Electric Bill Rant

[Ninn]

OK, here I am doing everything I can do to keep expenses down and change the way we do things in this "house". Then I get up this morning and find the lamp in the living room had been left on all night long!!! Now, I wonder WHY the electric bill was 126 dollars this month? I am going to go around and take out all the lightbulbs when I go to bed at night. Rotten teenagers who never sleep can watch tv in the damm dark!!!!....lol

[rambler]

Was watching a Discovery/TLC/etc show last week, they are building a super-collider in Europe, it's a 17 mile underground ring that will make atoms smash into each other.

I'm a science geek, like the research & that we all will learn from it.

But, the think will take enough electricity to run as what would power many thousands of homes. Not to mention the power used for many years of tunneling & building to make the thing.

Makes me wonder about all us little folk trying to save a few watts of power here & there to make the world a better place.......

--->Paul

[paulaswolfpack]

The bills are strange at my proerty to we own ten arces with 3 moblies my dd's bill was $42.00, mine $61.00, ex dh, $123.00

[Hip_Shot_Hanna]

Originally Posted by Ninn

OK, here I am doing everything I can do to keep expenses down and change the way we do things in this "house". Then I get up this morning and find the lamp in the living room had been left on all night long!!! Now, I wonder WHY the electric bill was 126 dollars this month? I am going to go around and take out all the lightbulbs when I go to bed at night. Rotten teenagers who never sleep can watch tv in the damm dark!!!!....lol

One electric light, even at 100 watts would have to burn 10 hours to equal a kilowatt of power. Even at the excessive rate of 15 cents per KWH, it would amount to 15 cents extra if it burned an extra ten hours. If that happened every night for 30 nights, the cost would be $4.50 more than usual.

Interesting site I just found, though it won't address all electric uses.

http://www.sumnercowleyelectriccoope...ergy_usage.htm

I think that basing costs on this table however, may not be helpful unless you take the average hour load or use load, not their average for month or year.

[arabian knight]

I little bulb left on a few nights is not going to raise the bill high at all. Heck there are many times I leave the TV on all night. It Only Takes 90 Watts to run it. The things that Take the most are those that Change Electric into heat. One of the most expensive Small appliances to use, is the Simple Toaster~! Yuppers that little tiny small appliance is Changing The Form Of Energy. and anytime you Change the Form Energy once was things are going to be high. Like an Electric Water higher.. And an electric range with oven takes a BIG bite out of the energy usage. And for sure the Clothes Drier,, You are changing electric TO Heat. That is why a Gas or Propane is way better to use. Stock Tank heaters those 1500 watt ones will make the bill go up 25 to 35 every month and that is just for ONE~!~

Don't fret over a lightbulb. Worry about anything that makes heat or requires a motor.

If they leave the fridge door open, bust'em.

[Windy in Kansas]

Generally after Christmas electrical timers go on sale at 75% off or for cheap as they say. Simply put timers on the lamps that are likely to be left on. I think the timers I bought came two per box and cost about $1.50 each. Keeps burglars guessing with lamps switching on at various times.

[SolarGary]

Hi,

I'm sure it was a compact Fluorescent -- right?

Gary

Some electricity saving ideas:
http://www.builditsolar.com/Referenc...nservation.htm
(they cut our bill in half)

[Ninn]

Originally Posted by SolarGary

Hi,

I'm sure it was a compact Fluorescent -- right?

Gary

Some electricity saving ideas:
http://www.builditsolar.com/Referenc...nservation.htm
(they cut our bill in half)

Unfortunately, it was a dollar store incandescent- the cat keeps knocking that lamp down and breaking my flourecsent-until she learns to stay off my desk, it will be bulbless.

[Beltane]

Originally Posted by arabian knight

The things that Take the most are those that Change Electric into heat. One of the most expensive Small appliances to use, is the Simple Toaster~! Yuppers that little tiny small appliance is Changing The Form Of Energy. and anytime you Change the Form Energy once was things are going to be high. Like an Electric Water higher.. And an electric range with oven takes a BIG bite out of the energy usage. And for sure the Clothes Drier,, You are changing electric TO Heat. That is why a Gas or Propane is way better to use. Stock Tank heaters those 1500 watt ones will make the bill go up 25 to 35 every month and that is just for ONE~!~

Thank you for the insight! Now I get why our bill is so high even though I unplug all of the standby stuff (radio, TV) and always turn out the lights. I feel armed with more knowledge now.

