Has anyone been shocked by their utility bill this winter?

[GoodBuyGirl]

I have been shocked that ours has dropped so much. Last year during the colder months our electric was averaging $250 a month. This year we haven't went over $80. The only difference in usage has been a space heater switch in my DD room. Her room was an addition and is not connected to the rest of the house's heating system.

[Ima saver]

Well my heating bill went up cause propane gas costs so much more than it did last year, but my electric bill has been under $100 for months and our house is about 3200 square feet and we heat one of the garages also.

[herm4]

I have thought of that but I was always worried about leaving it run when we aren't home. That may be a thought though. There would be 2 bedrooms that would be a little cold and one of them is the 3 year old's. Good idea - guess it wouldn't hurt to try! Do you turn off your regular furnace then?

Yes, I turn off the furnace when the fireplaces are running. Our fireplaces have blowers on them so that the hot air is pushed out into the room.

[boefixepa]

I have a 1700 Sf house. Heater is 7 years old. Water heater and stove are both gas, but dryer is eletric, so that's the only difference. Our highest bill so far this winter was still under $90 for the month. In summer without the heater running is always under $20. How do we do it .. acclamation. it's been a cold winter here in Utah too, maybe not quite as bad as there, but many subzero nights.

At night the heater is set to 55 .. add a few blankets. Once your in your little cacoo it doesn't matter. If you are worried about the kidos, get a little space heater for their room. You can get them for $30 ish at Wal-mart and the like.

When we are home it is set to 62. You'd think that's cold, but fluffy socks and a sweat shirt and we are fine. I even find myself shedding that if I am doing any cleaning. It's amazing what you can get use to. Plus if you are watching TV you are cuddled under a blanket on the couch anyway.

When no one is home it is set to 50 degrees! This can be a bit cool if you come home at an unexpected time, but it basically means the heater is NOT running when we are not home. If we come home it's simply a matter of punching it up to 62 override and the house warms up in a few minutes, not a big deal.

We are pretty spoiled as people nowadays, with heating and air conditioning, but give your body some credit, it can get use to a wider swing in temps then you think. Watch the kidos fingers and toes and see what you can get away with.

[Snave]

I am just curious to know if anyone has gotten a shock from their home utility bill. I just got mine and it was $320.00 for electric (120) and natural gas (200). I am still reeling over this. I live in a house built in the 50's (in minnesota so remember it's very cold here -10 this past weekend). I know it's not very well insulated but it requires big $$ to insulate and re-side which we don't have right now. Our attic insulation is good and we just re-roofed this summer.

I think most of it is the walls and the windows. I put plastic over our big picture window which leaks horribly and hung curtains. I am thinking about investing in the curtains they claim block cold out, etc. I have covered up the outlets with the foam pieces and we started re-caulking but it got cold before we could finish underneath the baseboards. I have a programmable thermosts set at 69 when we are home and 66 at night or sleeping.

we have gas fireplace which i don't use that much, gas stove, gas dryer (gets used a lot with 4 ppl and 2 of them little kids) and gas water heater.

Anyone have ideas of what else I can do? I know my doors need replacing but that will have to wait for tax refund time.

Just found this out with our gas company and don't know if yours might do the same. Ours does an every other month reading. Our bill 2 months ago was outrageous. They do some formula for temperature, use the previous month, etc... (I don't know what all goes in to it). This month they actually did a reading and it was significantly lower. I can only assume it will be ridiculous next month again.

[herm4]

Yep, ours does an estimate every third month.

[jasanderson]

wow - thanks for that. I'll definately check with them to see if that's possible. I did call them and they let me make a payment on the bill and broke the balance out over the next 6 billings for me. Living in Minnesota it has been well below zero quite frequently since Christmas so I'm sure this will month will be insane too.

[neguy11]

I've been actually pleasantly surprised. Although I have a small apartment, my January electric bill was WAY less than last years. We've had a much milder winter than the horrible "deep freeze" a year ago!

[markio26]

i have done everything to bring down the electric bills on our 2 homes..... our son always meses up my plans accidentally... let me explain, i will have all the bedroom heat off during the day to run the washer and then after a second spin, i run the dryer with a dry towel inside to help the clothes dry quicker for 30 mins.. he will go and turn his bedroom heat on... and yeah it causes the meter to go up for the month... i have asked him and wrote notes.. told him and i let it go and he still messes me up...other than that he takes long hot showers in the am... everyday.... this drives me wild.... my spouse takes the 5 min. military shower.. i take about 12 minutes to shower and use warm water and finish with cool water to close my pores, etc.. keep moisture in my hair and skin... we have a problem with my spouse he leaves 3 computers and monitors, tv, vcr on and leaves the house and goes shopping, lights are on all over the house and he even turns on 3 lights in the garage... i tell him not to do this, and he tries and then goes right back to the same habits.... so, i cut out pizzas once a week from east of chicago, gas money has been decreased, i have to compensate some other way... oh, and i cut out buying sweets for them, only homemade stuff at this house... they are almost out of their chips that we bought a few weeks ago from wag, buy 2-12 packs of pepsi products, a bag of chips, get a case of water free... i think we bought this times...lol..

[sweeps]

Just got my February gas bill. It was devastatingly high. I think there are several reasons. One is it has been particularly cold this winter. Two is this was an "actual reading" compared to an "estimated reading". And three is gas prices are continuing to spike. But I am floored by how much this bill was.

I am really worried for a lot of people out there. My wife and I are in pretty decent financial shape, but we are really starting to feel the budget pinch -- between real estate taxes going up, utilities going up, food going up. I am very concerned about families that have a lot of debt or are already maxed out on the budget. Scary stuff.

[aida2003]

Just got my February gas bill.

How much is it if it's OK to ask?

[sweeps]

$350.

[herm4]

How much is it if it's OK to ask?

I was just going to ask the same thing!

[Joan.of.the.Arch]

Sweeps, I think about other people, too. Here, they won't get their gas shut off for non-payment (or incomplete payment) until spring, but if the amounts owed are very big, some people won't catch up on it by next fall and then they will go into NEXT winter with no heat. That's a problem.

It really does worry me to think others around me can't afford heat. Not just 'cause I want them warm, but because people who can't afford heat (my city has a somewhat low average income) might feel angry and hopeless. Angry, hopeless people do not necessarily make good neighbors.

My gas heating bill was about $159 this past moth, $1 less than the previous, though it was colder over the period of the $159 bill. I tried even harder to conserve and succeeded. I'm at my personal limit for chill, though.

Um, my electric bill went down by one third, from about $33 to about $22. My only possible explanation is that keeping my heat low made the fridge work less. I almost feel like I'm living in the fridge, LOL. Well, actually hubby has watched less TV, too.

[sweeps]

See, I would drop the thermostat and shiver to death, but I have young children and I just can't do that to them. So I just have to bend over for the gas company for now...