Ues power when it's cheap...At Night

**KentuckySaver** · 03-26-2010, 07:04 PM

Been thinking a lot about how to cut back on our power bill the last few days. Here is what I have come up with and I would love to hear your thoughts on this. Electricty is cheaper at night so that would be the best time to use it I would think. So, with that in mind, I leave our water heater on at night and turn it off in the morning when the power costs more. We all shower at night anyway before bed. I turn it back on around 7 each evening. We turn our dishwasher on just before bed each night so it runs when both water and power are cheaper. Clothes are dried just as we head off to bed as well.

Am I looking at this right ?? We just started this a few days ago and we are in the middle of a electricity billing so not sure if we will see a difference just yet. But over the next month of so we should if I am correct in my thinking about using power when it it cheapest..At Night.

**Debbie-cat** · 03-26-2010, 09:48 PM

You will save money if it is a cheaper rate at night. Here we do not get a reduced rate at night so it makes no difference. Good luck and I will be looking to hear how much you saved!

**Contrary Housewife** · 03-26-2010, 10:16 PM

Do you in fact get a cheaper rate at night? We don't here. It is flat rate 24 hours a day. Water too. Gas rates vary depending how much we use.

**craftypam** · 03-26-2010, 10:40 PM

We don't get a cheaper rate at night here in MI either.

**Palooka** · 03-26-2010, 10:52 PM

Wish we did get a cheaper rate at night.

**KentuckySaver** · 03-29-2010, 10:35 PM

Looks like I was wrong again guys and gals, our rate is the same 24/7. I read our co op's site wrong I guess and thought we had what they call a RES TOD meter (Residential Time of Day Meter) The rates for that meter is 12.5 cents per kwh during the day and 4.5 at night. The meter I have is a flat 7.6 cents 24/7. BUT, I got my bill today and here is what has me wondering if I am being over charged.

1732 KWH ( I know that's a bunch even for a family of 4)

My bill = 185.98

That's more like 10.7 cents per KWH

I'll be looking to this you can bet !!

**NewLeaf** · 03-30-2010, 08:43 AM

It was a good idea.

**freebs** · 03-30-2010, 10:23 AM

Ok that total bill does it have customer fees and things like that in it? You would have to subtract all the misc. fees, tazes things like that off the total to be able to get a true reading, also maybe there website hasnt been updated and rates have gone up?

Originally Posted by KentuckySaver

Looks like I was wrong again guys and gals, our rate is the same 24/7. I read our co op's site wrong I guess and thought we had what they call a RES TOD meter (Residential Time of Day Meter) The rates for that meter is 12.5 cents per kwh during the day and 4.5 at night. The meter I have is a flat 7.6 cents 24/7. BUT, I got my bill today and here is what has me wondering if I am being over charged.

1732 KWH ( I know that's a bunch even for a family of 4)

My bill = 185.98

That's more like 10.7 cents per KWH

I'll be looking to this you can bet !!

**JanieD** · 03-30-2010, 05:48 PM

Our rate varies per month & often we have a cost adjustment added to each bill. This cost adjustment really make my power bill much higher. My understanding of the cost adjustment is based on the amount of power purchased on a certain (previous) date verus the amount of additional power purchased at the new/higher rate. Like we used more than they purchased at X rate & have to pay Y rate. I could be wrong, but unless I invest in wind or solar power I have to pay whatever they bill me. And no lower night rate or otherwise here either.

**JerryG** · 03-30-2010, 06:29 PM

Here it is MUCH cheaper at night and on weekends. I live in the desert and when everyone at home and at work is running their electricity the rates go up. Cheaper rates are from 9pm to 6am weekdays and all weekend. Remember, we have a crumbling nuclear power facility to pay for!

I try to bake mostly during the weekend and run the DW in the early am (I'm up way before then). It IS a good idea however, the frig must be plugged in all the time and the 'puter. The TV sometimes is on a power strip that is turned off. The alarm clock and microwave are not on power strips cuz' re-setting the time causes me to grind my teeth and dental is (for me) way more expensive! Ha!

**triker** · 03-30-2010, 06:58 PM

Here in Wheeling, West Virginia they have all kinds of fees added to all bills, for example the phone company is Verizon, I have only caller ID, nolong distance and unlimited local and it cost me $78 a month, $14 is fees the city adds to my bill.

One way you can save money on electric is to unplug any appliances, such as coffee pot, computer, tv, etc. when not using them. I read this in The Complete Tightwad Gazette Book. try it and see what happens.

**KentuckySaver** · 03-30-2010, 08:24 PM

Talked to the power company today, they got a rate increase on March 1st of this year. The new rate is now 10.12 cents per kwh. My bill includes a $10.08 coustomer charge...can you believe that, charge me just to be a coustomer. LOL

**NikoSan999** · 03-30-2010, 09:54 PM

Here in Florida we have Progress Energy. Our rates are cheaper from 9Pm to 7AM. On the utilities thread a few months ago I posted our rates. The off peak hours are about 1/2 to 3/4 the daytime rates. Weekends are somewhat cheaper. This is when I normally run washer, dryer, and dishwasher. Dishwasher ONLY when completely full. No heat dry and normal wash. Washer cold only.

Toaster oven instead of oven if possible. Much much less areas to heat up. Less cooking time, less heating up the house meaning less air conditioning.

**Josephhgoins** · 03-31-2010, 10:15 AM

I just checked mine and I do not pay different rates for different times of day either.

If you really want to make a difference in your bill you should concentrate on conserving as much as you can.

Cutting out the dryer, lowering the hot water heater temp and turning down the themo in the winter will make big changes.

Good Luck!!

**baxjul** · 03-31-2010, 10:33 AM

Originally Posted by NikoSan999

Here in Florida we have Progress Energy. Our rates are cheaper from 9Pm to 7AM. On the utilities thread a few months ago I posted our rates. The off peak hours are about 1/2 to 3/4 the daytime rates. Weekends are somewhat cheaper. This is when I normally run washer, dryer, and dishwasher. Dishwasher ONLY when completely full. No heat dry and normal wash. Washer cold only.

Toaster oven instead of oven if possible. Much much less areas to heat up. Less cooking time, less heating up the house meaning less air conditioning.

I have Withlacoochee River Electric Co., and we have a regular 24 hr rate. But, the snowbirds get a lower rate. Wish I still had Progress Energy.