My electric bill went down $82 in one month

[Homekeepn]

We had 20 days with our old meter and 12 days with the new "smart meter". So far I am ok with the smart meter. It did help the the electric supplier also lowered the price per Kw too. It is the lowest bill I have had in well over two years. Also this is what else might of helped.

1. Heater broke on the hottub six months ago, not too eager to fix it
because of the expense.

2. Tv in livingroom broke down last month, replaced with old crappy
one from the bedroom that was a replacement (free)for the one
that broke in there 3 months ago. Confused yet? It gets better.
We had another new to us tv for the bedroom. That broke last
week. Needless to say tv viewing has been reduced.

3. Since tv viewing has been reduced, I got rid of the digital cable
box. One less thing plugged in the wall sucking constant energy.
And saving on cable to boot.

4. I am diligent about lights being turned off when not in use.

5. Use CFLs.

6. Have a energy star front load washing machine.

7. Hang all clothes outside. Socks and underthings are placed on a
drying rack in the deck next to the clothes line.

8. Unplug items like: microwave, coffee pot, chargers for phones
computers and ipods. I have never kept things like toasters and
can openers plugged in.

There are more things I have been doing, but can't think of right now.

If we maintain the same amount of kws being used daily. Our bill should be about $45 to $50 less next month than this one.

[NikoSan999]

Way to go! So all in all it should go down about $130? You may also want to find out if there are cheaper rates after say 9pm...then run the dishwasher...a load of clothes etc then.

Although, I can't help but wonder as I read the list of things you have been doing...they all seem to have been being done before the month the bill was $82 less...why would the bill be that much less as soon as the new meter was put in? Maybe I'm just not understanding. It would have have had to have been one heck of price decrease per kw.

[ladykemma2]

when i dealt with phantom load, my first month was that dramatic too.

[Homekeepn]

By no means am I giving all the credit to the smart meter. We have been working to keep the power load down.

Some things like the hot tub have been off the bill for some time now, but other things like unplugging appliances when not in use and keeping extra lights off are more recent.

I have looked into waiting until say after 9:00pm to run the major appliances, but my utility company has a set up that you have to apply for and buy in to a program to get that kind of deal. It just isn't done automatically around here. It has been awhile since I have check into that. I will see if anything has changed. Thank you for the reminder.

We also stopped using a small room sized electric heater. And now that it is lighter out later we are not turning lamps on until sundown or after.

[lparker]

But what is your bill compared to the same period last year? It sounds like you have electric heat. I don't, but if my last bill dropped $85, the electric co. would owe me $30.

[Homekeepn]

But what is your bill compared to the same period last year? It sounds like you have electric heat. I don't, but if my last bill dropped $85, the electric co. would owe me $30.

We do not have electric heat, just the small space heater that would go on during the night to keep the pipes from freezing in the bathroom.

The kw usage is down from last year at this time. It is the lowest usage for a long time. Even during the previous winter.

It would be very nice to have a $50.00+/- power bill. There is just too many of us living in this house to get it that low.

[mauimagic]

Congratulations - cannot wait to hear more success as the months go by!!

[Palooka]

Great job on keeping the bill down.