Just a few months ago, I was paying between $420 and $440 a month in electricity. Now, I'm only paying between $165 and $200. All thanks to simple adjustments like not leaving lights on, leaving doors open, etc. It's amazing (though not, really - it's just being logical and caring enough to watch what we do around the house - you could say it's a "respect" issue, too, with those who affect the bills being major contributors to this success). The water-and-trash bill took the same dive, as it's now half (and less) than it was just a few months ago as well.
This has been very helpful since I'm still recovering from spending a lot of (credit) money on things last summer involving my wedding and subsequent separation. With my company dealing with the current US economic crisis as best as it can, I'm happy to have my job and the level of stability I do have; being able to have hundreds more dollars to support the family with each month is an added bonus.
Everything evens out eventually, I guess.
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To see if you're really saving, you should compare usage with your usage for the same period last year. I'm sure you haven't really had to use the A/C much the past month, so that really cuts down. Most people don't realize how much all your electronics cost you to run...each computer you run continuously costs you $7-8 (more, if it's got more than two drives, a high power video card, etc), router and modem cost a buck or two each, hubs and switches another buck each. It adds up.
ReplyDeleteOn another note...if you're not enrolled in fpl's budget billing program, you should look in to it. I enrolled a year or so ago and really like it. They average your annual power usage and bill you based on annual usage instead of monthly usage, so your bill is roughly the same every month. I haven't had a bill above $200 since I enrolled. Of course, when I'd normally have my $100 bills during the winter, I end up paying more, but it all evens out.
ReplyDeleteI did. It was averaging $190-210 last year at this time, so I'm saving a little more from there, too. This past summer-fall, though, was just dumb, how much was being spent on electricity and water/trash. I'm well aware of peripherals and that there is a cost for each one (I'm sure some people just assume that as long as it's inside the computer box, it's all the same cost/etc). :-P I'd love to measure usage on various devices around the house, but don't have money to spare to buy one of those measurement devices.
ReplyDeleteI'm not keen on the Averaging idea. I'd especially wait a few months so that last year's Summer disappears first. I'm not interested in "investing in a bonus check" at the end of the annual period. :-P (credit on the account, whatever they would do)
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