$ Utilities $

Xan921 · June 2011

I hate hot weather, always have, always will...but I especially hate hot weather when it causes our electric bill to go from $50/mo to $150+/mo due to having the AC on. This is for a 1 bedroom, 730 sq ft apartment! We're lucky in a sense because included in our rent is our water, sewer, trash, and heat, so the only utilities we have to pay are electric and cable/internet (that's only if you want it). So from mid October-April our monthly utility bills average to be $163/mo ($113 for cable/internet and $50 for electric). Then comes the dreaded hot months where the average temp is 85-90, some days it gets into the lower 100's, and our electric bill sky rockets. This year we've decided that any day that is 75 or below (yeah right, like that'll happen) we'll make sure to turn our AC off and open the windows, and also we've been turning our AC up a bit while we're both gone during the day and then down a bit at night. I am sure others have been doing this for years lol but we finally decided to give it a try and see if it makes a difference.

So my question is, do you notice a giant jump like we do during the summer? Or do you pay more in the winter for heat? Are there any steps you take to try to lower your electric bill? Are you lucky like us and have the majority of your utilities included in rent or do you pay each individual thing? (I know this is the case for home owners usually unless an HOA/COA covers things)

hz80408 · June 2011

We have a raised elevation (this definitely made a difference since our last apt was a garden unit/half below grade) 2 bed apt that's about 1000 SF.

So far this summer has been very mild so we haven't had to run the AC continuously...like you Xan, typically if the high is below 80 we don't run AC.

Looking at our online billpay; our electrical bill has so far been fairly consistant; about $35 a month...but last summer it looks like we paid about $70 in the summer b/c of AC.

Our gas bill (we have gas heat and stove) is the opposite. Typically $30 in the warmer months and $70 in the cooler months

We don't pay water/sewage in the city of Chicago.

Tisharp · June 2011

It's horrible, but I have no idea how much our utility bills are, because Keith pays those.

But I know our electric is higher in the summer.

We usually end up having to turn on the AC at least a few times starting sometimes even in late February through April. And then it's on pretty much 24/7 from late April/early May through mid September at least.

I would love to be able to open the windows at night when it's cooler, but we only have one window upstairs that opens, and that's a bathroom window, so we would get NO air circulation up there at all. So during the day from like 8am - 3pm our thermostat is set for around 80 degrees. From 3pm to around 10pm it's set for 68 and from 10pm - 8am it's set for around 72 I think.

We also have a small window unit in the sunroom that will be on almost 24/7 (high during the day and low at night) for July and August at least. That's where the dog is during the day while we're at work, and she sleeps in her crate in there at night.

nfp147 · June 2011

We have our gas bill "equalized" so our bills are generally the same every month and then we usually get a bit of a break at the end of the year because we've paid too much.

I think we usually pay about $70/month for gas, and maybe $100/month for electricity.

christieep · June 2011

We too are on what our utility companies call a "budget". We pay essentially the same each month (within a few dollars) for gas and electric. This is based on our usage over the course of the last 12 months. The first few months we were on the budget plan the numbers varied as our usage varied, but now they have essentially leveled out. We have a 1400 sq ft home and pay about $60/month for electric and $60/month for gas year round. You should check to see if you utility company offers this. It really helps in planning a household budget.

Xan921 · June 2011

christieep:
We too are on what our utility companies call a "budget". We pay essentially the same each month (within a few dollars) for gas and electric. This is based on our usage over the course of the last 12 months. The first few months we were on the budget plan the numbers varied as our usage varied, but now they have essentially leveled out. We have a 1400 sq ft home and pay about $60/month for electric and $60/month for gas year round. You should check to see if you utility company offers this. It really helps in planning a household budget.

Our electric company does offer this but I never signed up for it because I enjoy the cheap winter months so much but I'm thinking it's probably a really good idea to switch over to that. I'll have to give them a call either today or tomorrow. Do you ever find that you owe them money at the end of the year or get a credit from paying too little or paying too much?

chantico23 · June 2011

During the summer our electric bill is around $150 and our gas bill around $40. In the winter our gas bill is around $100 and our electric around $50. So it costs us slightly less in the winter, but not too much.

