MacResource
How much is your electric bill this month? - Printable Version

+- MacResource (https://forums.macresource.com)
+-- Forum: My Category (https://forums.macresource.com/forumdisplay.php?fid=1)
+--- Forum: Tips and Deals (https://forums.macresource.com/forumdisplay.php?fid=3)
+--- Thread: How much is your electric bill this month? (/showthread.php?tid=55709)

Pages: 1 2 3 4


How much is your electric bill this month? - mikebw - 05-29-2008

Mine is $79.

This is for a smaller 3-story townhouse with no natural gas, so all electric appliances. 2 people. The last month had quite moderate temperatures, so I have not had to run the furnace or AC (heat pump) even once. Just keep some windows open.

As it turns out, we have spent more on gas for our cars than on electricity for the whole house. Of course during the winter this was not the case- electric bill was over $200 at the worst then.

Now I have the hot summer months to look forward to... not. Hopefully the extra layers of insulation I put up in the attic last month will help. If I wasn't at the mercy of the HOA I would be tempted to cover the whole roof in reflective sheeting come August.


Re: How much is your electric bill this month? - olnacl - 05-29-2008

Mine dropped by $10 this month after I started turning off things that weren't being used - multiple video recording devices that were sucking up watts for the clock displays and whatever else they "keep warm". Also unplugged wall warts for items that are seldom used. I just plug them in for the time I need them. Of course, we had a week that I didn't need the A/C - so that was probably the biggest savings.
Average bill 8 years ago when i bought the place was $60 but it had crept up to $110 recently, hence the green behavior started. I'll see if I can cut it more.


Re: How much is your electric bill this month? - OWC Jamie - 05-29-2008

$26.90
29 billable days
cost went up to 13.1 cents perkwh
all electric appliances (washer / dryer / oven ), oil fhw heat and hot water
I have a well pump for water which supplies two houses with water

I once got it down to $19.xx but that was when electric was under 11 cents / kwh.

1 TV
1 computer



Edit: when I bumped it down from $70/90.00 to $20.00 (cfl and new appliances) they replaced the meter. :-)


Re: How much is your electric bill this month? - mjgkramer - 05-29-2008

Our most recent one received in mid-May was $279.59. The price of a kwh has ranged from 7 cents in 1999 to the current 10 cent rate. The same month's power use since living here is as follows:

2699 kwh in 2008 - $279;59
2416 kwh in 2007 - $229.47
3005 kwh in 2006 - $320.10
2954 kwh in 2005 - $259.82
4314 kwh in 2004 - $366.46
3901 kwh in 2003 - $292.50
3547 kwh in 2002 - $267.10
3820 kwh in 2001 - $301.96
4987 kwh in 2000 - $294.11
2214 kwh in 1999 - $147.43

We have a 3000 square foot single story all electric house in the Texas Hill Country just north of San Antonio. April and May are typically pretty warm with temperature in mid to late May reaching the mid to high 90s and sometimes topping 100. The house has lots of double glazed windows and sliding doors that face the afternoon sun, two heat pumps, a hot tub that that is heated all the time, a pool that circulates much of the day, and a water well. Wife is chronically ill with a normal body temperature of 96.8 so is uncomfortable unless the temperature is fairly cool, so we use a bit more A/C than we should.

Years ago when we lived in Houston (1973 - 1992) we had a 2640 square foot house with a pool that was not all electric. Our bill routinely topped $400 in the hot months (May through September), which was higher than the house payment.


Re: How much is your electric bill this month? - Zoidberg - 05-29-2008

Eleventy frappapillion dollars.

Okay, for real now: $5.52. Seriously. (Of course, that's the bill for the house I still own (and am still in an embittered lawsuit over) back in the New Orleans area (lost to Katrina). That's the minimum bill, apparently, to keep the power on and run an outside light and occasional sprinkler system.)

My house here in Central AR; was $129 for the month. Of course, we hadn' t quite gotten into using the A/C very much until the last few weeks. Ask me again in a few months. You'll likely recognize me because I'll be crying holding the Entergy bill.


Re: How much is your electric bill this month? - Jimmypoo - 05-29-2008

$88 for May 08. April was $66.

1500 sq ft, plus garage, all electric, new construction ranch.

A/C is not running optimal (an ongoing problem with the heat pump) and I have
a 6000 BTU window unit in my room, because I like arctic temps at night.

No more Blue & Whites on 24/7, nothing folds anymore, etc. Just Mini, Pismo, external drive/opticals, and twin Macbooks.

A/C is left, generally, on 79, and 76 at night (central). About 50% fluorescent on bulbs.
Water heater is not on a timer. The project plans are only 4 years old, so I will get to it eventually. Each time I dig it out to install, below happens. So I refrain.

(the house has been PLANNED as up for sale 3 times in past 4 years, so such
projects get put off for obvious reasons).

Range is $60-120 (for dead of Atlanta winter and heat-pump in need of attention).
Doors need new weather stripping (contractor used cheapest crap available)
and windows are not even close to Pella or Andersen's.

More could be done, and may be done this summer, finally. I was gone a year,
and the priorities for various things would have you shaking your head in humor
and nonsensical decision making, as made by "owner."

Fast growing shade trees would already be 10 feet high if planted when I suggested
in early 2004. They are across the street when neighbor took same advice using
Leyland Cyprus.

Angle of house is perfect for solar misc from 11am until sunset. Otherwise angle is
good for turning one room into solar oven on two walls and via roof, lacking any other purpose.


Re: How much is your electric bill this month? - sekker - 05-29-2008

When we installed CFLs and LEDs throughout the house and put in an electrical management plan in place (like kinetic timers on the bathroom fan switches, all computers either off or in sleep mode when not in use, unplug most unused electrics) we dropped our electrical bill in half. We are now at ~700 KWh per month. That will go up when we run the AC, but for a 4000 Sqft house and 4 people, this is pretty good - and all electric appliances except water heater, and the big power hog of a plasma HD TV in the living room (800W).

Am hoping to be able to switch to 100% wind power equivalent later this year when a local wind farm is put on the grid.


Re: How much is your electric bill this month? - blooz - 05-29-2008

$101 for last month and I'm a bit annoyed because of the warm weather we had. On the other hand, my daughter came home with all (and I mean ALL) her laundry so there was a spike there with the washer and dryer. A small price to pay for having her around a while.

I have a new clothesline, need some pulleys and i will set up a line outside to save on dryer heat this summer.

Otherwise, no AC—I count on the river breeze for cool. Place leaks heat like a sieve in the winter, had a bill up around 130 one cold month.


Re: How much is your electric bill this month? - mikebw - 05-29-2008

[quote Jimmypoo]Angle of house is perfect for solar misc from 11am until sunset. Otherwise angle is
good for turning one room into solar oven on two walls and via roof, lacking any other purpose.
My front bedroom / office is this same way, hence the G5 being in sleep mode most of the time. I don't know what else I can do to keep it cool in there. I have white mini blinds plus the extra attic insulation right above it. House was built in 1984, I wonder how much insulation there is in the walls. Aluminum siding outside (of course).


Re: How much is your electric bill this month? - guitarist - 05-29-2008

Puget Sound Energy pays me a monthly fee for the privilege of providing service to my home.

Is that unusual?

You guys have to PAY a power bill?