Come in if your electric bill is averaged

Steven&Jamie

I'm planning on signing up for averaging this week. So how does this work--do they average from the previous year? Is it the exact same each month or does it fluctuate a little? Are there any cons to averaging?

jabs86

Steven&Jamie:

I'm planning on signing up for averaging this week. So how does this work--do they average from the previous year? Is it the exact same each month or does it fluctuate a little? Are there any cons to averaging?

We just signed up for this the other day.  I'm not 100% sure on how it works, DH does the bills.  This the way I understand it... they average the last 12 months.  It's not always going to be the exact same amount every month, but it should be really close.  Cons are you'll be paying more in the winter than you would if your bills weren't averaged.. 

jabs86

Steven&Jamie:

I'm planning on signing up for averaging this week. So how does this work--do they average from the previous year? Is it the exact same each month or does it fluctuate a little? Are there any cons to averaging?

We just signed up for this the other day.  I'm not 100% sure on how it works, DH does the bills.  This the way I understand it... they average the last 12 months.  It's not always going to be the exact same amount every month, but it's should be really close.  Cons are you'll be paying more in the winter than you would if your bills weren't averaged.. 

+PuppyWuppy+

We average but I am not sure what is going on because our "average" amount increased $100 this month!!!!

BoyMom21

It is a rolling average from what I understand.  So basically, your month's bill is an average of the previous 11 months.  That's probably why your bill went up this month so much Puppy--they're now averaging in your July bill which I'm betting was sky high due to this atrociously hot weather. 

+PuppyWuppy+

BoyMom21:

It is a rolling average from what I understand.  So basically, your month's bill is an average of the previous 11 months.  That's probably why your bill went up this month so much Puppy--they're now averaging in your July bill which I'm betting was sky high due to this atrociously hot weather. 

Well, their big hype is how this helps people to budget - increasing my average each month is not helping anyone budget at all!

kayleeb

I just looked at our electric bills for the past year. Our's range from $80-$110/month. But the biggest change month-to-month was about $10. Most of the time, it only changes a few dollars a month. We really like averaging.

Steven&Jamie

kayleeb:

I just looked at our electric bills for the past year. Our's range from $80-$110/month. But the biggest change month-to-month was about $10. Most of the time, it only changes a few dollars a month. We really like averaging.

I would much prefer to have a situation like this instead of our bill fluctuating by $10-$15 then BAM an $80 difference or a $103 difference like we've had.  But I don't want to start averaging and still get a $100 surprise like Puppy--what's the point then?  Hmmm.....

BlinkingLight1

Steven&Jamie:

kayleeb:

I just looked at our electric bills for the past year. Our's range from $80-$110/month. But the biggest change month-to-month was about $10. Most of the time, it only changes a few dollars a month. We really like averaging.

I would much prefer to have a situation like this instead of our bill fluctuating by $10-$15 then BAM an $80 difference or a $103 difference like we've had.  But I don't want to start averaging and still get a $100 surprise like Puppy--what's the point then?  Hmmm.....

We never had a big difference like that. Our biggest jump was like Kaylee - $10-$20. It was almost always the same month to month though. 

+PuppyWuppy+

This is what usually happens to use (prior to averaging):

We get a ginormous bill in December - usually close to $1k.  And then we end up with a ginormous credit that lasts until May.  And the process starts all over again. Year after year.

I switched to averaging in hopes that this process will stop.  BUT if it happens again, sh!t will hit the fan.

BoyMom21

+PuppyWuppy+:

This is what usually happens to use (prior to averaging):

We get a ginormous bill in December - usually close to $1k.  And then we end up with a ginormous credit that lasts until May.  And the process starts all over again. Year after year.

I switched to averaging in hopes that this process will stop.  BUT if it happens again, sh!t will hit the fan.

This sounds like my ridiculous water bill last year.  Why is it they can't get their sh!t together?  It's not like they don't know you're not using $1k in energy for the month.  So aggravating. 

OUKap

Ours has averaged around $69-91. It doesn't change much month to month.