Xan921 · June 2011

I just called and switched our account over to their "level out" program. After we pay this months bill she said our average bill will be between $89-$99 per month, so although I'll miss those low winter months, I think this will be a better option for us and help budget better. Thanks for the tips ladies! Big Smile

hz80408 · June 2011

Xan- my sis does a budget bill. $60/mo for electric. She recently got a refund (I think around $100) since her lease was up.

nfp147 · June 2011

Xan921:
christieep:
We too are on what our utility companies call a "budget". We pay essentially the same each month (within a few dollars) for gas and electric. This is based on our usage over the course of the last 12 months. The first few months we were on the budget plan the numbers varied as our usage varied, but now they have essentially leveled out. We have a 1400 sq ft home and pay about $60/month for electric and $60/month for gas year round. You should check to see if you utility company offers this. It really helps in planning a household budget.

Our electric company does offer this but I never signed up for it because I enjoy the cheap winter months so much but I'm thinking it's probably a really good idea to switch over to that. I'll have to give them a call either today or tomorrow. Do you ever find that you owe them money at the end of the year or get a credit from paying too little or paying too much?

Last summer we had a credit that equaled 2.5 months of what the bills would have been!

cm10/10 · June 2011

We have central air and heat. Our winters are so mild that I have had $17 electric bills in January. It's niiiiiiiice. That said- in the summer we average $150 because it's hot as heck. What we do is budget $150 every month for electric. On months that it's less, we take that money out and add it to our spending money. It's sort of our own budget billing but I do it myself.

Patineuse1124 · June 2011

I tend to be cold rather than warm most of the time, so thank goodness my rent included heat (I'm going to miss that this year, though at least we have fireplaces and access to free wood). In our apartment in MI our electric bill would go up a little bit in the summer (like from $40 to $45), but we rarely used the AC unit, just mainly fans. Fortunately our apartment got a fairly good cross breeze. Our current house has central air but we have yet to turn it on. Occasionally have used the fans, but all the trees by our house I think have helped keep it cool and have allowed a good cool breeze. I think I'll start a new thread to brainstorm ways to reduce AC costs and stay cool this summer.

ead1975 · June 2011

Our heat and hot water were included at our last place, so this winter was the first time in years I'd had to pay. We have gas heat, and it was a cold winter. Our biggest bill was about $300. Which is still cheaper than when I lived in a place with oil heat.

We had 2 A/Cs in our old place, and our highest electric bill was $100. But now we have a bigger place, and 3 A/Cs, so we'll see how it goes. Our last gas bill was $40, so I suspect they'll mostly even out.

MC22 · June 2011

We have central heat and a/c...both are electric (we don't have gas for anything in our home).

We used to go through the major electricity provider in Houston (Reliant...Reliant Stadium is where the Houston Texans play, so they're big) and our bills were like $250 in the summer. We switched to a new provider late last year. Our highest bill so far has been $143...not to mention that I get 2 miles (Continental) per dollar we spend...plus I got 7500 bonus miles for signing up. It's pretty much been between 95 and 100 degrees all month, so we'll see what our next bill looks like. I suspect it will still be much lower than the Reliant bills.

ETA: We keep our a/c at 78 during the day (except days I work from home, when I turn it down to 74 or 75) and used to keep it at 70 from 10 pm to 7 am but since we brought the baby home, we changed that to 76.

Our water is between $35 and $50 per month. Trash pick up is $100 per quarter. Phone/cable/internet are $150 or so (bundle package). I think that's it. Right?

Side note: my parents live in an area that they are not able to choose their electric provider (can't remember the reason why) and their electric bills are typically between $400 and $600 in the summer. Can you imagine???

Patineuse1124 · June 2011

MC22:
We have central heat and a/c...both are electric (we don't have gas for anything in our home).

We used to go through the major electricity provider in Houston (Reliant...Reliant Stadium is where the Houston Texans play, so they're big) and our bills were like $250 in the summer. We switched to a new provider late last year. Our highest bill so far has been $143...not to mention that I get 2 miles (Continental) per dollar we spend...plus I got 7500 bonus miles for signing up. It's pretty much been between 95 and 100 degrees all month, so we'll see what our next bill looks like. I suspect it will still be much lower than the Reliant bills.

ETA: We keep our a/c at 78 during the day (except days I work from home, when I turn it down to 74 or 75) and used to keep it at 70 from 10 pm to 7 am but since we brought the baby home, we changed that to 76.

Our water is between $35 and $50 per month. Trash pick up is $100 per quarter. Phone/cable/internet are $150 or so (bundle package). I think that's it. Right?

Side note: my parents live in an area that they are not able to choose their electric provider (can't remember the reason why) and their electric bills are typically between $400 and $600 in the summer. Can you imagine???

That is insanity! (and major price gouging)

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