Electric bill went up:(

**littlemotherhaywood** · 03-04-2006, 08:23 AM

Now granted it was only by a dollar, but I've been turning off lights and things not in use. When they say unplug appliances when not in use do they mean stuff like the microwave and television? I can't get to those plugs easily and with two kids, time is of the essence. My toddler expects his stuff warmed up pronto, lol. I just can't believe how high our bill is. It's about thirty dollars cheaper in the summer when we run three window air conditioning units upstairs. Could the increase be due to the electric blankets we use? We have a gas furnace. My dh has been using a lot of power tools the past month. Could that be why the bill is still so high. We even have several of those flourescent lights that are supposed to save you money. I just want to pull my hair out. I thought I could save money on this bill and I just can't seem to. Our clothes dryer is gas as well. Of course our gas bill is a whole other story. Despite the increase in price though, our bills are lower than last years for our gas bill.

**Kimberlina** · 03-07-2006, 09:52 AM

A couple things- generally, the ghost usage you refer to (unplugging appliances) refers to things that have a remote control and other things that are still pulling electricity when they are turned "off" so yes, a tv would apply, and your microwave probably has a clock on it, so that could apply, too. I read somewhere that one of the easiest ways to tell if something is still pulling a charge is if it has has one of those boxy plugs. They generally always pull a charge. (Especially if you feel the boxy end of the plug and it is warm.) Also, anything with a remote control, because it uses electricity to constantly stay in that state of readiness to accept commands from the remote.

As for the electric blankets, I believe I have read that they do use a lot of electricity. A compromise might be to only turn them on for 10 minutes or so before going to bed, then switching them off when you get in. As long as you have a nice comforter or quilt on top of them, they should keep things warm long enough for you to fall asleep and your body temp to drop so you feel comfortable without them actually turned on.

**littlemotherhaywood** · 03-07-2006, 01:19 PM

It doesn't look like I have much hope then

I have a lot of things with remote controls. We always have three computers plugged in, the tvs, radios, etc...and nothing is easy to get to. Thankfully, no clock on the microwave...it's just cheap and functional. Perhaps some rearranging is in my future.

**melina123** · 03-08-2006, 10:54 AM

We use hot water bottles instead of electric blankets...it really does keep the bed warm. One hot water bottle per bed. It's worth a try!

Melina

**Mom23boys** · 03-08-2006, 11:02 AM

I feel your pain. Ours went up too. I attribute it to the 24% increase that the electric company put in effect.

Don't get discouraged, just try harder next month.

**McD** · 03-08-2006, 11:42 AM

Our electric bill and gas bill are all from the same company. The electric portion is only about 50$ a month, but the gas is always over 100$. Last month the bill was 158$. So I turned the thermostat way down, froze my tushy off and the difference was a measly 4 dollars. I know that 4 dollars is a start, but I'd rather pay 4$ and be comfy.

guest7 · 03-08-2006, 03:09 PM

http://www.sierrapacific.com/conserv...ntial/faq/#q17

I found this website while searching for some intellegent info for you.
Thought it would be easier to send you there.

**Hollyhandi** · 03-09-2006, 02:20 PM

What is your hot water heater?

**canadian gardener** · 03-10-2006, 10:35 AM

Ghost useage doesnt' usually add up to much so keeping your TV and VCR and microwave plugged in probably aren't your biggest leaks energy wise. Try turning any seldom used ghost users off though.

Your electric blankets and any space heaters that plug in, are BIG energy users. Don't use them all night long, or essentially you are heating your house with a lot of electric heat and that is expensive. Stuff like that if you use it, just put it on for a few minutes to take the chill off, and then unplug it.

If you have electric hot water that is another big drain. You can insulate electric tanks BUT NOT GAS ones.

NEXT:

Electric stoves, fridges, freezers and dryers are the usual culprits for big energy drains. You have a gas dryer so let's eliminate that.

Fridge thoughts:
I would be checking if your toddler is leaving the fridge open a lot,

or perhaps the seal on the door is going bust.

Another energy drain is fuzz and dust and lint building up and insulating the cooling coils on the back or bottom of the fridge, so it has to work harder and suck more electricity to keep cool.

