Ouch!!!

[Dobie]

Are you sure they are doing actual readings and not just an estimated reading? We are also very energy conscience and couldn't figure out why our bills are so high - until I read more closely and found out that our bill was "estimated" - based on what most of the other people in our neighborhood use.
Apparently, in our area, we only get an actual reading once or twice a year, the other times it's all estimated. We now call in the reading every month and the bill has been greatly reduced. Although they do give a little bit of an attitude on the phone - basically saying "If you are lying about what you are calling in, there is a big fine"

[judy]

Originally Posted by Dobie

Are you sure they are doing actual readings and not just an estimated reading? We are also very energy conscience and couldn't figure out why our bills are so high - until I read more closely and found out that our bill was "estimated" - based on what most of the other people in our neighborhood use.
Apparently, in our area, we only get an actual reading once or twice a year, the other times it's all estimated. We now call in the reading every month and the bill has been greatly reduced. Although they do give a little bit of an attitude on the phone - basically saying "If you are lying about what you are calling in, there is a big fine"

I had the same issue years ago. I couldn't afford it. I was a single parent at the time, so they put me on a payment plan. I'm still on it and it's much better. It just evens out over the year.

I've had my a/c on for the past 3 weeks day and night. I probably will be paying a steep bill when I close the account before I move!

[goofywife]

I am not sure how many kwh we used but our bill was $155.00. I thought that it was high. We have a programable t-stat. DH has it set to go to 84 after we leave in the morning. It goes back to 74 half an hour before we get home. We also planted lots of trees. Our big bill the is water/sewer. It was $202.00. We have to water the trees.

[teri88]

We just moved into this house in November, and the utilities are killing us! They are 3 times what we estimated they would be. Between that and the way gas has gone up it's costing my husband $70 a month just to drive back and forth to work. He works 3 jobs and the one part time job just covers our gas for the month. We are seriously considering moving out of NJ when Megan graduates from HS.

[DianaB]

I keep our thermostats at 78* and if we get hot then we turn it down. You know when it's 100* outside then 78* feels pretty good. We also turn on the ceiling fans when we need a breeze on us and sleep with them on in the night. We haven't had very many really hot days yet and have actually had a nice summer so far with the cloudy and rainy days.

We had blinds installed in our windows on the west side of the house soon after we moved in because of the heat that comes in so when it's hot the blinds are turned to reflect the sun. When it's really hot I close them completely in the afternoon. It really helps to keep the kitchen cooler. I try to keep my computer on stand-by when I'm not using it because then the fan doesn't have to run......now if my family could just get that little trick through their heads!!!! Just press a key and it automatically comes back on.

My bill last month was $82.20 and we used 712 KWH. We read our own meter and send it in with our bill and I know that next month's bill will be higher. Our home is 2,350 sq. ft. with a full unfinished basement (4,700 sq. ft. all together).

[Marilyn]

I just don't get it. All of you have so much lower rates and lower bills. Diana, your rate calculates to $0.115 per KWH, so you are higher than most, but your usage is sooo low. Hubby and I live in a home build in 2003 with oodles of insulation, high efficiency everything. It's just soooo frustrating.

If we were paying Janet's rate, our bill would be $189.80.

At Angie's rate, our bill would be $203.62.

At Diana's rate, $278.76.

Our bill is $421.51!!!! And that's using non-profit, COOP power!!!!

We also use gas to heat our water, so our total energy bill is even higher!!

If we used some of the higher priced companies in our area, our bill could be as high as $509. We are using almost the lowest priced option in our area. We need more nuclear or something!!!! Maybe we need to violate the subdivision restrictions and start hanging the wash outside on a clothesline. That would look nice on the 15th fairway, don't ya think???

[Janet]

There is no way, honestly, that we would be able to pay your electric bill Marilyn. I forgot to mention that we are total electric also. I guess I shouldn't complain too much about what we pay.

I was also told...don't know how true it is...but that changing the thermostat settings is what makes most bill go up. I guess the reasoning is, once it's at a certain temp..it doesn't take much to stay there, but if say you turn the air up while you're gone...then it has to work harder longer to get cool again...same way with the heat. So we pretty much leave ours the same all the time.