How much was your last electric bill?

[cappykat]

We have central a/c, but a window unit in our den.  We are replacing it with a Hitachi mini-split (when husband gets to it after all the other stuff is done).  We moved our big screen TV out there and we've been running the unit...I don't even want to see our bill this month!!

We've either got to get the mini-split installed or the TV may be back in the great room.

I can imagine that in the next 10 years, we will all see some pretty amazing life style changes as we try to absorb these tremendous increases in energy costs!

Yea...it will be the way it was 40 years ago.  Only the rich will have ac and us poor folk with be back to none at all!!  

[kervis]

I'm to the East of Brewman in the Twin Cities and my bill just came:  
1265 kwh @ $0.08  total w/fees=$118   $3.81/day
gas=$23.62   $1.18/day

and my last quarterly water bill was.....$34.50!!!!   Guess I can drain and refill as needed as the water is cheaper than the dichlor I just got from my dealer!

[Bama]

Cappy... you used 200 kwh more than me and my bill was more than twice yours.

I can only imagine how high next months bill will be.  We reached a high of 114 yesterday.  I don't think we've been under 100 in about a month and there is no end in sight.

My garage reached 130 yesterday, so we went ahead and unplugged the extra fridge.  I will have to go to the grocery store MUCH more often as the inside fridge only holds 2 gallons of milk and I usually go through 5-6/week.  I still have the freezer plugged in.  We thought about bringing it in the kitchen nook area instead of the table, but I think we will just see want next month brings with our other methods.

FREEZER TRICKS........As a former airline inflight crew member, I was away from home.... A LOT!  
To optimize the efficiency of my frig and deep freezer,
I froze large tupperware bowls of ice, transferred them to plastic bags and filled all empty space in my freezers with them.   It served two purposes:
1) The ice maintained cold temps with minimal cost.  *It costs less to cool a full freezer or frig than an empty one.
2) if the bags had lost their bowl shape, I knew the power had gone off  while I was away and my food was bad.

[BobRex]

Nittany,

Something to think about..... Heat pumps, be they ground source or air transfer, tend to distribute warm, not hot air.   As such, to be effective, the house should first be insulated and sealed.  Otherwise you will feel drafts all winter and the system will be fighting the Pennsylvania humidity in the summer.  Basically you will be heating and cooling with the windows open - not a good thing.

Yes, you will need an aux heat system.  I'm outside of Allentown and I have a heat pump and oil burner.  The heat pump provides 3 season HVAC and the oil burner is used from about December to March.  My bills aren't outrageous - electric is typically less than $100 per month and my oil is maybe another $100 or so.   But I have a heavily insulated house.  

I'd seriously consider insulating before you move on a heat pump system.  You won't regret it.

[Bonibelle]

I just got my electric bill...$303.36 for 29 days,..
1928 kWh. Based on the electric that I have been using per day since my pump problem was resolved, I should be able to reduce that by $100.00!
I have a question...Bama said that is is less expensive to cool a half empty freezer than a full one (rfrigerator as well). I guess I thought that the less mass that had to be cooled, the easier and cheaper to keep it cold...So I really tried to empty that old freezer and I also try to keep my refrigerator from getting really packed. does anyone else have any thoughts on this?
I am still on my mission to further reduce my electric bill...

[Mendocino101]

I have been told the same thing as Bama...it does go against what might seem like common sense at first....

[Brookenstein]

Mendo,

Can I ask what your electricity runs at the store?

[Gomboman]

I guess my $270 electric bill isn't that bad. My next door neighbor had a $680 electric bill during the same period. They have a huge inground pool, spa, two extra refrigerators in the garage etc.

My neigbors don't try to skimp on anything. Sometimes they run their AC with the windows open which is very strange. The wife likes fresh air and the husband prefers AC so they compromise.

[Mendocino101]

Mendo,

Can I ask what your electricity runs at the store?

well....here in the heat of the summer running the air 24/7 with 4 spas....its about 350.00 but than...well.... you know....we sell Marquis..... ...about 200.00 in the winter

[Gomboman]

well....here in the heat of the summer running the air 24/7 with 4 spas....its about 350.00 but than...well.... you know....we sell Marquis..... ...about 200.00 in the winter

That's not bad 101. Are you paying a commercial or business rate at the store?

[Mendocino101]

You know I do not know how it is rated....I mean we are in a retail center.... at my home my spa is about 20 bucks to run.....