Gas bill question

JenOSU03

Its kind of personal so please don't answer if you are offended.

How much is your gas bill in the winter?  How large is your house?

I just got our gas bill and my Dh is going to have a heart attack.

Our house is about 2300 square feet and this bill is $243.  Does that seem too expensive?  This is our first year in our house.  Last month it was $187 and Dh installed the timed thermostat so it is cooler in the house when we are at work. So I thought that this bill would either be the same or a little less.

TIA

Jen

iheartsean

Our home is about 2800 sq feet.  That sounds about right.  During Dec/Jan/Feb is around 200/225 each month.

buckeyechik

Sounds pretty normal to me.  Our house is a bit smaller and we can pay up to $200 or so (but keep the thermostat around 63 most of the time).  Remember that it's cooler this month than last month, so that may be why your bill is higher.  Plus some gas and electric companies only read the meter once every other month, so one month may be the estimated amount (either this month or last).

Andrea-n-Andy

That's probably about right.  I don't know for sure because we are on even billing.  So we pay the same every month and they adjust the amount once per year based on the past year's use.  This may be something you want to look into so you don't have these huge bills in the winter.

Mrs*Pink

Ditto what Allison said -- they don't read the meter every month.  Read down at the bottom of the bill to see which month they checked in person.

Ours was $100 for mid-Oct to mid-Nov and $250 for mid-Nov to mid-Dec.  They skipped checking in person on the first bill.  I figure those two just average out to $175/mo.

I'm really nervous about the next bill, because our house is really old and I'm here all day.  To not freeze me out in my office, we have to keep it at 70.  December has been a lot colder than Oct/Nov!  But we'll start a budget plan this summer, once we have a year's record of our usage.

Temp536318000001135

Definitely make sure they are reading your meter! Last year, we got hit with $600 in back charges as they hadn't read our meter in 14 months! They could only technically charge us for 12 months. 

If they didn't read your meter, perhaps your bill is higher as they just estimated based on past usage. If that is the case, then when they next read your meter there will be an adjustment made.

chrstina

They don't read EVERY month - most likely every other month.  It will say on your bill if it is "actual" or "estimate"  They run estimated bills based on previous usage on that time of year so if you have been there less than a year, they would be most likely basing it on previous owners gas usage.  But I agree, gas is going up all over the place and ours was high this month but I read that it was "estimated" so I hope it is really less than it is supposed to be and we'll see an "adjustment" next month.  Look into "apples to apples natural gas".  Google it.  You can "pick" your gas supplier, but still pay Columbis gas (if you have CG).  Columbia Gas runs all the pipes but you can pick your gas carrier.  If you don't you get the fluxuating columbia gas pricing....apples to apples has prices per pcf's of gas of different companies but if you pick your own gas supplier, you are locked into a certain rate for a perios of time.  Although it may be less now, may not be later sort of thing.  But mainly, they turn out to benefit you later by selecting a supplier.

Make sense?

JenOSU03

Thanks for all of the great info.   I will defintetely check out apples to apples.  I read on the bill that it was an estimate. So hopefully we get an adjustment next  month.

OHFallBride06

Ours just sky rocketed this month as well...it's the winter months that kill ya!

aleeandbry

Is it bad that I have no idea what my gas bill is or even how many sq. feet my house is?  I hope my DH never leaves me - I wouldn't know anything.  )

wickedclown1020

1000 sq feet apartment and my bill last month was 350