Vacuum those once a month for cheapest running. I use a special long brush now, very soft, made for this along with my skinny vacuum nozzle but I used to use a plain old soft baby bottle brush.

Any little bit helps keep those coils running cheaper. Just be gentle, they are easy to damage, and you don't need a repair bill.

Another cold thought:

FREEZERS! Whether top of fridge or the big icy chest or upright, they all work best full, and ice free.

Ice buildup on the sides of the freezer insulates the inside coils just like dust on the outside heat losing coils, and it makes them work harder to keep the food frozen.

You can lose a TON of electric energy every time an upright freezer is open. All the cold washes out over your feet, costing you. If a toddler jars the door loose or if you open it lots, it will cost more. Use a lock on an upright and make sure the seal around the door (gasket thingy) is ok.

Keep it full even if all you do is freeze empty milk jugs with water. A full freezer works less to maintain cold than a half empty one.

STOVES (I mean oven and stove top both)

Ovens suck a lot. I do a lot of bulk cooking, then dividing up and freezing and nuking for meals. Crockpots cost WAY less to operate, so do microwaves so using the oven less and the microwave or crockpot more will all save money.

Stove tops:
Small electrics like coffee makers, griddles, kettle and frying pans all use less than a stove top fry pan, coffee pot, kettle etc. So use your veggie steamer, rice cooker and electric frypan or wok with joy, you are saving.

LIGHTBULBS: ok you did the curly thing, but have you put them in the lamps you turn on the most?

Put the curly bulbs in the most used ceiling fixtures and lamps to get the biggest benefit.

Putting them in the out of the way lamps that get turned on once or twice a month won't help much, but ones that run an hour or more per day will really reap the savings.

**canadian gardener** · 03-10-2006, 10:44 AM

Is anyone stealing power from you?

A neighbor or construction next door are common theives. Pull your breaker for the outside outlets and be sure. I had it happen.

IS THE POWER COMPANY ESTIMATING your useage? They do, you need a proper reading. You can double check by reading your own meter and comparing it to their readings.

Sometimes the power company has little choice but to estimate if the meter is hidden behind thick prickly bushes, or it's hard to get to, or the family dog is threatening them.

People forget that meter readers have to actually be able to get to the meter easily and without fear for a visual reading.

**NoDebtMom** · 03-10-2006, 01:36 PM

Originally posted by canadian gardener
If you have electric hot water that is another big drain. You can insulate electric tanks BUT NOT GAS ones.

NEXT:

Electric stoves, fridges, freezers and dryers are the usual culprits for big energy drains. You have a gas dryer so let's eliminate that.

I think I should feel very fortunate- we have whole house electric.. everything - heat pump, dryer,stove, etc.. NO gas- ('cept one propane tank which is just for one fire place which is more looks than function and not often on) and my monthly budget is currently $89. Now that may go up on my anniversary month (Sept) February was bad, but I should catch up during spring and hopefully keep the budget the same or close. I try to be very conservative with electric, but the rest of the family isn't AS careful. I'm going to have to try the blanket on the water heater.

**littlemotherhaywood** · 03-10-2006, 03:09 PM

Wow, based on Margery's responses, I have a lot of work to do. Though our chest freezer is full, I noticed some ice accumulating, I just wasn't sure how to get rid of it. Also, I can honestly say our fridge coils haven't been cleaned in two years. We have a huge refridgerator and I can't get it out and if dh tries to pull it out, we'd literally have to shove it down the basement stairs to even get at the coils. Maybe he can have some friends come and help him. We'd never be able to do that monthly though. We do run a small space heater in ds's room because it's unfinished. Without it, his room is too cold to sleep in and I bundle him up in layers. I'm so guilty of using the electric blanket (on the highest setting no less) all night long. I sleep with about five blankets and the electric blanket. I just never feel warm enough at night. I also dress very warmly. Maybe it's in my head. I'm trying to wean myself from the blanket. Our hot water heater is a gas one and it's brand new so no problems there. I see a lot of room where we can improve. Also, I do occassionally find the fridge door still open from dd as there is a drawer that sticks and if not closed properly, leaves the whole fridge open. UGH!!!