[mpillow]

Ok I'm going to tell you about our light bill. It was $75 approx. while running the second fridge and 40-60w light bulbs. Family of 5. We were challenged to save 10%

Down to one fridge (no ice maker)
CFL lights with bathroom and coop on 24/7
No clothes dryer (clothesline/woodstove)
Wood heat (table top fan to blow heat)
Electric Range/oven (I cook and can alot, but reheat in microwave or woodstove)
3 freezers 2 med 1cube type
Dishwasher
Computer (turned off at night)
Oil hot water heater turned down to 120 degrees

I sleep w/ tv on (cheaper than meds)

We are down to $56 (25% savings) and we homeschool so we are home all the time.

We have goats and chickens thru winter and we carry warm water twice daily...no stock tank heaters.

[Ken Scharabok]

If you have an electric hot water heater put a timer on it. May cost $30 and is a DIY installation with minimal skills. Have the heater come on for say 5-8AM for morning showers and 5-6 PM evening for dishwashing. Tell your family to live with it, such as taking short showers. Only override timer for 'emergencies'. If a family member wants to take a bath charge them say $1.00 for doing so.

If you cut down your use of the washing machine you will correspondingly cut down the use of the dryer. Issue each family member ONE bath towel a week and tell them to live with it. They can air dry it in their room. Maybe I'm wierd but I don't see the need to put on fresh under clothing (including socks) each day. Every other day cuts those needs down to about half. I put on clean bluejeans when the pair I'm wearing becomes too dirty (by my definition). Changing sheets every other week also reduces washer/dryer loads. Actually, if you are changing your kid's bedding tell them to do it themselves. That alone may extend usage. (As would making them do their own laundry.)

On heat, guess I'm getting old but I have decided shivering isn't worth it. My thermostat now stays on 70 degrees with bedroom closed off during day (floor vent covered - only heat comes through door at night).

As noted above, changing electric to light isn't the same as changing it to heat or power as far as usage is concerned.

[dennisjp]

Originally Posted by Ninn

Unfortunately, it was a dollar store incandescent- the cat keeps knocking that lamp down and breaking my flourecsent-until she learns to stay off my desk, it will be bulbless.

Treat the cat like a child. Catch it up there, smack it's tail and throw it outside. It doesn't take long to teach a cat the same as a child. IMHO
God Bless
Dennis

[Pouncer]

lol, dennisjp, too funny! I use a squirt bottle with terrific results and the best thing is, I can reprimand them at a distance! Just have to perfect your aim is all

Electric cost is up here too, last bill was $154. It's getting bad enough that I am actually toying with moving the two chest freezers outside for the winter, but I am too leery they won't start again. The cost per kilowatt is up due the power companies having to pay more to produce it-coal, oil, gas, etc. It's logical but is surely going to squeeze some people pretty badly.

[NCGirl]

Originally Posted by Hip_Shot_Hanna

http://www.sumnercowleyelectriccoope...ergy_usage.htm

.

From the above site:
Television- Tube Type 55 kWh per month $5.91 per hour



That CAN'T be right!!

[Ken Scharabok]

They obviously meant $5.91 per month. Would be 10.44 cents per kwh.

[arabian knight]

WOW is THAT page sooo full of mistakes~!!!!! Can't go by ANYTYHING said on it~!!!!

[CraftyDiva]

If you want to recoup some of your money spent on electricity, buy shares in the company. Interesting story, friend of mine back in Chicago is screaming because "Com-Ed" wants to raise it rates. Why? If they don't, they claim they'll have to go bankrupt, meanwhile they had a record breaking profit year of 3 billion dollars. Shareholders get the goodies, customers get the shaft.......buy stock.

[arabian knight]

DO own part of my Electric Company ~! Mine is a Cooperative~! Got a 25 dollar check in the mail just yesterday as a Capital Credit Retirement check.

[mightybooboo]

Light bulbs use a lot of electricity.

My ceiling fan lights the living room.It had 4 100watt incandescents,400 watts total.Replaced them with 4 26 watt CF bulbs or 104 watts total.

That saved 300 watts! Thats some serious savings,just in the living room.

Or this,I bought a freezer and changed all our bulbs to CF's.The light bill didnt change one bit,so changing those bulbs equals powering our freezer for free.

So I disagree with those who say lights are inconsequential. Its not.Ive cut my electric use on lighting 75%! With zero loss of function,we gave up nothing.

Why anyone wouldnt do something thats such an obvious no brainer just amazes me.Then again,its their dime I suppose.

BooBoo