How to Make a Solar Nightlight

I have taken you by the hand and kept you; I have given you as a covenant to the people, a light to the nations, to open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, from the prison those who sit in darkness

ISAIAH 42:6

When I lost my job, immediately every dollar mattered. We were living on one income, and I was frantically reading tons of tips online on ways to lower your bills. We cut our cable and lowered our phone and car insurance payments. I unplugged everything we didn't use and re-plugged everything we did use into power saving strips. I hung thermal curtains and changed light bulbs to LEDS. And all of those tips worked! But there was one thing we couldn't eliminate. Something so small and silly! Our nightlight. We would leave the light above the kitchen stove on throughout the night to help us navigate to the bathroom or to get a glass of water. I eliminated every wasteful electric habit but was having a hard time with a night light alternative.

I am telling you all this because that's where my head was when I came up with this idea. I don't know how much the solar nightlight saves us. That one little bulb near the range hood was on 10 hours a day and 365 days a year. Maybe 25 bucks in a year? But at that time, every dollar mattered!  Even today, every dollar matters. I have learned how quickly lots of little insignificant amounts add up to big amounts over time. A buck here and a quarter there can add up to thousands of dollars saved or thousands of dollars wasted. 

It's easy to make your own solar nightlight. You will need a empty bottle and a solar garden stake light. You can pick up a small solar light at the Dollar Tree or Dollar General for a buck. Drop the solar light stake down into the bottle, and it's ready! Place your solar nightlight in a sunny window during the day to charge. When the sun goes down it automatically turns on, so keep the nightlights under a lamp until bedtime. When you're ready for bed, place the nightlight on the floor to light up a hallway path or on your nightstand. Once you turn off the lights, it'll start glowing! The only downside is if the solar panels don't collect enough sun. They won't work. You can try leaving them under a table lamp to charge on cloudy or rainy days.

2 Reused Bottles. 2 Solar Lights. 2 Bucks.

I think these would be great for outdoor patio tables too! I hope you try and make your own solar nightlight. Let me know what you think! Thanks for reading!