Results 1 to 10 of 10
LinkBack URL
About LinkBacks-
09-28-2011, 03:15 PM #1Registered User
- Join Date
- Jul 2007
- Location
- West of the East Coast
- Posts
- 618
- Post Thanks / WTG / Hug
- Rep Power
- 6
Small success--lower utility bill!
A few years ago we started using our local gas/electric company's Budget Billing Plan (open to everyone, not just those who are low-income, or have other special needs). So now, every October our bill is readjusted up or down, depending on how much we used the previous year.
I called today to see what our newly adjusted bill would be (would rather brace myself to hear it over the phone than wait to see it on a bill!). The lady checked my account and said, "Well, it looks like you'll be paying $170." !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I was THRILLED...we've been paying $205 each month for the last year, and we paid roughly that same amount the year before! So a $35 reduction is a HUGE success after a year of doing a LOT better (though I still have a LONG way to go) in turning off or unplugging electronics/lights/ceiling fans, keeping the heat a lot lower and the AC a lot higher, etc.
Just wanted to share this small accomplishment with like-minded people!!!May Goals:
Only $300 for groceries this month - $206/$300
Monthly coupon/valued customer savings = $14.08
No wasted food!
Stick to budget!
Track spending DAILY
Get checkbook balanced
Save $200 toward EF: $85/$200
2012 FV Challenges: Try New Recipes Challenge: 22/52, Menu Planning Challenge: 21/52, Grocery Reduction Budget Challenge, Change Jar Challenge: $27.81 as of 1-14-12, Lose A Pound A Week Challenge: 3/48, No Wasted Food Challenge
2012 Goals
1. To pay off CC (only $917.15 left!) and never again charge more than I can pay off each month.
3.Snowball the CC and Sears card payments into hospital bill (due w/ Baby #2 via C-section in mid-January). Pay that off ASAP.4. Snowball payments into DH's student loan (as of 12/4/11 there's still $4770.84 remaining). Pay off by 12/31/12.
5. Keep our grocery budget to $300 each month.
6. Use Dave Ramsey's budget sheet and get on track with this each pay period.
7. Get and keep checkbook balanced and keep an eye (weekly if not daily) on our e-statements.
8. Get savings account up to $8,000 (incl. emergency fund)
9. Make 2 Christmas gifts per month: 0/24.
10. Get our home organized: use a receipt book, keep my coupon organizer in check, have a touch-once policy for paper (touch once and then file or toss).
11. Achieve "give or get" goal of $1500 for the board I serve on by 9/30/12.
12. Taxes filed by March 17.
-
09-28-2011, 03:46 PM #2Registered User
- Join Date
- Sep 2004
- Posts
- 5,993
- Post Thanks / WTG / Hug
- Rep Power
- 27
Way to go!!!
-
09-28-2011, 05:14 PM #3Registered User
- Join Date
- Dec 2007
- Location
- CO
- Posts
- 2,332
- Post Thanks / WTG / Hug
- Rep Power
- 18
YAY!!! Come join us in the Electrical Usage Challenge, you'll find lots of tips on how to creep it down even lower.
I use budget billing for Natural Gas but the electric company here kept setting it low and then asking us for a huge settle up amount in the Spring, ouch no way! So the electric I control myself month by month with diligence, and the Natural Gas is on a budget amount.LDR
, 2 DD (one left the nest, one rarely home) More pets than money. More love than sense.
"If you can't see the light at the end of the tunnel, march down there and light it yourself."
Full-time job
Car loan and personal loan
Challenges for 2012:
2012 Grocery Budget Reduction Challenge- $100 a month. (down from $150) Hm, might be too low.
Electric Usage Challenge (doing well, under $70 most months)
Yah, I suck at this money stuff, I know. That's why I'm here.
-
09-28-2011, 09:05 PM #4Registered User
- Join Date
- Jan 2011
- Location
- 4-Season Midwest
- Posts
- 767
- Post Thanks / WTG / Hug
- Blog Entries
- 5
- Rep Power
- 3
WINNING!! Great work!
3/26 Afghan #3: 58 done of 191 rows
Use-it-Up Challenge: 38 tote blocks done
Crochet Gift Stash: 18 dishcloths, 1 towel, 2 afghans, 2 totes
Pound-A-Week Challenge: Week 21, dropped 17 of 21 lbs.
Change Jar Challenge ($vacation$): $49.88 Cashed in for Florida! 4/2012
Reading Challenge: 3/12
~~~~~~~~~~
DR Step 1: Done
DR Step 2: Started 1/2011 w/$19,644, Done: 2/24/2012
Step 3 by 12/12/12: FFEF progress: $3850
Mower replacement - paid $3000 CASH 5/2012
Truck replacement fund: $0
Step 4: Jack up retirement % by 1/2013
Step 5: DS19 12/2012, DS14 2015, DD13 2017
Step 6: Hit the mortgage thru 2018
Step 7: Build WEALTH & GIVE!
