient showerheads, along with faucet aerators, without lifting a finger.

Not only is slow cooking less costly—a slow cooker uses about half the energy of an oven or stovetop—it also fills your home with the kinds of smells that bring everyone running to the table like a defensive end rushing the quarterback.

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It’s a meal—and an event

The kitchen is the heart of the home. We gab over everything from porterhouse steak to biscuits and gravy. Because around here, food is more than just a meal. It’s connection.

That being said, the kitchen can also be a big ol’ money pit. We have double ovens, ice makers, food processors and blenders. Throw in a small TV and you’ve got a place that would make our grandparents’ heads collectively spin.

And that’s just in the kitchen.

These days, with rising grocery costs, we’re getting more creative. We buy in bulk when we can and freeze what we don’t use. It also means simple ingredients and slow-cooked comfort food. We eat well, and we eat boldly with an unapologetic love of flavor, care and character. Here, recipes are passed down from wooden-spoon-wielding grandmas who see their handwritten 3x5 cards as family heirlooms.

We have 40 more plug-in devices in our homes compared to our parents. That’s a lot of electricity, but there are ways to cut spending without cutting comfort. Smart plugs and advanced power strips can help stop the flow of electricity when gadgets aren’t in use, keeping energy waste in check.

Energy isn’t just used, it’s lived

The house itself plays a role too. The summer heat doesn’t mess around, and neither do the electric bills. We know to lean on our beloved ceiling fans to help. Also, a tug on the curtains to close them during the hottest part of the day cuts back on the A/C. Staggering the time you cook and do laundry and throwing together a cold dinner all help ease the strain.

Down-home, practical living

And maybe that’s what daily life in Arkansas really is: a balancing act between tradition and practical choices. It’s knowing you don’t need to spend a lot to live well. It’s long evenings on the porch with the lights off to count the stars. It’s dishes washed by hand with a fan humming nearby, and knowing that home is more about how you live than what you spend.