[banana]

I would also call up the electric co and see if they give discounts on the rates being that you are all electric. How much do you pay per kwh? Was the billing period for longer than 1 month? Maybe you can talk to the electric co about going on balanced billing. I do that and it really helps me avoiding getting high electric bills in the summer when the central air is on. I also make it a habit of reading my meter, I try to read it everyday it really helps me to see exactly what I am being charged for. I dont use my electric dryer since that uses a lot of electricity, also turn off your hotwater heater when you dont need hot water.

I think you would be ok turning it down to 55 while you are away.

Have you had the heat pump inspected to make sure it is working correctly?