My electric bill doubled!

**dcompton** · 01-16-2010, 06:06 PM

My electric bill doubled this month. My highest usage peaks through the year are usually 450-480 KWH, 485 the highest ever at this apartment. Last year this billing period was 414 KWH. I just got the new one yesterday -- 949 KWH, an actual reading.

I know why. I usually work 5 days a week, and in this billing, I was off probably two and half to three weeks, so I was just home a lot more to use light and heating. Also, it was quite cold for a stretch before Christmas while I was off, and last week, that just made it onto this bill, we had our share of the national freeze-in. We usually get maybe 3 or 4 days a winter when it gets down into the lower twenties, but it moved in and stayed there for a whole week. I cringed to hear how often the heater came on. So I know it's legitimate.

I expected it to be high, but ... DOUBLE! It's still only $66 so it's not the end of the world but it was a shock. I don't know how all of you who live where it's really cold manage your bills at all.

It was also a reminder that this is one bill that will increase if I ever retire. Since I'll be at home full time, I won't have the state of Louisiana paying to keep me warm in the winter and cool in the summer and lighting my life.

**lparker** · 01-16-2010, 07:16 PM

If it makes you feel any better...if you used 950 Kwh in Western New York, your bill would be closer to $150. It really burns me that the Electric company estimates our bill every other month and ALWAYS estimates low. Makes the bill a real killer in the summer. We do pay extra in the months it is estimated so the shock isn't so great when they read it.

**Imarachne** · 01-16-2010, 07:18 PM

That sucks !

**craftypam** · 01-16-2010, 07:29 PM

I live in MI and our heat bill which is natural gas is $105 a month every month. I'm on the budget.

**NikoSan999** · 01-16-2010, 07:32 PM

Originally Posted by dcompton

It was also a reminder that this is one bill that will increase if I ever retire. Since I'll be at home full time, I won't have the state of Louisiana paying to keep me warm in the winter and cool in the summer and lighting my life.

Yeah, I think of this also. Our last bill with no heat or air was $155. This is with just about everything unplugged, off peak useage for dishwasher ( about 2 times week ) and washing drying clothes.

Just think what it will be if/when cap and trade passes. Eventually it will come. Double to triple what it is now. No one will be able to retire. Electric will be a luxury, not a neccessity

**YankeeMom** · 01-16-2010, 08:09 PM

Originally Posted by lparker

If it makes you feel any better...if you used 950 Kwh in Western New York, your bill would be closer to $150.

Wow! And I was cringing at our bill of $96 for 1455kWh!! What really kills us are the delivery charges. They are twice as much as our electricity charges and $40 more than our gas charges!

**ladytoysdream** · 01-16-2010, 08:16 PM

I now phone in my kwh reading on the day they tell me it will be read. I don't trust them because they like to estimate in the winter. I have seen the truck on my road driving by and still get a estimate. And in the winter, he goes up the road 1/2 mile and then has to turn around as it goes seasonal in the winter and does not get plowed . So he drives by this house twice. He does not have to get out as their equipment can read from the road. And he has a clear shot at our meter.
I refuse to play their little games now. I just laugh at them when I get their excuse there was a storm here and the roads are not good. Strange I tell them, I get my mail 6 days a week at the end of my driveway. And we see a snow plow depending on snowfall, usually once a day, sometimes 2 or 3 times.
Our last reading was 800 kwh for the month which ended up being a bill for $ 126.

**Pemberleyan** · 01-16-2010, 08:30 PM

I am expecting ours to be substantially higher than last month because of extremely cold temps. Every time I woke up during the night for about a week, the heat was running and rarely seemed to turn off.

**mauimagic** · 01-16-2010, 09:00 PM

Ours will be up for this and next month since I've been home for 7 weeks!! But double for you - aargh!!

The comment that we will never be able to retire sent chills throughout my body - I do want to retire someday!!

**Russ** · 01-16-2010, 09:39 PM

pfffft to all of you

We re-did our garage and used 2 electric heaters to keep it warm so the mud and paint would dry.

HOLY CRAP!! A $248 BILL!

**JoJoBean8** · 01-16-2010, 10:08 PM

Be happy with that price we used 715 KWh and our electric portion of our bill was almost $112! Don;t even get me started on the gas portion. But the good news for us is our bill is $125 cheaper then this time last year thanks to a new heater( our old one was from the late 50's early 60's), covering the windows, and a programmable thermostat.

**dcompton** · 01-16-2010, 11:18 PM

It wasn't really the cost so much - we have very reasonable electric here. I'm on the budget plan, so the actual bite is only $42, but it was enough to kick that normal payment up a few dollars. It was the quantity that freaked me out - to have used twice as much as ever before in this apartment.

Fortunately, we're back to more normal temps for now, but February can still have some pretty unpleasant weather. I'm just hoping it stays more or less normal.

**frugalfranny** · 01-17-2010, 01:36 AM

Whew - you guys that have had the tough weather this year are killing me......as I am sure your bills are killing you!

We have had a mild winter (for us) and I was real pleased when my bill was under $100 total (gas and elec)----think it was $85 or thereabouts. We were in a cold spell when I budgeted and I put down $175.......which is about par if it stays cold for our 'normal' length of time!

**EnergyBoomer** · 01-18-2010, 07:38 AM

Most utility companies don't complain if you pay more than is due. I pay a little extra on the gas bill each month starting in early fall. By the time the after Christmas bill arrives I don't owe anything that month. I have done the same thing on the electric bill in advance of the air conditioning season. It is sort of a self-controlled flexible budget billing system. The gas company messed me up by not sending me a bill when I got a month ahead in paying them. I especially recommend this for folks who have an income that changes from month to month. Pay extra when your income is up, so you can pay less when your income is down.

**mombottoo** · 01-18-2010, 09:53 AM

Here we paid $96.72 for 850 kwhs. I hate the electric company, you never know what you are going to pay because their rates are different all the time and they break them down funky. Our average is about 950 a month give or take, we have 3 adults living here and quite a bit of company. So hopefully when you retire your bills won't go up much higher so far as kwhs go...now, the cost is a different story.