electric bill

[Freckles]

Our electric bill has just been doubled.

We are trying everything we can to cut down our bill.

Does turning out a couple of 60 watt light bulbs when not needed really save much money?

[Bill]

I consider myself an expert on this subject.... My electric bill was $35 last month and I have no natural gas or oil bill. I use a woodstove for heat.

No offense, but if you are asking the above question, you are probably wasteful of many things. Or at least this is a symptom of the way people I know are. They will leave lights on even during the daytime. And these people have electric bills 10 times higher than my electric bill. They waste electricity, water, food, and have cars which get low gas mileage. Two of these families (different families) recently had to declare bankruptcy.

The first lesson is about money. Pennies make dollars. Dollars make hundreds of dollars. Watch the pennies and the dollars will mind themselves.

1. Read the newsgroup misc.consumers.frugal-living and ask lots of questions there.
2. Study this web site like there is no tomorrow...
3. Read this... Hidden electrical bandits Things that use electricity even when they're off...
4. Read this... A Tightwad's Guide to Frugal Living...

[BobK207]

a 60 watt bulb costs about 1c per hour (assuming 15c per Kwh), not alot but it adds up

cheers Bob

[Dr. Hardcrab]

Ours went up 40%. I think all of the power companies are raising their rates.

[m Ransley]

Of course everything costs, that 60 watter may cost you 10-14$ a month

24 x7 , do some research you obviously have not. CFL cost 75% less to run and turn them off when not used.

[Joseph Meehan]

Yes, but maybe less than you think. Right now it may not cost you anything. If you are heating your home with resistance heat, that light is almost free as most of the electricity is going into making heat which is staying in your home (not a porch light is it?) and a little goes to making the light, most of which well end up turning into heat.

You high electric bill is likely do mostly to heating (rooms and water) and the increase is likely do mostly to increased billing rates so you are likely paying more per unit of power than you did last year.

[Edwin Pawlowski]

Depending or rates, that 60W bulb will cost about 1¢ an hour to run. As Joseph points out, this time of year if you are heating, the cost would have been spent for your main fuel anyway.

Electric bills are high right now because we are getting our bills for the moth with the shortest days and the most lighting used, and perhaps some holiday decorations. Take a look at your use for hte year. Mine is highest in summer with AC, but second highest is December with added lights. May and June tend to be lowest as less light, no heat, no AC. Many of us are facing rate increases of 15% to 18% too.

[Frank Boettcher]

In addition to the wise comments above, look at the number of days in your billing cycle. At 34 days Dec. is the largest month for mine. Also did you have company during the Holidays? Much more load, particularly if you have electric hot water heater for bathing, dishwashing, and laundry.

My bill actually doubled, but all those factors came into play in addition to a 7 percent rate increase.

[Jim McLaughlin]

Replace every incandescent bulb you have with a compact florescent.

Turn lights off when not in use.

Turn computers and moitors off when not in use.

Turn TVs and stereo amplifiers and radios off when otin use.

[CJT]

no, but do it anyway

[Bob Bob]

But look at the capital expenditure of doing it vs the running cost saving. Waiting till the old bulbs blow might even be worthwhile!

And how the MTBF of your hard drive, computer and stereo bits falls under the influence of power cycling. There use to be a general statement about HDD's maybe 5 years ago that said if you leave them on 8 hours a day you might as well leave them on 24 hours.

Other big savers are;

- Lower your hot water service temperature

- Use full washing and dishwashing loads

- Lower you thermostat in winter and wear a sweater/coat

- Check central heating/cooling units for gaps/holes in the ducting and fix. Also check window and door openings

- Shorten freezer/fridge opening times

- Let your cooking "coast" (unpowered) for the last few minutes on the hotplate

There are obviously a host of others but these would be the biggest.

A HWS is about 1500W and some central heating is about 4500W.

Cheers Bob

Jim McLaughl> Replace every incandescent bulb you have with a compact florescent. >