Mad at self over elec usage

**DonnainME** · 09-12-2008, 09:49 PM

We were doing really good for a while on our electric usage. July we used 25kwh per day and August we used 29kwh per day. I just read the meter depends on what you use to figure it (22 days or 23 days) we are either using 39.43 or 41.23 kwh per day. DD is home from her dads (she goes there for a while in the summer) and that is some reason for the increase but I also haven't been unplugging as much as I was before she got back. Maybe I should go SUPER UNPLUGGER on my family. Leave ALL LIGHTS OFF and unplug EVERYTHING to hopefully get it lower as an average.

On 8/21 they elec company read the meter and it was at 41852.
I just read it tonight (I usually read in the am - that's why the difference above) at it's at 42759. So that's 907 for either 22 or 23 days. Last month we used UNDER 700 kwh (barely like 693 or something) and we have ALREADY used 907. They don't read the meter until 9/23.

OK - making a goal for myself - check meter every day around same time and try to get usage under 30kwh per day.

Wish me luck.

**peanut** · 09-13-2008, 12:13 AM

You know, I think extra bodies in the house just automatically means more money spent on all utilities. I had a chat with DH about DD#2 being gone to university now. Used to be she had her BF over all the time and they burned lights, computer and TV till midnight, when he went home. Then she'd keep the light on all night in her room because they'd watched a scary movie and she kept having bad dreams (why watch them then? But that's too practical a solution...). And she kept her computer on all day...even when she wasn't here. I took to turning it off and she complained cuz she was downloading stuff. And just what takes all day to download???

Anyway. Now she's gone, I thoroughly expect our electrical to go down. DH and I figure it should drop by 25%. We'll see at the end of this month.

So while I think you can probably cut some corners, don't expect it to be near as good as when your DD wasn't living with you. More people just mean more electricity used, in my humble experience.

Jean

**Luv2BeFrugal** · 09-13-2008, 04:04 AM

Sounds like you have a good plan... And I agree with previous poster...more people just means more power usage...don't be too hard on yourself.

It's great that you're so aware of it to check the meter every day!! Impressive!!

**DonnainME** · 09-13-2008, 04:49 PM

Thanks. I'm still proud of our usage. Even with her back, we aren't using nearly as much as his parents were using. Their bills were $250 and $275 (12 months and 24 months ago). Ours (even with the increased use) will be almost 1/2 or near 1/2.

Thanks for understanding.

**kita** · 09-13-2008, 05:56 PM

I've realized how much habits can affect the electric bill. I moved into a two room apartment in July. My mother came out to help with the move and the surgery I had planned immediately afterwards. During the move my mother insisted on having the window AC on almost constantly (she was not used to the humidity). I remember once we came into the new apartment and both ACs were on...for the last ten hours or so we had been at the old apartment. Her comment? "Oh, good, it's cool in here."
After my surgery we were home 24/7 and, admittedly, the temp was in the nineties. So AC 24/7. My electric bill? (it came after she left) $110. In August, I was at work and, yes, temps were in the mid-eighties. AC maybe twice. I just got my electric bill. $36.
I've been changing my bulbs for the curly ones, and have been trying to power strip off my computer etc while I am asleep and at work because my goal is $30.