Summer Heat and your electric bill

**kork13** · 08-11-2011, 06:55 PM

Skyrocketed. Normally my electric bill is only $40-$50. But between the plummeting value of the dollar, the increased use of my A/C, and the tiered cost structure Japan uses (more you use, more you pay per kWh), last month my bill was $150!!! I thought it must be a mistake until I worked the numbers... CRAZY!!!

**LuckyRobin** · 08-11-2011, 07:10 PM

We've had a mild summer here and the bill that just came was $47. No A/C, but I almost turned on the heater last night.

**krantcents** · 08-11-2011, 08:45 PM

I live in a 1,850 square foot townhouse and my electric was roughly $28 per month. I live in southern California where temperatures can reach triple digits and does quite often in the summer. My last bill represented June and July. I close the shutters and blinds first thing in the morning and set the thermostat at 78 degrees. About an hour before I get home, the thermostat lowers the A/C to 75 degrees. Normally, we can turn off the A/C between 8-9 PM because it cools down.

**marvholly** · 08-12-2011, 03:41 AM

Just got my bill 8/11. I was SHOCKED - pleasently. I believe I ran the a/c 3 weeks solid as temps & humidity were pretty high in metro Chicago (at least for us).

Bill was under $200. I KNOW I have had higher bills than that during the main a/c use time. Think I even hit $300 while DH was still living - >8 years ago.

**riverwed070707** · 08-12-2011, 06:32 AM

Our gas and electric is combined and we do budget billing so its $101 every month all year, but this month definitely was the biggest for electric all summer -- $86. Normally about half that.

**Coronet** · 08-12-2011, 07:48 AM

This month my electric was about $130 and this is for a 750sq foot apartment. Our insulation is kind of crappy in my rental. This is with me turning the AC off during the day while I'm at work too.

**Scanner** · 08-12-2011, 07:55 AM

Wow - in my old McMansion - it wasn't uncommon for the July electric to be $350 or something to cool the whole house. This month I paid about $150 in a smaller house with 2 window airs mainly just used at night.

Something I have been doing is not heating my water for the summer - just turned it off in July and took cold showers (I have electric and it was on a timer). I am anxious to see what my next electric bill will be.

**DaveL** · 08-12-2011, 08:25 AM

We've been paying a little over $60 this summer, about the same as last year. We live in the midwest in a medium-sized house. I keep the air set at 78 during the day and turn it off at night.

**riverwed070707** · 08-12-2011, 08:49 AM

Originally posted by Coronet View Post

This month my electric was about $130 and this is for a 750sq foot apartment. Our insulation is kind of crappy in my rental. This is with me turning the AC off during the day while I'm at work too.

Part of that is your location. The cost/kWh is more on the east coast than other places in the country. I bet if you looked at your kW usage it wouldnt' be that different from others in comparable sized homes.

ETA if you'd like to compare acutal usage, my big bill this month was for 880kWh. Last month, which was a little more normal for us was 537 and a low month would be around 350. Obviously this is also affected by what exactly is using your electric -- we have gas heat but window air that runs on electricity. We also have an electric stove, dryer and 700 cu ft deep freeze.

**MonkeyMama** · 08-12-2011, 09:40 AM

@riverwed - Actually - we used to pay far more for electricity/heat in a more mild climate and a small apartment. Energy efficiency can make a HUGE difference. We used far more electricity to keep our old apartment comfortable (& we were never even home really).

The weather has been extremely mild here this year (west coast). You all took our heat - for sure.

**Joan.of.the.Arch** · 08-12-2011, 10:10 AM

My electricity provider says our basic rates are 35% less than the national average.

Our rates just went up by 7% during the billing period which coincided with the heat wave.

I used 1632 kWh. From now on that will cost $0.1102/kWh, plus a basic $8 charge, plus city tax.

We keep out thermostat at 78 when at home; 84 when away. We have quite a few practices and features that spare electricity use, but quite a few that are unfavorable--like lack of insulation in a solid masonry home.

**Ima saver** · 08-12-2011, 10:30 AM

Our bill was the largest ever at $170. We live in a 3200 sq. foot home. It has been really hot here in North Georgia.

**marvholly** · 08-13-2011, 03:12 AM

I just went back and looked at my bill for approx the SAME dates (oof by 2 days). Current bill is $3.06 LESS, the avg daily temp was 2 degrees MORE but I did use 47 Kilowatts more but the cost for each Kw is down a bit.

**asmom** · 08-13-2011, 08:36 AM

$124, 2500s.f. home. I keep the thermostat on 79, but I will dial it all the way down to 78 if I need to "cool off". The guy who lives across the street from us claims his bill has been running ~$500 or more but they keep the thermostat on 65!

Summer Heat and your electric bill