-
09-28-2011, 09:57 PM #5Registered User
- Join Date
- Nov 2007
- Location
- On a Cloud in the Midwest
- Posts
- 1,932
- Post Thanks / WTG / Hug
- Rep Power
- 20
Great news, good job lowering your bill.
*Angel*
Dave R. Plan
Step one - Done
Step two-Done
Step three-Done
Step four-Done
Step five- Working on
Step six- almost done
Living debt free except the mortgage and working on that !!!
Be content with what you have;
Rejoice in the way things are,
When you realise there is nothing lacking,
the whole world belongs to you.
-Lao Tzu
Have Courage
“Whatever course you decide upon, there is always someone to tell you that you are wrong. There are always difficulties arising which tempt you to believe that your critics are right. To map out a course of action and follow it to an end requires…courage.” Ralph Waldo Emerson
"I've learned that you shouldn't go through life with a catcher's mitt on both hands; you need to be able to throw some things back..." Maya Angelou
"Choose a job you love and you will never work a day in your life." (Confucius 551-478 BC)
-
09-28-2011, 10:21 PM #6Registered User
- Join Date
- Dec 2008
- Location
- Minnesota
- Age
- 47
- Posts
- 22,743
- Post Thanks / WTG / Hug
- Blog Entries
- 166
- Rep Power
- 129
That's wonderful!! Great job!
Dh Bob
FIL 
DS (21) at Lakehead U - go Thunderwolves!
www.ouroldhomestead.blogspot.com
2012 Exercise Challenge - 5,358 min
2012 Water Challenge - 7,330 oz
May No Spend Days - 0 /20
Wasted money - May total - $0
2012 Change Jar - $ 37.20
No Eat Out - 114 /365
2012 Reading Challenge - 3 /12
2012 Home Project - May - 4 totes 0 /4, organizing laundry room
20 Wishes Challenge - 3/20
12,400 /36,500 squats
2012 Coupon Challenge - $416.06
-
09-29-2011, 10:08 AM #7Registered User
- Join Date
- Sep 2008
- Location
- Connecticut
- Posts
- 865
- Post Thanks / WTG / Hug
- Rep Power
- 8
Congratulations!
Judy
never loose site of the big picture
-
09-29-2011, 12:42 PM #8Registered User
- Join Date
- Oct 2007
- Posts
- 3,668
- Post Thanks / WTG / Hug
- Rep Power
- 25
Great job!!! All the "little" savings really add up quickly.
-
09-29-2011, 01:18 PM #9Registered User
- Join Date
- Apr 2009
- Location
- Houston Texas
- Posts
- 2,167
- Post Thanks / WTG / Hug
- Rep Power
- 16
YAY! I am proud of you. Every little bit helps.
Mary
I won 2nd place! Made it to the top 4 finalists for the ultimate biker makeover!
www.garage-girls.com
12/08/10 - Begin diet & exercise program.
Goal #1 - lose 30 lbs, lower blood sugar, blood pressure, & cholesterol - DONE
Goal #2 - lose 5 more pounds to put me in the normal range on the BMI - DONE - 5/13/11
05/16/11 - Down 36 lbs (total) since 12/08/10, under calorie goal almost every day, on treadmill 40 minutes 5 days a week MINIMUM.
Chase CC - Paid off 06/09
B of A CC - Paid off 07/09
Hospital - Paid off 02/10
Harley - $8,000
House - Start $127,944 Balance $109,076
-
09-29-2011, 05:51 PM #10Registered User
- Join Date
- Apr 2011
- Age
- 45
- Posts
- 2,062
- Post Thanks / WTG / Hug
- Rep Power
- 9
That is fantastic and a little money adds up in the long run.
Reply With QuoteSimilar Threads
-
Budgeted utility bill
By MaryCarney in forum Calculations and AlternativesReplies: 18Last Post: 10-19-2011, 07:29 PM -
Utility bill comment
By shoiji in forum UtilitiesReplies: 13Last Post: 11-08-2010, 06:55 PM -
Utility bills lower than expected
By momofslg in forum UtilitiesReplies: 3Last Post: 04-24-2009, 11:11 PM -
WooHoo Utility Bill!!
By warramra in forum UtilitiesReplies: 6Last Post: 03-05-2007, 08:00 PM -
Utility bill drop
By Jasmine in forum UtilitiesReplies: 2Last Post: 05-10-2005, 07:25 PM
Bookmarks